9 Investigates: City employees call grievance process unfair

Story highlights:

Charlotte employees claim grievances against their supervisors aren't being handled properly
"There is a culture here where no one feels like process is credible at this point"
City leaders say the process has to change

CHARLOTTE -- Current and former employees of the city of Charlotte are turning to Channel 9 with claims that issues like terminations and grievances against their supervisors aren't handled properly.

Rachel Pillar spoke out for the first time about being fired from the Charlotte Fire Department, where she worked for years as an analyst.

"I had excellent performance appraisals," said Pillar.

RESOURCES: Employee Grievance Process

She received her termination notice while on family medical leave for depression and anxiety.

"I contacted an attorney and told my story and started to learn that several laws were being violated," she said.

Pillar and her attorney appealed, hoping to prove her case to city officials.

"We had offered information and witnesses who could speak to the facts and the truths. Those individuals I spoke to said, 'No. I was never come to. I was never questioned,'" said Pillar.

This year, Pillar sued the city of Charlotte. The city settled for $75,000.

Mechelle Price has a file from her time working for the fire department. In June 2012, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Channel 9 asked Price if there were ever issues with her employment performance prior to her diagnosis.

"No, absolutely not," said Price.

Price claimed during her treatment, her work environment and the expectations of management became unbearable. In March 2013, she submitted a resignation notice and filed a grievance against her boss.

RESOURCES: Grievance Policy

According to the Charlotte Fire Department grievance policy, Price's supervisor should have responded within three days. She said that didn't happen.

"The people that were there that were supposed to help me, deserted me at a time when I really needed somebody," Price said.

Current city employees are also raising concerns.

Tom Brewer, president of the Charlotte Firefighters' Association, recently sent a letter to Charlotte City Council members, regarding a grievance he filed against Fire Chief Jon Hannan.

In it, Brewer stated that 47 days had passed since he filed, with no word on a resolution.

"Dragging this process out affects not only the employee, but their work and it affects their home life," said Firefighters' Association Vice President Marty Puckett.

Puckett said employees can have a representative help them through the grievance process but he showed Channel 9 an email where an employee asked that Puckett be at a grievance meeting as their representative.

Hannan replied to that email, "No. Just you."

Puckett said he's also noticing an alarming trend of employees not given hearings, but instead, the department or city human resources conducts investigations without informing employees who they questioned to reach a decision.

"You lose the opportunity to really present your full case, especially if you have witnesses or documentation," said Puckett. "There is a culture here where no one feels like process is credible at this point."

Charlotte Utilities, Sanitation and Street Department employees told Channel 9 they're also unhappy with the grievance process. They met with Charlotte Human Resources this month to voice their concerns.

Channel 9 requested an interview with City Manager Ron Carlee or an HR official but was told no one was available on camera.

City officials responded to the claims via email.

Q & A between Channel 9 anchor Allison Latos and City of Charlotte:

Latos: Several current and former employees have expressed concerns to Channel 9 that department and City grievance policies are not being followed appropriately, in particular, in regard to the timeframes in which supervisors are required to respond. Has Mr. Carlee been notified of these concerns? If so, how are they being addressed?

Response: Yes, City Human Resources has received feedback from a few employees about the amount of time it has taken to review complaints. Mr. Carlee is aware of these concerns, and efforts are being made to lessen that gap. While we as an organization strive to adhere to time frames contained in the Grievance Procedure, there are occasions where the need by the Hearing Officer to gather further evidence or interview additional witnesses results in an extension of the time needed to render a finding in the grievance.

The City grievance policy and process is under revision, and the periodic need for extension time limits involved with a grievance will be further clarified in the revision.

"If you aren't transparent it festers and then it blows up," said Councilmember Claire Fallon.

She believes the process needs to be changed and suggests an independent third party hear the cases.

"It has to be totally neutral and it's not," said Fallon.

Pillar and Price told Channel 9 they want to see that happen for their friends who still work for the city.

"When they file a grievance it's just really wanting to know that they are heard and there are two sides to every story," said Pillar.

"It's not just a job to them," said Price. "Those people are important and they should be valued."

It would take a majority -- six council members -- to get this issue on an agenda.

Channel 9 reached out to several other councilmembers, including the committee on government accountability, but members didn't return calls, stated they haven't heard of these issues or declined to comment.

Read our past 9 Investigates: