WHEREAS, Section 3, Article IX-B of the 1987 Constitution and Section 1 Title 1 (A), Book V of the Administrative Code of 1987 mandates that the "Civil Service Commission, as the central personnel agency of the government, shall establish a career service and adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, and courtesy in the civil service";

WHEREAS, Section 3, Chapter V, Title I (A), Book V of the same Code stipulates that it shall be the concern of the Commission to provide leadership and assistance in developing employee relations programs and the improvement of employee morale. The same section further states that every Secretary or head of agency shall take proper steps toward the creation of an atmosphere conducive to good supervisor-employee relations and improvement of employee morale;

WHEREAS, Section 37 of the said Code states that the employees shall have the right to present their grievances to management and have them adjudicated as expeditiously as possible in the best interest of the agency, the government as a whole, and the employee concerned;

WHEREAS, Rule XII of the Omnibus Rules Implementing Book V of Executive Order No. 292 and other pertinent civil service rules prescribe that heads of offices are enjoined to furnish every employee in his or her office with a copy of its grievance procedure including any revisions thereof and conduct information dissemination through symposia, workshops, publications, and other modes of employee education program;

WHEREAS, CSC Memorandum Circular No. 45, s. 1989, which provided for the reinstallation of the grievance machinery in each agency of the government needs updating to make it more responsive to the present day needs and realities;

WHEREFORE, the Commission resolves to adopt the following Revised Policies in the Settlement of Grievances in the Public Sector:

1. A grievance shall be resolved expeditiously at all times at the lowest level possible in the agency. However, if not settled at the lowest level possible, an aggrieved party shall present his or her grievance step by step following the hierarchy of positions.

2. All agencies shall establish a grievance machinery that is the best way to address grievance between or among government officials and employees.

An Agency is not precluded from adopting a name or title for its grievance machinery.

3. The aggrieved party shall be assured freedom from coercion, discrimination, reprisal and biased action on the grievance.

4. Grievance proceedings shall not be bound by legal rules and technicalities. Even verbal grievance must be acted upon expeditiously. The services of a legal counsel shall not be allowed.

5. A grievance shall be presented verbally or in writing in the first instance by the aggrieved party to his or her immediate supervisor. The latter shall, within three (3) working days from the date of presentation, inform verbally the aggrieved party of the corresponding action.

If the party being complained of is the immediate supervisor, the grievance shall be presented to the next higher supervisor.

6. Grievance refers to work related issues giving rise to employee dissatisfaction. The following cases shall be acted upon through the grievance machinery:

1. Non-implementation of policies, practices and procedures on economic and financial issues and other terms and conditions of employment fixed by law including salaries, incentives, working hours, leave benefits, and other related terms and conditions;

2. Non-implementation of policies, practices and procedures which affect employees from recruitment to promotion, detail transfer, retirement, termination, lay-offs, and other related issues that affect them;

3. Physical working conditions;

4. Interpersonal relationships and linkages; and

5. Protest on appointments;

6. All other matters giving rise to employee dissatisfaction and discontentment outside of those cases enumerated in Item No. 6.

7. The following cases shall not be acted upon through the grievance machinery:

1. Disciplinary cases which shall be resolved pursuant to the Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases; and

2. Sexual harassment cases as provided for in RA 7877; and

3. Union-related issues and concerns.

8. Only permanent officials and employees, whenever applicable, shall be appointed or elected as members of the grievance committee. In the appointment or election of the committee members, their integrity, probity, sincerity and credibility shall be considered.

9. Agencies with regional offices shall establish separate grievance committees in their head and regional offices. The composition thereof are as follows:

1. In the central office, the highest official responsible for Human Resource Management (HRM) shall act as chairperson. In the regional offices, the chairperson shall be the Chief or Head of Administrative Division.

2. Two (2) Division Chiefs or their equivalent positions chosen from among themselves;

3. Two (2) members from the rank-and-file who shall serve for a term of two (2) years and chosen through a general assembly or any other mode of selection to be conducted for the purpose; one from the first level and another from the second level. In offices where there are accredited or recognized employee unions, the rank-and-file representatives shall be those named by the employee union. The first level representative shall participate in the resolution of the grievance of first level employees while the second level representative shall participate n the resolution of grievance of second level employees; and

4. The Bilis Aksyon Partner (BAP) duly designated.

In the case of Local government Units, the Local Chief Executive or his or her duly designated representative shall be appointed as member of the grievance committee.

In cases where the grievance is against one of the members of the committee, the person who garnered the second highest votes shall sit as alternate of the member being complained of.

10. The agency head shall ensure equal opportunity for men and women to be represented in the grievance committee.

11. The agency grievance committee shall develop and implement pro-active measures that would prevent grievance, such as employee assembly which shall be conducted art least once every quarter, "talakayan"’ counseling HRD interventions and other similar activities.

12. The personnel unit in collaboration with the agency grievance committee shall conduct a continuing information drive on grievance machinery among its officials and employees.

13. The grievance committee may conduct an investigation and hearing within ten (10) working days from receipt of the grievance and render a decision within five (5) working days after the investigation: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That where the object of the grievance is the Grievance Committee, the aggrieved party may submit the grievance to top management.

14. A grievance may be elevated to the Civil Service Regional Office concerned only upon submission of a Certification on the Final Action on Grievance (CFAG) issued by the grievance committee. The CFAG shall contain, among other things, the following information: history and final action taken by the agency on the grievance.

15. The personnel unit of the agency shall extend secretariat services to the grievance committee.

16. The grievance committee shall establish its own internal procedures and strategies. Membership in the grievance committee shall be considered part of the members’ regular duties.

17. The grievance committee shall submit a report of its accomplishments and status report of unresolved grievances quarterly to the Civil Service Regional Office.

18. Supervisors or officials who refuse to take action on a grievance brought to their attention shall be liable for neglect of duty in accordance with existing civil service law, rules and regulations.

19. The agency grievance machinery shall be submitted to the Civil Service Commission for approval. Subsequent amendments shall be subject to CSC approval and shall take effect immediately.

This Resolution shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Quezon City, January 10, 2001.