Research

Administrative History

Article 15-C of General Municipal Law requires municipal governments (counties, cities, towns, villages, school districts, and other political subdivisions) to develop procedures for handling employee grievances related to employee health or safety, physical facilities, materials or equipment assigned to employees, or the supervision of those employees. For purposes of this law, grievances do not concern compensation, benefits, or disciplinary actions.

Although the statute establishes the broad outlines for the grievance process, each local government is required by law to develop a written grievance procedure elaborating the process to be followed. Such basic grievance procedures must provide for at least two procedural stages and an appellate stage for the settlement of grievances. Those procedures, and any later amendments or revisions to them, must be maintained by the local government and must also be filed with the Department of Civil Service.

The Department of Civil Service designated the Municipal Service Division as the recipient of copies of these local government grievance procedures. The division maintains these procedures, including amendments and revisions, for all affected governments as filed with the department since 1962.