Grievance Procedure

A grievance is a problem, concern, or complaint that you raise with your employer.
When you have a grievance in the workplace you should try and resolve it informally first, If this fails you need to formally raise your grievance. You need to follow your employer's grievance procedure this can usually be found in your staff handbook, employment contract or written statement.

Without unreasonable delay, you should put your grievance in writing and give it to your manager or if this manager is the subject of your grievance you should send it to their superior.

Your employer will arrange a formal meeting to discuss your grievance. You have a statutory right to bring another person to the meeting to talk on your behalf. This Person can be your colleague, a trade union representative or someone recommend by a trade union. You need to let your employer know in advance if you decide to bring another person to the grievance procedure meeting. Your employer should not unreasonable delay the meeting to hear your grievance.

At the end of the meeting your employer will decide what action to take, if any, and this must be communicated to you in writing without reasonable delay.

If you are not happy with your employer's decision and you feel your grievance has not been resolved, you have the right to appeal. You should let your employer know (in writing) the reasons for appealing as soon as possible. Your employer should arrange another meeting without reasonable delay. The appeal should be impartial and wherever possible attended by a manager who has not previously been involved in your grievance procedure.

At the end of the meeting the manager will decide what action to take and this must be communicated to you in writing without reasonable delay.

Acas provide a statutory Code of Practice on the grievance procedure. The Acas code sets out principles for handling disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace.
Acas Grievance

If your employer fails to follow the grievance procedure an employment tribunal can increase the award by 25%. Also a tribunal can reduce the award by 25% if an employee fails to enter into the grievance procedure without good reason.