REVENUE MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 31-2017 issued on November 6, 2017 amends Revenue Memorandum Order No. 38-2009 relative to the adoption of the revised policies on the settlement of grievances in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR). For Appeal to the National/Regional Grievance Committee (RGC) and/or grievance filed with the National Grievance Committee (NGC) directly by employees assigned in the National Office, the decision of the RGC may be elevated by the aggrieved to the NGC by filing a notice of appeal with the RGC, copy furnished the adverse party, within five (5) days from receipt of the RGC’s decision. The RGC shall, within ten (10) days from receipt of a notice of appeal, elevate the decision and the records of the case, together with a copy of the decision, to the Personnel Division (PD) of the National Office that shall serve as the Secretariat of the NGC. In the conduct of investigation and hearing by the NGC, the procedures prescribed in the Order shall be followed commencing from receipt of the written grievance/records of the case from the RGC. For grievances of employees assigned in the National Office, the grievance complaint may be filed directly with the NGC, copy furnished the Respondent (the party against whom the grievance was filed). The Respondent shall have ten (10) days from receipt of the complaint to file his answer/comment, copy furnished the aggrieved party. The Secretariat (PD) shall schedule the initial hearing within ten (10) working days from receipt of the Respondent’s answer. In case no answer is filed by the Respondent, the initial hearing shall be scheduled and held within ten (10) days from the time the answer becomes due. Both the complainant and the Respondent shall be afforded the opportunity to be heard. The Notice of Hearing shall state the date, time and venue of the hearing. Unless notice is given in open session by the NGC, the parties as well as the members of the NGC shall be notified at least five (5) working days before the scheduled date of hearing.