A grievance is a dispute over the interpretation, application, or enforcement of the terms of CEMA's memorandum of agreement (MOA) and the County's Merit System Rules, policies and procedures, and ordinances. CEMA's MOA typically defines what qualifies as a grievance. MOA defines what elements should be contained in a formal grievance, including:

• Statement of the facts/actions/inactions giving rise to, or relevant to, the grievance;
• Allegation of how such facts/actions/inactions resulted in a violation of the CEMA MOA and/or the County's Merit System Rules, policies and procedures, and/or ordinances, including citation of the specific articles or provisions which are alleged to have been violated;
• Request for one or more remedies.

The grievance process and mandated timelines are outlined in the CEMA MOA. After those steps are exhausted, CEMA may file an appeal to arbitration.