grievance process
To file a grievance or ask a question, please email athensareadsa.hgo@gmail.com.
What to Expect During the Resolution Process
After receiving an email containing a formal concern, our Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs) will determine how best to address the incidents described. If a grievance is filed, the HGOs will provide a form for the contacting party to complete with all information applicable to the incident that they are comfortable sharing, make an initial decision about whether the incidents meet the standards of the Code of Conduct and/or National Harassment Policy, and determine whether to continue processing as a formal concern. Before taking any further steps (such as contacting other parties), an HGO will check in with you to acknowledge the receipt of the grievance and make sure you are still okay with proceeding with the formal concern. Ideally within 7 days, a notice of the grievance will be sent to the accused. The accused can choose to admit or deny what has been reported. They can also choose to leave the DSA rather than continue with the grievance process. If they admit the charges, the HGOs will work with them, you, and the steering committee to find an acceptable solution. If the charges are denied, then the HGOs will launch an investigation, which may include interviews and requests for documentation. After receiving all of the evidence, the HGOs will send a confidential report to the steering committee. Ultimately, it is the chapter leadership who is responsible for deciding the outcome of the grievance.
Confidentiality
The first priority of the HGOs is the safety, privacy, and well-being of members. We will never reveal information you share with us without consent unless there would be a clear safety risk in not doing so, and will respect any limitations asked of us in this regard. HGO’s may ask one or more parties to maintain confidentiality around the details of an ongoing case. This is intended to preserve the integrity of the process and avoid escalation during an investigation – it is not meant to indefinitely prevent acknowledging the presence of conflict or harm.
Your Rights as Someone Filing a Formal Concern
1. You can ask a comrade, friend, or loved one to help you file the concern or to file it on your behalf based on the information you provide them.
2. You can decline to further discuss the concern with the HGOs after filing.
3. You can decline to participate in any proposed remedies to the concern.
4. You can withdraw the concern after filing. However, if the incidents reported involve risk of ongoing harm to other members of the chapter, the HGOs *may* seek to address the problem without your involvement. Your privacy, safety, and confidentiality will be prioritized in this case.
Resources
Unified Grievance Policy - As Amended & Adopted by 2025 DSA Convention