Imagine you’ve been working diligently at your job for several years, consistently going above and beyond to meet deadlines and deliver quality work. One day, you’re passed over for a promotion that you were assured was yours. To make matters worse, the promotion is given to someone with less experience and qualifications. You feel frustrated, hurt, and undervalued. What do you do next?
In such a situation, many people might vent to colleagues or even consider quitting, but there’s a more constructive way to address the issue: writing a grievance letter.
A grievance letter is a formal way of documenting your concerns and seeking resolution. It’s not just about airing your frustrations; it’s about making sure your voice is heard and that your concerns are taken seriously.
Writing a grievance letter might seem challenging, especially if you’re not sure where to start. This blog post is here to help you navigate the process with a practical, step-by-step guide. Whether you’re dealing with workplace issues, disputes with a service provider, or any other situation where you feel wronged, learning how to write an effective grievance letter can be an empowering tool.
What Is A Grievance Letter?
A grievance is when an employee has worries, problems, or a complaint about a situation at work that they want to raise with their employer. The grievance procedure is designed to give employees a platform to discuss issues and concerns, as well as an opportunity for the employer to address any issues.
You may file a grievance regarding job responsibilities, employment contract provisions, or workplace treatment, such as bullying, harassment, victimization, or discrimination.
The grievance letter is the employee’s opportunity to explain, in writing, the basis of their complaint and what steps they would like to take to resolve the matter.
Why Should An Employee Write A Grievance Letter?
The decision to file a grievance is not simple, but it is usually made after informal attempts to resolve a situation have failed. Raising a grievance is the formal means for an employee to bring attention to a problem and request assistance from their employer.
There may also be circumstances where an informal settlement does not feel viable or appropriate, and filing a formal grievance becomes the sole choice.
Commonly, someone raises a formal grievance when:
- They’ve not worked out a solution with informal attempts.
- They don’t want it dealt with informally — for example, unrealistic workload or job expectations.
- They have raised a very serious issue that requires investigation and intervention — for example, sexual harassment, bullying, discrimination, or critical health and safety.
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Tips on How to Write a Grievance Letter
Use the following tips when drafting your grievance letter:
- Make sure you sign and date the grievance letter, and keep a copy for your records in case of a future tribunal claim.
- Write the letter as if the receiver is unaware of you or your complaint, making it easier for an employment tribunal to understand the context of the grievance in the event of a subsequent claim.
- Begin with a brief history of your employment, including your start date and job role, as well as a synopsis of events leading up to your complaint.
- Write your complaint in sufficient detail for your employer to understand the nature of your grievance and to investigate the matter fully, albeit keeping the content clear and concise.
- If it is possible, include key facts such as dates, times, and locations of incidents, as well as the names of those involved and of any witnesses.
- If there are multiple complaints or a lot of details involved, create a chronology of events or record the facts and circumstances surrounding your complaint in chronological order.
- Determine what you want to state in your grievance letter and decide what is and is not significant, keeping to the truth.
- Avoid making charges or accusations that you cannot prove.
- Avoid aggressive and offensive words, and always keep your emotions under control.
- Make particular reference to any documentary or other evidence in support of your complaint, and include copies where possible.
- Explain the impact that the behavior or treatment that you have been subjected to has had on you.
- Explain what attempts you have made to informally resolve the matter.
- Ask for your employer to organize a grievance hearing, providing the name of any person you would like to accompany you.
- Set out what steps you would like to be taken to resolve the matter, for example, disciplinary action or training for the person that you have complained about.
When Should I Consider Writing A Grievance Letter?
You should consider writing a grievance letter if you have tried to resolve the issue informally without success, and you believe that formalizing your complaint is necessary to achieve a resolution.
Raising a grievance is not always the best course of action, and when it is, it must be done (and expressed) in a very specific way to have a meaningful impact.
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What Should I Include In My Grievance Letter?
Your grievance letter should include:
- A clear and concise introduction stating that you are raising a formal grievance.
