Page 13 - FOP June 2019 Magazine

Field Representative’s Report
How to ensure that you get suspended
You are at work, doing your job, when a dissatis- fied citizen or supervisor files a complaint against you. A CR number is generated. An investigation is begun and then completed. A recommendation for a penalty is made without your knowledge, say 10 or 15 days. What are 10 or 15 days to the investiga- tor? All the while, you don’t believe you did anything wrong.
Out of the blue, you are served with a Department form titled “Request for Review of Discipline.” This is the first step in a series of actions to challenge the disciplinary
recommendation.
If you were served with a suspension from a reprimand for up
to 10 days, this form offers you one option to challenge the dis- ciplinary recommendation. You can file a grievance challeng- ing the suspension through a process called binding summary opinion.
If you were served with a suspension of 11 to 30 days, the form offers two options to challenge the disciplinary recom- mendation. You can elect to file a grievance challenging the suspension through a formal arbitration process, or elect to file a grievance challenging the suspension through the binding summary opinion process.
Please contact me on my direct line at 312-733-0803 if you are unsure about which election to make. While both process-
es are effective, as a rule, for suspensions longer than 10 days, you should elect to file a grievance challenging the suspension through the arbitration process.
In either instance, you have 10 working days to make your election. If you don’t make your election immediately, you will be required to initial a box in the upper right-hand corner of the form, acknowledging the fact that you have 10 working days to make an election.
Once you elect an option, you should return the form to a supervisor, who will sign and date the form. Make a copy of the completed form for your records. The supervisor will forward the form to the investigating agency, but you are not done. You will still have to file a grievance form. Please call me for assis- tance.
Challenging your suspension should be your only option. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain because the rec- ommended suspension cannot be increased during an arbitra- tion hearing or the binding summary opinion process. You will not be required to serve any suspension time while the process plays out.
It is important to know that should you fail to elect an op- tion within 10 working days, or fail to file a grievance, it will be deemed that you accepted the penalty and you will serve the recommended suspension. Don’t let this happen to you.
RICH AGUILAR
CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JUNE 2019 13