D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 5, r. 5-E803
All grievances shall be raised initially at the level where the conflict or situation giving rise to the grievance occurred.
An employee shall exhaust the informal grievance settlement procedures set forth in this section before filing a formal STEP 1 grievance.
The informal grievance settlement procedures shall be initiated by the employee within ten (10) working days of the time at which the grievance arose.
An employee shall initiate the informal grievance settlement procedures by presenting the grievance to the employee's immediate supervisor, either orally or in writing.
If the grievance has arisen from the action of an Assistant Superintendent, division head, or an office director, rather than from the action of the employee's immediate supervisor, the employee shall be referred to the appropriate official by the immediate supervisor to whom the grievance is initially presented.
The employee shall present the grievance, either orally or in writing, to the appropriate Assistant Superintendent, division head, or office director.
The time limit for filing the grievance, set forth in § 803.3, shall be deemed to have been met by the filing of the grievance with the immediate supervisor, regardless of any subsequent referral and presentation of the appropriate official.
Within three (3) working days of the presentation of the grievance, either initially or pursuant to a referral, the supervisor or other official to whom the grievance has been presented shall hold an informal conference with the employee in an effort to resolve the grievance expeditiously.
Within two (2) working days after the informal conference is held, the supervisor or other official shall give an oral answer to the employee on the grievance.
If an employee does not receive an answer to the grievance within two (2) days of the informal conference, the employee shall have the right to file a STEP 1 formal grievance immediately, pursuant to § 604.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 5, r. 5-E803