What is a Grievance?

Grievances

• Grievances: an introduction
• The procedure for raising a grievance
• Other ways to resolve the dispute
• What happens during a grievance hearing?
• Guidance and law on grievances
• Not a member?
• Next steps for UNISON reps

Grievances: an introduction

You can raise a grievance with your employer when you have concerns about any aspect of your working life.  You can also use the grievance process to raise issues relating to the terms and conditions of your employment.  You should always try to resolve disputes informally before raising a formal grievance and a number of grievance procedures allow for this as the first stage of the process.

Grievances typically cover the following areas:

• pay and working conditions;
• terms of employment and workplace rules;
• disagreements with co-workers;
• allegations of unfair treatment at work.

The procedure for raising a grievance

Here is a typical example of a grievance process in action:

In the first instance, you can speak to your supervisor about your grievance informally.

If you are unsatisfied with your supervisor's response, or don't receive any response within a reasonable amount of time, consider whether you should report your grievance to a senior manager.

If you speak to a senior manager and are still unsatisfied with their response, or you don't receive one, you can raise a formal grievance in writing.

Once you submit your grievance, an investigatory meeting or other action may start to investigate your complaint.

Once the investigation is over, a grievance hearing should be held to consider the case.  You have the right to attend the grievance hearing with a trade union rep or workplace colleague.

After considering the issues the employer will make a decision to uphold your grievance or not and confirm the outcome to you in writing.

If your grievance is not upheld you may wish to appeal against the decision.

The Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures provides guidance on how employers should address grievances.

Read the Acas Code of practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures here.

In Northern Ireland there is a similar Code of Practice prepared by the Labour Relations Agency that should be followed.

Read the Labour Relations Agency Code of Practice here.

Before raising a grievance, find out what your employer's grievance procedure is - and make sure you follow it.  Every employer should have a written grievance procedure which may be found in the:

• company handbook;
  
• human resources (HR) or personnel manual;
• the organisation's intranet;
• employment contract.

If you want to raise a grievance, you should speak to your UNISON rep.  Your rep will help you follow the grievance procedure and can attend meetings with you and assist you in preparing for the grievance hearing.

Other ways to resolve the dispute

If your grievance cannot be resolved under the grievance procedures, alternative forms of dispute resolution (ADR), such as mediation, might be available to help the parties resolve their disputes.  Speak to your employer to find out if such methods are used within your organisation.

If you cannot resolve the dispute by using the grievance procedures and ADR (if available), you may need to consider whether your underlying issue forms the basis of an employment tribunal claim.