Employee Dispute Resolution

Appeals

There are three (3) steps of the appeals process for preferred service employees. Appointing authorities are responsible for ensuring all preferred service employees are aware of the appeal process. Step I of the appeals process includes an informal discussion between the employee (“complainant”) and agency’s appointing authority. Step II of the appeals process includes a document review and decision by the Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources ("Commissioner"). Step III, the final step of the appeals process, is a hearing before the Board of Appeals.

For more information about the appeals process, please visit www.tn.gov/hr/pr/employee-disciplinary-appeal-process.

Mediation Program

It is the policy of the State of Tennessee to encourage the use of mediation as a valuable tool for state employees to resolve workplace issues. Mediation is a process whereby the parties themselves, with the assistance of a third party neutral, seek to develop and agree upon solutions to issues in the workplace. The primary purpose of the Tennessee Employee Mediation Program (“the program”) is to provide a responsive, informal, confidential, and effective means of resolving human resource issues. Access to mediation services is available to most employees in state service as a voluntary means of resolving workplace issues.

Workplace Harassment

The State of Tennessee is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State’s policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person’s race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.

Sample Discipline Letter/Removal of Written Warnings

Do you need a sample employee discipline or a warning letter for employee non-performance? View sample letter's on DOHR's Forms & Documents page.