Grievance toolkit
- Step-by-step guidance to ensure you comply with the law
- Contains all of the relevant documents you need
- Carry out a formal grievance process
This grievance toolkit guides you through the process of formally handling a staff grievance. It contains a how-to guide as well as a pack of template documents you are likely to need.
Once you receive a grievance and have appointed someone to handle it, you will need appropriate documents to investigate the grievance and decide an outcome. This toolkit provides these template documents which can be customised to your needs, including:
- invitations to grievance meetings (initially and following an investigation);
- a list of common disabilities to check whether you need to make reasonable adjustments at the meeting;
- an outcome letter setting out the outcome of your investigation and the staff member's right to appeal; and
- an invitation to an appeal hearing and a letter setting out the outcome of any appeals.
By using this toolkit, you ensure that you follow the proper and fair grievance process, without the need for a lawyer. This reduces the chance of a staff member taking further action against you, and helps you to maintain good workplace relations.
Q&A
When should I use this toolkit?
You should use this grievance toolkit if a staff member raises a grievance and it cannot be resolved informally (such as through discussion with their line manager). This toolkit guides you through the proper process for formally handling a staff grievance.
You must ensure you follow your business's grievance policy which should include the steps set out in this toolkit.
What does this toolkit cover?
This toolkit includes a how-to guide, which sets out the key steps of handling a grievance process.
It also includes a pack of relevant documents which can be customised to your needs, including:
- Invitations to grievance meetings (initially and following investigation);
- List of common disabilities to check whether reasonable adjustments need to be made at the meetings;
- Grievance outcome letter, setting out the outcome of the investigation and notifying of the staff member's right to appeal;
- Invitation to an appeal hearing;
- Letter setting out the outcome of an appeal.
Why do I need this toolkit?
This toolkit will help you to treat all grievances promptly and seriously, and try to achieve a resolution.
If you do not follow a fair and proper process, you run the risk of the aggrieved staff member bringing a legal claim against you and/or damaging relations in your workplace.
This grievance toolkit provides all of the relevant template documents you need, which helps you to keep good records and ensures that your staff member is well informed about how you are handling the grievance and what the next steps or outcome of the grievance are.
Where can I find out more?
For detailed guidance on the grievance process, see Handling grievances. For guidance about specific grievance situations, see Specific types of grievance.
Documents in Toolkit
Grievance appeal outcome letter- Grievance outcome letter
- How-to guide: Grievance toolkit
- Invitation to a grievance meeting following investigation
- Invitation to an initial grievance meeting
- Invitation to grievance appeal hearing
- List of common disabilities
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