Grievance Procedure

Thank you for contacting the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc., (the "Advocacy Center"). You have asked for assistance from the Advocacy Center by using the Advocacy Center's intake process. Therefore we are providing this notice to explain the right to file a grievance whether you are an individual or an organization that does not agree with a decision of an employee with the Advocacy Center.

Who can use the Grievance Procedure?

Individuals or organizations, that have asked for help from the Advocacy Center through the Advocacy Center's intake process, may use the Grievance Procedure if:

The Advocacy Center declined representation based on sufficient merit to prevail;
The Advocacy Center informed the individual or organization that they are not eligible for Advocacy Center services;
The Advocacy Center informed the individual or organization that although they are eligible for Advocacy Center services, services cannot be offered because of limited resources, limited priorities, or for other reasons;
The Advocacy Center employee assigned to assist is not providing satisfactory help; or
The Advocacy Center employee assigned to assist has given a reason for stopping to provide help that the individual or organization disagrees with.

What should I do before I file a formal Grievance?

The Advocacy Center suggests that before you file a formal Grievance, you first attempt to resolve disagreements or complaints directly with the employee you disagree with. You should contact the employee within 30 days of the event with which you do not agree. If you cannot resolve the disagreement or complaint with the employee, the next step will be for you to contact the employee's supervisor. Ask any Advocacy Center employee for the name and phone number of the appropriate supervisor.

If I disagree with the decision of the appropriate supervisor, may I file a formal Grievance?

Yes, if you do not agree with the decision of the appropriate supervisor, you may file a formal Grievance with the Executive Director.

How do I file a formal Grievance?

Within 15 working days of your disagreement with the supervisor, you may send a written request for a Review to:

Gary Weston, Executive Director
Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
2728 Centerview Drive, Suite 102
Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Be sure to include:

Your name;
The employee and supervisor names; and
The basis of your complaint about the employee(s) and/or an explanation of your disagreement with the employee(s).

If you need help or accommodations to write your formal Grievance, ask the Executive Director to assign someone not involved in your complaint to assist you. The Executive Director will investigate your complaint and respond to you in writing within 15 working days.

If I disagree with the Executive Director, how do I ask for a Review by the Grievance Committee of the Advocacy Center Board of Directors?

If you disagree with the Executive Director's response, you may request a Review by the Grievance Committee of the Board of Directors of the Advocacy Center. Send your written request for a Review to:

Grievance Committee of the Board of Directors
c/o Executive Director's Office
Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc.
2728 Centerview Drive, Suite 102
Tallahassee, Florida 32301

The deadline to send a request for a Review is 15 working days from the postmark date on the Executive Director's response to you. To make the deadline, your request has to be received within 15 working days.

The Grievance Committee will decide whether to grant a review. The Grievance Committee will consider the complaint and the prior efforts to resolve it. The Grievance Committee is required to send you written notice of their decision whether or not they will grant a Review. The Grievance Committee is required to send you a notice within 30 days of the day they receive your request for a review. If the Grievance Committee decides to grant a review, they will investigate the concern and send you a written response outlining their findings. If the Grievance Committee decides corrective action is necessary, the Advocacy Center Board of Directors then decides what the corrective action will be.

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