- A detailed account of your complaints, including dates, times, locations, involved parties, and specific incidents.
- An explanation of the impact these issues have had on you.
- Any previous attempts you’ve made to resolve the issue informally.
- A conclusion (if you want something specifically to resolve the grievance, spell it out).
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Structure Of A Grievance Letter
Your letter should have the following structure:
- Introduction: State the purpose of the letter.
- Body: Detail each complaint with specific information.
- Conclusion: Summarise your grievances and state what you hope to achieve (e.g., an investigation, resolution of issues).
Can I Be Disciplined For Writing A Grievance Letter?
If you have never filed a grievance before, you may be concerned that you will be punished, disciplined, or even fired for doing so. Employees are protected by employment law from discrimination based on their grievances.
Victimization refers to being wrongfully reprimanded or dismissed when filing a grievance.
The fundamental goal of the grievance procedure is to provide employees with a way to resolve workplace issues. So, if you are having problems at work, do not be scared to mention them.
Raising a grievance is also advantageous to the employer since they can step in before something evolves into a much greater, and perhaps costly, problem.
An employee who raises a grievance is protected by the grievance procedure, which the employer must follow. All businesses should have their own grievance policies and procedures in place, otherwise, they must follow the Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.
What Tone Should I Use When Writing A Letter of Grievance?
The tone should be professional, conciliatory, and written with the sincere feeling that filing a grievance was your only alternative. Think formal and polite, not confrontational.
The tone of a grievance is much like how we suggest your attitude/demeanor should be when attending formal meetings.
It is usually a good idea to create the grievance and then review it later to change the tone. If necessary, have someone else review it for you and provide criticism.
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Who Should I Send The Grievance Letter To?
A letter of grievance will be submitted to a line or HR manager. Every organization, regardless of size, should have a clear and accessible grievance policy. The policy explains the grievance procedure step by step and specifies who employees should write their grievance letters to.
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What Happens After Sending The Grievance Letter?
After filing a formal grievance, your employer is required to investigate the problem and provide you with a written response. As a result, your employer should schedule a grievance hearing without undue delay, ideally within five working days.
As previously stated, this hearing will allow you to fully explain your grievance and how you want the case resolved. In some situations, depending on the nature of the allegation, the meeting will need to be extended so that more investigation can be conducted.
You have the legal right to accompany your employer during a grievance meeting on a “duty owed by them to a worker”. This includes any meetings with them to obtain additional information, gather facts, discuss, consider, or resolve your grievance.
An employer’s duties to a worker include both legal and contractual obligations, such as when you claim that the employer is failing to fulfill the provisions of your employment contract or has violated your statutory or common law rights. The right of accompaniment may not apply to claims regarding other types of issues.
Where the right applies, you may be accompanied by a coworker, a trade union representative, or a union official. To exercise the right to be accompanied, make a reasonable request.
What is reasonable will depend on the facts of each individual situation, but the request does not have to be in writing or within a specific timetable. However, you must allow sufficient time for the employer to cope with your companion’s attendance at the grievance hearing.
FAQs On How to Write a Grievance Letter
No. All employees are protected by employment law from being treated unfavorably because of raising a grievance.
The tone should be professional, conciliatory, and respectful. Avoid being aggressive or confrontational. Your aim is to present your concerns clearly and seek a resolution.
There is no specific timeframe within which to raise a written grievance. However, if informal attempts to remedy the situation have failed, or if the matter is serious, you should file a formal grievance without unreasonable delay.
Conclusion
Raising a formal grievance at work usually indicates that you are in a difficult situation. Before writing the grievance, you should have sought to resolve the concerns informally and carefully considered why you are bringing the grievance and what you hope to achieve.
References
- tonerlegal.com – How To Write A Letter Of Grievance
- davidsonmorris.com – How to Write a Grievance Letter
- charliehr.com – How to write a grievance letter (with free grievance letter template)
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