(a) Grievance means any act, omission, or condition subject to the control of an Agency which is alleged to deprive a member of the Service who is a citizen of the United States of a right or benefit authorized by law or regulation or is otherwise a source of concern or dissatisfaction to the member, including but not limited to:

(1) Complaints against separation of a member allegedly contrary to law or regulation or predicated upon alleged inaccuracy, omission, error or falsely prejudicial character of information in any part of the official personnel record of the member;

(2) Other alleged violation, misinterpretation or misapplication of applicable law, regulation, collective bargaining agreement or published post or agency policy affecting the terms and conditions of the employment or career status of the member;

(3) Allegedly wrongful disciplinary action against the member;

(4) Dissatisfaction with respect to the working environment of the member;

(5) Alleged inaccuracy, omission, error, or falsely prejudicial character of information in the official personnel record of the member which is or could be prejudicial to the member;

(6) Action alleged to be in the nature of reprisal or other interference with freedom of action in connection with participation by a member in a grievance; and

(7) Alleged denial of an allowance, premium pay or other financial benefit to which the member claims entitlement under applicable laws or regulations.

(b) The scope of grievances described above may be modified by written agreement between an Agency and its exclusive representative.

(c) The term grievance does not include:

(1) Complaints against an individual assignment of a member under chapter 5 of the Act, other than an assignment which is alleged to be contrary to law or regulation;

(2) The judgment of a selection board (established under section 602 of the Act) or a tenure board (established under section 306(b) of the Act) or any other equivalent body established by laws or regulations which similarly evaluates the performance of members of the Service on a comparative basis, including a merit promotion selecting official, except that alleged procedural violations of law, regulation or collective bargaining agreement or prohibited personnel practice(s) arising under these procedures are grievable;

(3) The expiration of a limited appointment, termination of a limited appointment under section 611 of the Act, or the denial of a limited career extension or denial of a renewal of a limited career extension under section 607(b) of the Act; or

(4) Pursuant to section 1109 of the Act, any complaint or appeal where a specific statutory hearing procedure exists other than procedures for considering prohibited personnel practice charges before the Merit Systems Protection Board or Special Counsel (5 U.S.C. 1206).

(5) Non-adoption of a member suggestion or disapproval of a quality salary increase, performance award, or any other kind of honorary discretionary award, except where such action is alleged to be contrary to law, regulation or collective bargaining agreement; and

(6) The content of published agency policy which is not contrary to law, regulation or collective bargaining agreement.

(d) For the purposes of these regulations, the written complaint concerning any act, omission, or condition specified above may be referred to as the “grievance”.

[50 FR 31353, Aug. 2, 1985, as amended at 56 FR 55458, Oct. 28, 1991]