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Got any tips about writing a Grievance letter?

Hi all,
Never had to do this before and plan on handing it in tomorrow. Any tips about what I should put in a letter to initiate a grievance against my employer would be helpful please.

I have been on ACAS and Citizens Advice websites and got what I could from them. I have a draft and plan to include details.
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Comments

  • Dates and times of incidents and before you hand it in get at least one other employee who will corroborate your issues both in writing AND in person.
  • Be very clear about three things.

    1. What is your grievance about? Make sure you are clear, succinct, accurate (use dates, times, people's names (spelled right, in full)). Do not - however tempting - add anything else about the people or company unless it's completely relevant to the facts on which you have a grievance. (As a guide, if you think to yourself the words "... and another thing...", you should probably leave that out).

    2. What are you asking for? Sometimes it's enough to have a good old moan. But usually it's better to have a good old moan AND explain what the company or person needs to do to fix things. What has to change, be put in place, be agreed, be stopped..? Be very clear on the thing that needs to be done so that everything goes back to how it should be.

    3. Put in a timescale. Make sure you are clear and have a reasonable expectation about *when* the thing has to change. It's no good saying "we have to make sure there is an agreed policy to prevent this happening again" if you tell them it has to be done by nine o'clock Monday morning. So put in a timeframe that makes sense.

    Also, think to yourself two things:

    1. "Can I cope if everything is agreed?" It may be that the company agrees to everything you state and makes the changes you demand in the timescale you give them. But think to yourself what position does that leave you in? Do your relationships with your colleagues change? And if so, is that ok?

    2. "What happens if they don't agree?" Think through what will happen if you do not win this particular argument. (And I call it an argument simply because it might be that you have one view and the business has an opposite view: that's an argument. Doesn't mean it's insurmountable, but it's still an argument).

    Finally, here's a bit of general advice. Write your letter. Complete it. Read it. Correct all the mistakes. Check everyone's names are right. Finish it. Then sleep on it. For at least one night. Read it again and make all the changes that you then see it still needs.

    (There's one other bit of advice that's critical, but you have already done that: take advice).

    Good luck!
  • Spelled right. Classic!
  • Great advice. Thank you both.
  • You can use either spelled or spelt.
  • edited January 2014
    MrOneLung said:

    You can use either spelled or spelt.

    You maybe able to, I cannot.

    One would imagine you are a child of the English(US) computer world.
  • As you do not make up the rules as to whether a word can be used, you should not dig someone out for using the one you do not like.
  • MrOneLung said:

    As you do not make up the rules as to whether a word can be used, you should not dig someone out for using the one you do not like.

    Oh but I do! Most on here realise that.

  • edited January 2014
    Try and relate the grievance to company processes and procedures, if relevant.

    e.g. This is in contravention of company procedure as outlined in the Employees Handbook, Page 2 Section 3. Good luck.
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  • Riviera said:

    MrOneLung said:

    You can use either spelled or spelt.

    You maybe able to, I cannot.

    One would imagine you are a child of the English(US) computer world.
    May be able to.
    Fail.
  • What do you get out of it Riv?
  • Riviera said:

    Riviera said:

    MrOneLung said:

    You can use either spelled or spelt.

    You maybe able to, I cannot.

    One would imagine you are a child of the English(US) computer world.
    May be able to.
    Fail.
    Even when you're totally incorrect, you still troll.
    I troll?

    I made a contribution to the thread. You simply came on to try and be clever and made a fool of yourself. So who is the troll?
  • What do you get out of it Riv?

    Out of what son?
  • So come on, what is the gossip? Why the grievance letter?
  • Join a Trade Union.
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  • I've written a few for people in the past, you seem to have done the right thing thus far. As chizz stated, be clear and concise and to the point. Also, be polite do not issue threats or use bad language ( unless quoting someone else, in which case use clear quotation marks), be in the know, basically know your rights, if you know for example that you are not getting the breaks you are legally entitled to, state your right and the employment act it comes from, ACAS can help with this. You'll be surprised at how many employers do not know the basic rights of employees they may need time to look it up. Also don't forget that as an employee you can ask ACAS for help but as an employer so can they. Make sure you get all your facts correct, times and dates too, if you don't know them don't quote them, otherwise you'll be giving them the rope to hang you. They also have the right to reply and the suitable time scale is 14 days, you need to give them this 14 days before you enlist anyone's help with the next phase, make it clear that you anticipate a reply of some sort with in that time scale. Best of luck.

    To those on here that think they are the grammar police; this is an Internet forum, not an official document, we all have the right to be casual with our grammar/spelling and use colloquial terms without being criticised!
  • Good luck with this. One thing to consider is does your company have a written procedure and it may be that there is scope to appeal should you not succeed at first. It's also worth noting that these procedures are there to help the companies as much as the employees, as if there's a problem it can affect performance far wider than just the person taking out the grievance. How your employer responds will probably tell you a lot about whether you want to stay.
  • Always stick to the truth, if you veer from that, you will get found out and lose all credibility.
  • Check that you are following step by step the organisation's grievance procedure, assuming they have one.

    Jumping straight to a letter could be missing out stages.

    What sort and size of company is it.
  • Join a Trade Union.

    Like a mug, I have been thinking of doing this for a couple of years. Too late for them to help now. Understandably, they do not let you sign up and help after you have a problem.
  • Check that you are following step by step the organisation's grievance procedure, assuming they have one.

    Jumping straight to a letter could be missing out stages.

    What sort and size of company is it.

    Small. Under 30 emplyees.

  • Join a Trade Union.

    Like a mug, I have been thinking of doing this for a couple of years. Too late for them to help now. Understandably, they do not let you sign up and help after you have a problem.
    Do you know this or have you assumed it? If its an assumption or hearsay then speak to them.

  • edited January 2014
    My advice would be:

    1. Think very carefully before going down the grievance route. In my experience even if you're in the right going formal will damage you more than the individual/ company against whom the grievance has been taken. In many sectors the damage to your reputation will follow you into your new job, even if this is unfair

    2. Exhaust all informal processes first, so that it is clear that you had no other reasonable option

    3. Show the draft letter to a sensible friend before sending

    4. Avoid generalised attacks on HR and the company

    Good luck unless you work for me!
  • Kap10 said:

    Join a Trade Union.

    Like a mug, I have been thinking of doing this for a couple of years. Too late for them to help now. Understandably, they do not let you sign up and help after you have a problem.
    Do you know this or have you assumed it? If its an assumption or hearsay then speak to them.

    Still join. Unions do not turn new members away. They may not be able to represent you in this case but they should still give you some good advice and will represent you in the future.

    As said above, try to resolve this informally first. A grievance should be a last resort.
  • Kap10 said:

    Join a Trade Union.

    Like a mug, I have been thinking of doing this for a couple of years. Too late for them to help now. Understandably, they do not let you sign up and help after you have a problem.
    Do you know this or have you assumed it? If its an assumption or hearsay then speak to them.
    This. I was a branch chair, then a TU Side chair for four years. I personally helped three people in similar situations to you (never joined a union, had a problem, needed someone to represent their interests). Don't think the horse has bolted already before trying. What may be a problem for you is whether the union that represents you has any official standing in your workplace or not. This will depend on whether there is a Collective Bargaining Agreement in place with them.
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