(a) Persons who are applicants for State employment in the classified service and classified employees in their initial probationary period and any extension or extensions thereof may appeal to the State Labor Relations Board if they believe themselves discriminated against on account of their race, color, creed, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, or national origin.
(b) Permanent classified employees excluded from bargaining units shall be deemed to have the right of appeal in the same manner and to the same extent as those employees represented by a bargaining representative except that they may not be represented by a bargaining representative.
(c) Any dispute concerning the amount of a collective bargaining service fee may be grieved as set forth in the collective bargaining agreement through either an appeal to the Vermont Labor Relations Board in accordance with the Board’s rules concerning grievances, or through binding arbitration.