The Uniform Grievance Policy & The Grievance Form:
DSA’s Uniform Grievance Policy, recently passed at the 2025 DSA National Convention. Between the biannual conventions, DSA's National Political Committee (NPC) makes decisions about grievance matters to clarify this policy.
Democratic Socialists of America is committed to creating a space that is welcoming and inclusive to members of all genders, races, and classes. The following policy provides guidelines to ensure that everyone is able to organize without fear of harassment, abuse, or harm. We further recognize that interpersonal conflict can arise within our organization and manifest itself within and without our political processes. The processes created by this policy are designed to address inappropriate personal conduct by members, and not political conduct which may nevertheless interfere with DSA's core political work.
Members shall not engage in harassment on the basis of sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical appearance, disability, race, color, religion, national origin, class, age, or profession. Conduct, such as unwelcome attention, inappropriate or offensive remarks, slurs, or jokes, physical or verbal intimidation, stalking, inappropriate physical contact or proximity, and other verbal and physical conduct constitutes harassment only when one or more of the following occurs:
i. Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a member’s continued affiliation with DSA;
ii. Submission or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for organizational decisions affecting such individual; or,
iii. Such conduct has the purpose or effect of creating a hostile environment interfering with an individual’s capacity to organize within DSA.
1. A “hostile environment” is created only where the conduct is sufficiently severe or pervasive as to alter the conditions of membership in DSA and create an abusive organizing environment.
2. Conduct will be presumed “sufficiently severe or pervasive” where a reasonable person would be offended by the conduct.
Members are expected to abide by the National Code of Conduct, the Meeting Code of Conduct, and any applicable bylaws provisions or code of conduct passed by their local chapter. Expectations regarding the conduct of DSA members are enforceable for online behavior, including but not limited to conduct on social media, as well as offline behavior.
Retaliation for making filing a grievance or assisting a member in making a complaint under this policy is prohibited. Retaliation against HGOs (Harassment and Grievance Officers) for investigating and reporting complaints is prohibited. Retaliation against Steering Committee (SC) members for adjudicating complaints and/or making decisions on member discipline is prohibited.
If any party to the complaint, HGO, or Steering Committee member believes there has been retaliation, they should inform the HGO, who will treat the allegation of retaliatory conduct as a separate complaint under this policy.
Additionally, the Colorado Springs DSA bylaws enable the expulsion of members from the local chapter in “Article 3, Section 2.1: Removal of Members” as quoted below:
"If a member in good standing is found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of national or Colorado Springs DSA, or if they are found to be consistently engaging in undemocratic, disruptive behavior, the Local Chapter may vote to expel them from the Local Chapter of DSA. In order for such a finding to be made, another DSA member must formally proffer written charges against the member in question to the Local Chapter Steering Committee, which will set the date of a Local Chapter meeting for deliberations on the charges. The member in question must receive a copy of the written charges and notice of the meeting a minimum of two (2) weeks before that meeting takes place. Expulsion of a member requires a two-thirds vote of the Local Chapter meeting. An expelled member in good standing may appeal to the National Political Committee of DSA."
Please click here to read our chapter's bylaws in full, and here to read DSA's Unified Grievance Policy.
Members, please fill out the form below if you wish to file a grievance or complaint about harassment or harm.
