Section A

1. Discipline shall be imposed by the Employer for cause as defined by the Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act. Appeal of corrective or adverse actions shall be made in accordance with this Article.
   
   
2. The removal and appeal of probationary employees will be governed by the CMPA and applicable District Personnel Regulations.

Section B

Employees have the right to contest corrective or adverse actions through either the Office of Employee Appeals (OEA) or the negotiated grievance procedure. An employee shall exclusively select either of these procedures in writing. The selection once made cannot be changed.

1. Should the employee elect to appeal the action to OEA, such appeal shall be filed in accordance with OEA regulations.
   
   
2. Should the employee elect to grieve the action under the negotiated grievance procedure, the grievance must be filed at Step 2 if the deciding official is anyone other than the Fire Chief or at Step 3 if the deciding official is the Fire Chief. Said filing must be taken within fifteen (15) calendar days from the effective date of the action.

Section C

If the Employer has reason to verbally admonish or reprimand an employee, it shall be done in a manner that will not embarass the employee before other employees or the public.

Section D

Employees requested to reply to corrective or adverse actions will be informed of the right to have a representative present.

Section E

The Employer and the Union recognize that all employees are entitled to reasonable and timely notice of disciplinary action and the basis of such action. At any time an employee is requested to provide a special report or the Employer seeks to meet with the employee because of a citizen complaint or other reason which the employee believes could lead to disciplinary action, the employee has the right to have a Union representative. The employee has the right to have a copy of a written complaint as soon as possible after the Employer has received it.