GRIEVANCE POLICY AND PROCEDURE
1. Introduction
It is ORGANISATION's policy to encourage employees with grievances relating to their employment to use the procedure below to seek satisfactory solutions. The organisation will endeavour to resolve grievances as quickly as possible to the satisfaction of the individuals concerned. Where this is not possible, every effort will be made to explain the reasons for the decision and, where employees are not satisfied with the outcome, they have the right to pursue their grievance to the next stage. It is hoped that most grievances will be resolved during the informal discussion. Employees who have raised grievances will be treated fairly at all times before, during and after the conclusion of the grievance hearings.
It is intended that this grievance procedure follows the ACAS Code of Practice effective from April 2009 in the UK.
2. Scope
This policy and procedure applies to all staff. It applies when you have a grievance about the way you are treated by ORGANISATION as a organisation or by other employees including Directors and managers. Other policies including Equal Opportunities, Non harassment and the Whistle Blowing Policy may also apply and be more appropriate.
3. Procedure
3.1. Informal Stage
If you have a grievance about your employment you should discuss it informally with your immediate manager. The manager will give a verbal or written response within five working days.
3.2. Formal process
If you feel that the matter has not been resolved satisfactorily through informal discussions, you must put your grievance in writing to your immediate manager. You will receive a reply within 10 working days and a meeting will be arranged.
ORGANISATION will investigate the grievance in an appropriate manner and reserves the right to decide how this should be done and by whom. This may entail carrying out interviews with the employee concerned and third parties such as witnesses, colleagues and managers, as well as analysing written records and information. The investigation report will be made available to all the parties concerned. Where necessary, the identity of witnesses will be kept confidential.
Following the investigation, you will be given notice of and invited to a meeting to discuss your grievance. You may choose to be accompanied by a work colleague or trade union official and call witnesses if necessary.
Following the meeting, you will be given a written response within 5 working days and be reminded of the appeals procedure.
3.3. Appeals procedure
If you are not satisfied with the response from the grievance meeting, you may make an appeal in writing within 5 working days of receipt of the decision. An appeal meeting will be arranged and chaired by a senior manager or Director who is not directly involved in the grievance. You have the right to be accompanied to the appeals meeting by a colleague or trade union official. You will be given a written response within 5 working days of the meeting and the decision of the appeals meeting is final.
3.4. Grievance against immediate manager
You may raise a complaint directly with a senior manager or Director if it concerns your immediate manager, or is of too personal or sensitive a nature to raise with your immediate manager. Therefore, for example, complaints concerning discrimination, bullying or harassment by your immediate manager may be raised directly with a senior manager. This may be done informally or formally.
3.5. Other comments
If your complaint concerns an alleged wrongdoing or criminal offence by persons within the organisation, you should raise it immediately with a senior manager or Director.
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