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II. General Provisions A. This internal complaint procedure shall be exhausted before an appeal is filed with the Merit Appeals Board, except as may be provided in part III-A and III-B. B. Whenever a complaint involves the issue of an employee’s failure to meet performance requirements, the standards outlined in Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Section 76-41(b), shall be used to decide upon the merits of the complaint. C. In presenting complaints, complainants shall be assured freedom from coercion, discrimination, or reprisal. D. Complainants shall have the right to be represented by a person or persons of the complainant’s choosing at any stage in the presentation of the complainant. E. By mutual agreement time limits within each step of the internal complaint procedure may be extended. F. All proceedings relating to a complaint filed by a person of the general public shall, as far as practicable, be conducted during the hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at times convenient to the complainant. All proceedings relating to the handling of employee complaints shall be conducted during the employee’s work hours. G. Requests for any relevant information in the possession of the department needed by the complainant to investigate and process a complaint shall be in writing. Upon receipt, the department shall provide the information within five working days. III. Exclusive Considerations and Procedures A. For initial allocation, reallocation, position re-description, and initial pricing issues, the filing of the formal complaint at step 1 of this procedure shall be considered a request for an administrative review as provided by Chapter 4 of the Rules of the Director. The Director or the Director’s designee shall notify the complainant accordingly. B. For a recruitment and examination complaint concerning an action taken by the Department of Civil Service, the filing of the formal complaint at step 1 of this procedure shall be considered as an appeal to the Merit Appeals Board and shall be filed directly to the Merit Appeals Board in accordance with § 104-1 of the Rules of the Civil Service Commission. The Director or the Director’s designee shall notify the complainant accordingly. IV. Required Procedures for Filing of Complaints A. A complaint shall be presented to the appropriate person within 20 working days after the occurrence of the alleged violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of a specific law, rule, regulation, or policy. If it concerns an alleged continuing violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication, then the complaint shall be presented within 20 working days after the alleged violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication first became known or should have become known to the complainant involved. B. Informal Step. 1. The complaint shall, whenever possible, be discussed informally between the complainant and the complainant’s division head, or if the complainant is a member of the public, with the appropriate division head having jurisdiction over the issue of the