United States Department of Agriculture 

Marketing and Regulatory Programs 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service 

Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration 

 Directive MRP 4771.1 9/8/06 

MARKETING AND REGULATORY PROGRAMS (MRP)

ADMINISTRATIVE GRIEVANCE SYSTEM 

1. PURPOSE 

This Directive establishes the procedures for considering employees’ unresolved 

workplace concerns and issues that cannot be pursued in other administrative complaint 

or appeal procedures/systems such as the Merit Systems Protection Board or the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission. This Directive applies to all agencies and 

employees within MRP: the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS); Animal and Plant 

Health Inspection Service (APHIS); and Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards 

Administration (GIPSA), unless the issue grieved is specifically excluded in Section A of 

the Human Resources Desk Guide, Subchapter 4771, Administrative Grievance System. 

2. REPLACEMENT HIGHLIGHTS 

This Directive replaces: 

a. AMS Directive 346.1, dated 10/13/89; 

b. APHIS Directive 460.5, dated 7/11/89; and 

c. GIPSA Directive 460.5, dated 12/03/91. 

3. AUTHORITIES/REFERENCES 

a. Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations §771.101; 

b. Departmental Regulation 4710-001, Alternative Dispute Resolution, 

dated 7/20/01; 

c. Title 5 United States Code, Part 2302(b)(9); and 

d. 3 Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), Section 660. 

Distribution: AMS, APHIS GIPSA Originating Office: MRPHRD-ERB 
4. BACKGROUND 

Employees are an agency’s greatest resource. Therefore, it is very important that any 

grievances they have relating to workplace issues or concerns are resolved as promptly as 

possible. Grievances, if handled appropriately, benefit the agency by providing 

employees an effective process to resolve their issues and concerns efficiently and fairly. 

They also promote a better understanding of agency policies, directives, regulations, and 

procedures. 

5. POLICY 

a. It is MRP policy that no action will be taken against, or benefit withheld from, 

employees or their representatives as reprisal for filing or considering the 

filing of a grievance. Reprisal, intimidation, coercion, restraint, or 

discrimination because of grievance activity or contemplated grievance 

activity is a prohibited personnel practice. Those engaging in such practices 

are subject to disciplinary action. Employees who provide information 

concerning grievance issues will be free from reprisal, intimidation, coercion, 

restraint, or discrimination. 

b. Employees and supervisors will have a choice to engage in an alternative 

dispute resolution process such as mediation or facilitation at the initial 

grievance stage. In some instances, such processes may also be allowed at 

subsequent stages of the grievance process. 

c. The AGS is designed to foster better communication and understanding 

between employees and their supervisors, resulting in prompt resolutions. 

Accordingly, informal grievances will be initially filed with an employee’s 

first line supervisor. 

6. OPERATING GUIDELINES 

a. Specific information regarding the Administrative Grievance System 

procedures may be found in the Human Resources Desk Guide (HRDG), 

Subchapter 4771, Administrative Grievance System. 

b. This Directive and HRDG Chapter are available on the MRPHR home page at 

www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/hr.html, the APHIS electronic library at 

www.aphis.usda.gov/library, and the AMS administrative Issuances home 

page at www.ams.usda.gov/issuances. 

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7. INQUIRIES 

Further inquiries regarding this Directive or the AGS may be referred to the employee’s 

servicing Human Resources Employee Relations Specialist at 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/employee_relations.html

 AMS employees can also access the AMS intranet. That website is http://agnis

/s/ 

William J. Hudnall 

Deputy Administrator 

MRP Business Services 

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