I have made a complaint about a grievance over working hours. I work longer than my contract states. The decision I received from my employer is not to my liking. Who should I send my appeal to?

Your employer’s grievance procedure will set out:

Raise a grievance at work

Overview

If you’re a worker and you’ve tried solving a problem or concern informally by talking to your manager but you’re not satisfied, you can make a formal grievance complaint in writing.

Your employer should have a written grievance procedure that tells you what to do and what happens at each stage of the process. After raising the grievance you’ll have a meeting to discuss the issue.

You can appeal if you do not agree with your employer’s decision.

Read Acas’s guide to discipline and grievances at work.

Mediation can also help resolve a problem - this can take place at any time during the dispute.

Following the Acas code of practice

You and your employer should follow the Acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Otherwise, if you take your claim to an employment tribunal, any compensation you might get could be adjusted by up to 25%.

Grievance procedure

Your employer should put their grievance procedure in writing and share it with all staff, such as on the company intranet or in the HR manual.

It should include information about:

how to set out the details of your grievance in writing

who to send your letter to

who to write to if the normal contact person is involved in the grievance

a meeting with your employer to discuss the issue

how to appeal your employer’s decision

how long each stage should take

Mediation

Mediation is when an independent, impartial third party discusses a problem with you and your employer (or between you and another employee) to try and find a solution. It’s often used after informal discussions have not solved the issue.

Mediation is voluntary and confidential. The mediator cannot force you or your employer to accept a solution - both parties must agree on the way to solve the dispute.

It should not be used for problems that have to be formally investigated (such as harassment or discrimination).

Read the Acas guide on mediation for more information.

You can find a mediation service in your area.

Grievance meetings

What happens at the meeting

The aim of the meeting is to establish the facts and find a way to resolve the problem.

Your employer will run the meeting. They’ll normally go through the grievance and give the worker the chance to comment. You can bring supporting documents if you want.

Who can attend meetings with you

You can be accompanied to grievance meetings (and any appeal meetings) by a:

colleague

trade union representative

You may also be able to bring a family member or Citizens Advice Bureau worker, depending on the HR procedure where you work.

After the meeting

Afterwards the employer will write to you setting out their decision along with:

details of any action they intend to take

information about how to appeal

Appealing a grievance decision

who you should submit your appeal to

the time limit within which an appeal must be made

information about any meetings that will be held

how the appeal meeting will be run

You have the right to be accompanied during any appeal meetings. If possible, a manager who has not been involved in the process should handle the appeal.

After the appeal meeting your employer should write to you setting out their final decision.

who you should submit your appeal to

Raise a grievance at work

Overview

Following the Acas code of practice

Grievance procedure

It should include information about:

who to send your letter to

how to appeal your employer’s decision

how long each stage should take

Mediation

Grievance meetings

What happens at the meeting

Who can attend meetings with you

colleague

trade union representative

After the meeting

information about how to appeal

Appealing a grievance decision

who you should submit your appeal to

how the appeal meeting will be run


I am a junior office worker in a large law firm and have been here for eighteen months. I feel that I am being bullied by my immediate supervisor, who encourages other workers to laugh at me too. This is causing me a great deal of distress. I want to make a formal grievance complaint about my supervisor. Can I?

If you’re a worker and you’ve tried solving a problem or concern informally by talking to your manager but you’re not satisfied, you can make a formal grievance complaint in writing.

Raise a grievance at work

Overview

Your employer should have a written grievance procedure that tells you what to do and what happens at each stage of the process. After raising the grievance you’ll have a meeting to discuss the issue.

You can appeal if you do not agree with your employer’s decision.

Read Acas’s guide to discipline and grievances at work.

Mediation can also help resolve a problem - this can take place at any time during the dispute.

Following the Acas code of practice

You and your employer should follow the Acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Otherwise, if you take your claim to an employment tribunal, any compensation you might get could be adjusted by up to 25%.

Grievance procedure

Your employer should put their grievance procedure in writing and share it with all staff, such as on the company intranet or in the HR manual.

It should include information about:

how to set out the details of your grievance in writing

who to send your letter to

who to write to if the normal contact person is involved in the grievance

a meeting with your employer to discuss the issue

how to appeal your employer’s decision

how long each stage should take

Mediation

Mediation is when an independent, impartial third party discusses a problem with you and your employer (or between you and another employee) to try and find a solution. It’s often used after informal discussions have not solved the issue.

Mediation is voluntary and confidential. The mediator cannot force you or your employer to accept a solution - both parties must agree on the way to solve the dispute.

It should not be used for problems that have to be formally investigated (such as harassment or discrimination).

Read the Acas guide on mediation for more information.

You can find a mediation service in your area.

Grievance meetings

What happens at the meeting

The aim of the meeting is to establish the facts and find a way to resolve the problem.

Your employer will run the meeting. They’ll normally go through the grievance and give the worker the chance to comment. You can bring supporting documents if you want.

Who can attend meetings with you

You can be accompanied to grievance meetings (and any appeal meetings) by a:

colleague

trade union representative

You may also be able to bring a family member or Citizens Advice Bureau worker, depending on the HR procedure where you work.

After the meeting

Afterwards the employer will write to you setting out their decision along with:

details of any action they intend to take

information about how to appeal

Appealing a grievance decision

Your employer’s grievance procedure will set out:

who you should submit your appeal to

the time limit within which an appeal must be made

information about any meetings that will be held

how the appeal meeting will be run

You have the right to be accompanied during any appeal meetings. If possible, a manager who has not been involved in the process should handle the appeal.

After the appeal meeting your employer should write to you setting out their final decision.