DISCIPLINE AND GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

GENERAL

1. It is expected that all Brigade members will do their utmost to fulfill the objectives of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, and that they will act in a manner becoming a St. John Ambulance Brigade volunteer. As the most highly visible members of St. John Ambulance, Brigade members must reflect a positive image of the organization at all times.

MEMBERS’ OBLIGATIONS

2. By virtue of their membership in the Brigade, all members have the following obligations:

a. to read, become familiar and comply with St. John Canada Instructions - Part 2: Volunteers, and with all provincial/territorial, area or divisional rules or directives;

b. to assist in maintaining the loyalty, goodwill and image essential to the well-being of the Brigade; and to carry out duties with enthusiasm, efficiency, decency, integrity and honesty, and in accordance with the law; and

c. to participate in training provided by St. John Ambulance, to the level required for the community services performed.

3. All members are expected to carry out the duties assigned to them by their senior officers. All officers and others appointed to positions of authority are expected to exercise leadership, tact, patience and understanding towards all members under their guidance, and to ensure they are trained to required standards and educated regarding their obligations.

4. While performing community service, Brigade members are prohibited from activities that jeopardize the reputation of St. John Ambulance, including but not limited to the following:

a. smoking;

b. consuming alcoholic beverages,

c. arriving intoxicated at a duty;

d. furthering the objectives of any particular political party or lending support to individual candidates during political elections.

 

SENIORITY

5. The Brigade member in charge of a duty will be designated. In the absence of this designation, the Brigade member in charge in any Brigade duty situation will be, in order of precedence:

a. the senior officer,

b. the senior non-commissioned officer,

c. the senior member.

Note that decisions affecting health care may be made by health care professionals.

6. Youth Leaders (Crusader or Cadet Officers) are responsible for the welfare and behaviour of all youth present on a public duty. Where a youth leader is not present, the officer in charge will assume this responsibility.

7. On joint public duties, the service of all assigned units will be coordinated, and the officers in charge of each unit will be responsible to the officer appointed in charge of the duty.

8. Officers holding active appointment take seniority over supernumerary officers and officers on the Supplementary List.

CAUSE FOR DISCIPLINE

9. It is appropriate to initiate disciplinary actions against members if:

a. they contravene the prohibitions imposed on members (paragraph 4);

b. they fail to carry out their responsibilities, as stated in StJCI 2-1-1 (paragraphs 6 and 7)

c. they demonstrate behaviour unbecoming to a Brigade member.

10. All disciplinary actions must be carried out in a professional manner, causing no undue embarrassment or humiliation to any party. The member being disciplined should be interviewed in private by a senior officer, and should be prepared to rectify their behaviour.

CAUSE FOR DISMISSAL

11. Members may be dismissed if:

a. they are unable, for any reason, to fulfill their obligations;

b. they have been convicted either by a Court of Criminal Justice or a Court Martial;

c. they have acted in a manner detrimental to St. John Ambulance, the Brigade or the unit to which they belong.

12. Dismissal of volunteers will be a last resort, applied only when other available and appropriate approaches have been attempted and failed. Dismissal will take place only after consultation with the volunteer and the volunteer’s immediate supervisor, whenever possible.

13. The dismissal of members for cause in positions below Provincial/Territorial Commissioner may be approved by the Provincial/Territorial Commissioner. All positions of Provincial/Territorial Commissioner and above require the approval of the National Commissioner. In all cases, notification of dismissal must be forwarded to the attention of the National Commissioner.

PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE

14. Discipline of volunteers will adhere to the following St. John Ambulance progressive discipline process:

a. Initial contact may be verbal and should be conducted in private. The verbal warning should be documented.

b. If no change has resulted, a written warning should be given, by recapturing the verbal warning and clearly defining expectations and any penalty for not changing. A copy of the letter should be placed on file and sent to the Provincial/Territorial Commissioner.

c. If, after a reasonable time period, there is still no change, recourse is to the next senior officer (ie. Division, Area, Provincial/Territorial, National). Regardless of which officer has been contacted, copies of all correspondence must be forwarded to all involved subordinate officers as a courtesy and to keep them informed.

d. If the disciplinary issue reaches the level of the Provincial/Territorial Commissioner, the Provincial/Territorial Commissioner has the authority to dismiss the volunteer in question. In all cases, care must be taken to ensure that:

· the progressive discipline process outlined has been followed, and adequate documentation exists;

· all efforts to resolve the situation at the local level have been made;

· there has been no violation of any member’s human rights; and

· notification of the dismissal is forwarded to the attention of the National Commissioner.

 

COMPLAINTS AND GRIEVANCES

15. A complaint may be made verbally or in writing, and every effort must be made to deal with it. A grievance must be made in writing, and must follow the procedure outlined in paragraphs 16 and 17.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

16. All Brigade members, at any level within the Brigade, have the right to place a grievance and to be treated in a fair and equitable manner. The following grievance procedure is based on the fundamental values of respect for the individual, and exists so that members can air problems and have an avenue to solve them:

a. Every effort must be made to solve problems co-operatively and informally before being presented as a formal grievance.

b. Every effort must be made to achieve speedy and effective resolution at the lowest levels of supervision.

c. All grievances must receive thoughtful consideration and must be discussed with the complainant.

d. A grievance by an individual must be conveyed, in writing, directly to their immediate supervisor, who will determine appropriate action.

e. A grievance involving the immediate supervisor must be conveyed, in writing, to that person’s immediate supervisor, who will determine appropriate action.

f. A grievance involving another person should be conveyed directly to the person(s) involved. The presence of the immediate supervisor may be requested.

g. All grievances must be treated as confidential.

h. An officer receiving a grievance, after considering all the available relevant information, and discussing it with the complainant, must attempt to deal with it by:

· negotiating a solution with the complainant;

· calling in a third party to assist in negotiations;

· disciplining the offender, if appropriate; or

· dismissing the grievance as unfounded.

i. If the officer is unable to resolve the issue, it should be submitted in writing to the next senior officer. Copies of all correspondence must be forwarded to all involved subordinate parties as a courtesy and to keep them informed.

j. All attempts at resolution may include examination of Brigade reports, signed statements or oral testimony.

 

17. The National Commissioner may be contacted, in writing, if the following conditions apply:

a. the grievance procedure outlined above has been followed;

b. all efforts to resolve the situation at the local level have been made;

c. both the Provincial/Territorial Commissioner and the Council President have been informed and have attempted to solve the issue; and

d. there has been no violation of any member’s human rights.