Member Grievance Policy

Generate a Member Grievance policy here!

Click the button to start the wizard. Answer the questions about your organization and at the end you’ll get a customized document designed for your organization’s needs. The document comes out as a fully editable MS Word document which is yours to keep.

DISCLAIMER: Documents generated through Mission Guardian are legally sufficient for Minneapolis neighborhood associations. Clients assume the risk of editing generated documents. Birken Law Office cannot guarantee edits you make will result in a policy / procedure that complies with Neighborhoods 2020 requirements, state law, federal law, IRS regulations or nonprofit sector best practices.

Why do we need a Member Grievance policy?

In my experience working with neighborhoods over the past several years, the grievance process is a big time waster and a way for people with an ax to grind to hijack your board’s time and attention. That said, it’s also an important formal feedback loop to get member engagement.

And we know the City wants us to have one. So let’s have one.

Two lines in the bylaws that mention grievance are not a full policy and procedure. Likewise, we need a process for handling complaints from members that is distinct from a human resource employee issue or a 1099 contractor complaint.

A policy governing member grievances just makes sense and will help you handle conflicts effectively and efficiently while respecting the members. The policy should be in writing, define the boundaries and lay out a process for managing grievances. This one gets you there.

What if our bylaws already mention grievances?

In my experience working with neighborhoods over the past several years, the grievance process is a big time waster and a way for people with an ax to grind to hijack your board’s time and attention. That said, it’s also an important formal feedback loop to get member engagement. But two lines in the bylaws that mention grievances are not a replacement for a full policy and procedure. The urge to put all our policies in the bylaws is a mistake since policies and procedures might need to change more often than bylaws.

We need a process for handling complaints from members that is distinct from a human resource employee issue or a 1099 contractor complaint.

A standalone policy governing member grievances just makes sense and will help you handle conflicts effectively and efficiently while respecting the members.