1. (a) Residents initiating formal complaints shall utilize the electronic request process or a “Request Slip” form pursuant to Cor 312.
2. (b) Formal complaints shall be limited to one subject per complaint.
3. (c) All formal complaints shall be transmitted without alteration, interference, or delay.
4. (d) Residents shall attempt resolution at the lowest level possible using first an informal process and should that fail, the formal complaint process prior to filing a grievance; these attempts shall be addressed to the highest-level authority within a housing unit, or work area first.

5. (e) The highest housing, or work area authority shall include but not be limited to:

   1. (1) The housing unit supervisor;
   2. (2) The dental supervisor;
   3. (3) The canteen supervisor;
   4. (4) The medical supervisor; or
   5. (5) The chief probation and parole officer.
6. (f) Formal complaints shall be received within 30 calendar days of the date on which the event being reported occurred.

7. (g) A formal complaint shall contain sufficient detail to allow for investigation, including, but not limited to:

   1. (1) The resident’s name;
   2. (2) The date of the occurrence;
   3. (3) The name(s) of departmental staff involved;
   4. (4) The name of witnesses;
   5. (5) The nature of the complaint;
   6. (6) The violation of policy, rule, or law; and
   7. (7) The relief or action which is sought.
8. (h) When a staff member receives a formal complaint, the staff member shall ascertain the nature of the complaint, and determine if it is within the staff member’s authority to answer the formal complaint or rectify the situation.
9. (i) If the formal complaint exceeds the recipient’s authority, the formal complaint shall be forwarded to a person with the authority to respond appropriately.
10. (j) The formal complaint process shall be skipped when the resident demonstrates that using the formal complaint process is likely to subject the resident to a substantial risk of personal injury, or cause other serious and irreparable harm to the resident. An unsupported allegation of fear of retaliation shall not be sufficient to alter the formal grievance process.
11. (k) Inquiry into formal complaints shall be factual.

12. (l) Formal complaints shall be responded to within 15 working days of receipt by:

    1. (1) Granting the relief requested if the complaint is validated during the investigation process;
    2. (2) Denying the relief requested if the complaint is deemed to be unfounded during the investigation process; or
    3. (3) Referring the resident to the appropriate staff or area to address the formal complaint, when, and if, it has been determined to be outside of the authority of the investigating staff member to reach a resolution.
13. (m) If investigation into the subject matter of the formal complaint requires additional time for investigation, an additional 15 days shall be available. The resident shall be notified of any extension before the initial 15 days expires.
14. (n) Residents shall be notified of the findings and what the resolution is in writing following the completion of the investigation. After the resident has received the outcome, he or she may choose to elevate the complaint to a Level I grievance, and all actions executed within Cor 313.04 shall satisfy the requirement to demonstrate the formal complaint process has been fully exhausted.

Source. #12792, eff 5-25-19