Grievance Policy:  A grievance is a complaint of a real or perceived wrong.  An action that may be the grounds for a grievance is defined as an action presenting a danger to a member, the organization, or the APeX community (including non-member event attendees). Unless they threaten harm, disagreements and debates among community members are not considered to be grievable.  Harmful acts such as those negatively impacting one’s livelihood and standing in the community are. The choice of dates and locations of events is not subject to the grievance procedure.

1. The APeX grievance process places the APeX Board of Directors as the final arbitrator of the grievance process.
2. A grievance can be filed against any APeX member or APeX guest (person that has attended an APeX sponsored event).
3. A grievance can be filed by any current APeX member or APeX guest.
4. A grievance shall be treated as confidential by all APeX Board members and volunteers.  Filing a grievance does not bind the filer to any form of confidentiality agreement.
5. Grievances will be adjudicated within 120 days of receipt.

 Grievance Filing Process:  Any current APeX member or APeX guest may file a grievance per this section’s filing guidelines.

1. 1. The Grievance should be submitted to the Board of Directors within 90 days of the event.
   2. The Grievance Form should include any statements, supporting evidence, and witness names.
   3. All names shall be scene names or first names used at APeX events.  No vanilla last names shall be used!
   4. No personal vanilla life information shall be revealed if known by any party!
      Parties may request the exclusion of specific Grievance Committee members and specific Board of Directors members from involvement in the case.  The reason for each such exclusion shall be provided. The Grievance Committee and the Board of Directors have the option to honor the exclusion request.  If the exclusion request is denied, the Grievance Adjudication shall provide an explanation.   No one involved in the adjudication process should have a relationship to either party or involvement in the offense and/or personal bias.
      

Grievance Adjudication Process:  The Process involves the APeX Secretary, the Grievance Committee, and the Board of Directors.

1. The APeX Secretary is the single Point of Contact for receiving Grievances.  The Secretary shall record in the official records of APeX that a grievance was received and report such to the Board of Directors immediately.
2. The Board of Directors will meet within 7 days to make an initial determination as to whether the grievance is for valid cause and if sufficient information is available to forward to the Grievance Committee.
3. If the Board of Directors deems the Grievance to be valid, the Grievance and any included documentation will be forwarded to the Grievance Committee Chair.  The Chair shall notify the Grievance committee members that there is a grievance and coordinate a meeting with a quorum of (3) members present.
4. Any Grievance Committee member may recuse themselves at this point without reason or question.
5. Parties have the right to separate Grievance hearings.  No party is required to be present with or respond orally to any other party.  Parties have no right to orally cross examine any other party.
6. Written rebuttals may be allowed to statements from any party to any other party before Adjudication.  Rebuttals to committee questions are allowed for all parties within the time period prior to the start of Grievance Committee Adjudication process.
7. The Grievance Committee may submit written questions to either party during this time or during the adjudication process.  The Grievance Committee members my ask question during oral presentations.
8. If a party named in a Grievance is a Board of Directors member, that member is excluded from any vote of the Board of Directors on the Grievance Committee’s recommendations.