SECTION C - COSTS

Costs and expenses which are necessarily incurred in securing and utilizing the services of an arbitrator shall be shared equally by the Board and the Association. Each party to the arbitration proceeding shall be responsible for compensating its own representatives and witnesses.

SECTION D - BY-PASSING STEPS

If the Association and the Superintendent agree, Step Two and/or Step Three of the grievance procedure may be by-passed and the grievance brought directly to the next step.

SECTION E - INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS

Nothing contained herein shall be construed as limiting the right of any Teacher having a grievance which has been formally presented to discuss the matter informally with his supervisor and having the grievance adjusted without further intervention of the Association, provided the adjustment is consistent with the terms of the negotiated Agreement and the Association has been informed of the adjustment.

SECTION F - MULTI-PERSON GRIEVANCES

Multi-person or Association grievances, by mutual consent, may be initially filed at Step Three.

SECTION G - COOPERATIVE INVESTIGATION

The Board and the Administration and the Association shall cooperate in the investigation of any grievance.

SECTION H - NO REPRISAL ACTIONS

A Teacher who participates in these grievance procedures shall not be subject to discipline or reprisal because of such participation.

SECTION I - HEARINGS

Hearings and conferences under this procedure shall be conducted at a time and place which will afford a fair and reasonable opportunity for all persons, including witnesses entitled to be present, to attend, and will be held, insofar as possible, after regular school hours or during non-teaching time of the personnel involved.

SECTION J - GRIEVANCE RECORDS

All documents dealing with the processing of a grievance shall be filed separately from the personnel files of the participants.

SECTION K - WITHDRAWAL

A grievance may be withdrawn at any level without establishing precedent, but if withdrawn, shall not be referred to in any subsequent grievance.

SECTION L - GRIEVANCE INFORMATION

All information obtained by the investigative personnel during the procedural stages of a grievance shall be considered as confidential.

SECTION M - RIGHT OF REPRESENTATION

The Grievant has a right to be present and/or represented in a grievance procedure, except no organization seeking to represent Teachers in District 115, Lake County, Illinois, may act as the Grievant's representative. Such Teacher (or representative of Teachers in a group grievance) shall have the right to be present at any grievance meeting. When the presence of a Teacher, appropriate administrator or a necessary witness is requested by either party, illness or other incapacity of those named shall be grounds for any necessary extension of grievance procedure time limits.

SECTION N - GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION

The Board acknowledges the right of the Association to have representatives to participate in any meeting at all formal steps of the grievance procedure and no Teacher shall be required to discuss any grievance if the Association's representative(s) are not present. The Board shall give adequate notice to the Association of all meetings in order that the Association may arrange to have its representative(s) present.