What happens when the Committee receives a grievance file?

The Committee's current grievance review process consists of three steps: grievance reception, grievance review, and the preparation and submission of findings and recommendations (F&R).

Grievance Reception:

• Upon receipt of a grievance, the grievor is contacted and invited to submit additional comments or other documents relevant to his/her case.

Grievance Review:

• An assigned Committee member, assisted by a team leader, a grievance officer and legal counsel, reviews the grievance and identifies the issues. If necessary, additional documentation is obtained and added to the file and subsequently disclosed to the grievor.

Findings and Recommendations:

• The Committee member issues instructions, which the grievance officer uses to prepare the final F&R for the Committee member's approval. The F&R are then sent simultaneously to both the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and the grievor.
  
  At this point, the Committee no longer retains jurisdiction over the case, although the Committee tracks its ultimate outcome. The grievor receives a decision directly from the Final Authority (FA) in the grievance process, the CDS or his/her delegate.
  
  The FA is not bound by the Committee's F&R. However, in cases where the FA disagrees, reasons must be provided in writing to both the Committee and the grievor.