CLIENT GRIEVANCE POLICY

NEBRASKA APPLESEED’S CLIENT GRIEVANCE POLICY

Nebraska Appleseed works to provide systemic advocacy in the areas of child welfare, economic justice, health care access, and immigrants and communities. Many times there are people who would like our help, but their legal cases may not raise systemic issues or we simply lack the resources to handle individual requests. If we cannot give you direct assistance, we will try to let you know about other agencies or persons who may be able to help you.

If you are dissatisfied with the assistance you received or how you were treated by Nebraska Appleseed’s staff, we want to know. If this is the case, we encourage you to use the grievance procedure below. We believe that anyone who contacts Nebraska Appleseed deserves to be treated with professionalism and respect. We believe that you deserve to be heard from if you believe that (1) you were unfairly turned down for services; or (2) were not treated professionally and/or with respect. We will make all reasonable efforts to protect your confidentiality throughout the grievance process. The person with the grievance may be represented by an advocate or another person who is not an Appleseed employee or Board member.

HOW TO FILE A GRIEVANCE

Step 1:

You should make your grievance, in writing, to Nebraska Appleseed’s Legal Director, unless your complaint is about the Legal Director, then proceed to step 2. The name and contact information of our Legal Director is at the end of this notice. Please describe the reasons for your complaint in as much detail as you are able to. If you choose to submit your complaint via electronic mail, please enter the words “Appleseed Grievance” in the subject line of your email. If you prefer to communicate your grievance through some other method, we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate you. The Legal Director will respond to your grievance within 30 days of its receipt. If you communicate by mail, you should also sign and date the complaint and include your contact information so our Legal Director may reach out to you.

Step 2:

If you and the Legal Director are unable to resolve your grievance, or your complaint is about the Legal Director, your next step is to appeal to our Executive Director. Similarly, please describe the reasons for your complaint in as much detail as you are able to and also describe why the grievance was not able to be resolved with the Legal Director. If you choose to submit your complaint via electronic mail, please enter the words “Appleseed Grievance” in the subject line of your email. If you prefer to communicate your grievance through some other method, we will make every reasonable effort to accommodate you. The Executive Director will respond to your appealed grievance within 30 days of its receipt. If you communicate by mail, you should also sign and date the complaint and include your contact information so our Executive Director may reach out to you.

Step 3:

If you are not satisfied with the decision of the Executive Director, you may appeal by submitting your written request to the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Nebraska Appleseed. The name and contact information of our Treasurer is at the end of this notice. The Treasurer will forward your complaint to the appropriate subcommittee of the Board of Directors and a final decision will be made about your grievance within 30 days of the receipt of the grievance by the Board Treasurer. The decision will be sent to you by certified mail.

*If you need a reasonable accommodation to communicate your grievance, please contact us, or indicate so in your grievance.