1. (a) The supervisor shall conduct a meeting with the grievant not later than 10 calendar days after the date the department receives the grievance form under 7 AAC 54.245(e). The supervisor may include in the meeting staff identified as the subject of the grievance, if the staffs participation would assist in resolving the grievance.
2. (b) Each person at the meeting has an opportunity to explain the person's position, and to suggest methods of resolving the dispute.
3. (c) Not later than five calendar days after the conclusion of the meeting, the supervisor shall issue a decision letter. The letter must summarize the grievance, state the material facts, and explain what action, if any, the department will take in response to the grievance, including times by which action will be taken. The supervisor shall also include information on the review process, including contact information identifying the next superior supervisor in the chain of command.
4. (d) A grievant may seek review of a supervisor's decision by the next superior supervisor in the chain of command, up to and including the director of the division. Each request for review must be in writing and delivered to the next superior supervisor in the chain of command not later than 15 business days after the date the previous decision was issued. Supervisors, up to and including the division director, may conduct meetings on the review with the grievant. A supervisor that receives a request for review, up to and including the division director, shall issue a decision letter not later than 10 calendar days after the date of receipt of the request for review or the date of a meeting on the review, whichever is later.
5. (e) The division director's decision is a final agency decision for purposes of judicial review.

6. (f) A supervisor reviewing a grievance or a request for review may extend, by not more than two consecutive 10-business-day time periods, a time limit under (a) - (d) of this section if

   1. (1) the supervisor is absent on approved leave or official business;
   2. (2) the supervisor needs to consult with a staff member who is absent on approved leave or official business, or have that staff member participate in a meeting; or
   3. (3) unforeseen circumstances prevent a grievant from timely delivering a request for review.
7. (g) If at any time a resolution to the grievance process is reached, the grievant may withdraw the grievance in writing, at which time the case shall be closed. If the grievant does not withdraw in writing and otherwise ceases to respond to inquiries from the supervisor, after 15 days from the last inquiry the department may consider the matter closed and issue a final decision without further proceedings.

(Eff. 9/7/2013, Register 207)