Raising, Receiving and Assessing Grievance
This selection of Raising, Receiving and Assessing Grievance templates provides for the first stage of the employee grievance process, These documents help employees raise a formal grievance and help employers acknowledge, and communicate assess and manage the grievance before moving to investigation or a formal grievance meeting.
Grievance Procedure Legal Compliance
These templates have been drafted and maintained up-to-date by experienced employment solicitors and HR professionals, and have been/are applied successfully and consistently by thousands of employers and HR consultants.
The grievance letter templates are designed to support a fair, consistent and well-documented grievance process. They help employers record workplace complaints clearly, decide whether the issue should be handled formally or informally, keep employees informed, protect procedural fairness, and prepare for the next stage of the grievance procedure where investigation or a grievance meeting may be required.
Prior to applying these documents employers should ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with employee grievances within a legal framework by downloading the Grievance Procedures & Guidance templates.
The templates include the following:
Employee Grievance Letter
This Employee Grievance Letter template is for employees who want to raise a formal workplace grievance with their employer. It can be used where an informal discussion has not resolved the issue and the employee wishes the matter to be dealt with under the employer’s formal grievance procedure.
Receipt of Ex-employee Grievance Letter
This Receipt of Ex-employee Grievance Letter template enables an employer to acknowledge receipt of an ex-employee’s grievance letter or email. It can be used to confirm that the employer has received the complaint and to set out the employer’s initial response.
Grievance to be Dealt With Informally Explanation Letter
This Grievance Explanation Letter is for employers who have received an employee grievance but consider that the matter is not appropriate for the formal grievance procedure. It helps the employer explain that the formal grievance process is intended for genuine concerns and complaints of substance, while still recognising the employee’s concerns and suggesting that the issue is handled informally instead.
Informal Discussion Letter
This Informal Discussion Letter template is used after an informal meeting about an employee grievance or workplace concern. It enables the employer to confirm the issues discussed, record the points covered and set out any agreed actions or timetable for resolving the matter.
Formal Grievance Letter to Employee
This Formal Grievance Letter template is for employers who need to inform an employee that another employee has raised a formal grievance containing allegations against them. It explains the nature of the grievance, confirms that the matter will be investigated impartially under the company’s grievance policy and makes clear that no decision has been made before the investigation is complete.
New Grievance Part of Existing Grievance
This New Grievance Part of Existing Grievance template letter is for employers dealing with an employee who raises new grievance issues while an existing grievance process is already underway. It allows the employer to acknowledge the new grievance, confirm that the new matter will be investigated and explain that it will be added to the existing grievance process.
Collectively, these documents cover common early-stage grievance scenarios communicating and recording the procedure prior to dealing with as required follow-on stages within the grievance process - Investigation and Formal Grievance Meeting and Grievance Appeals.
Raising, Receiving and Assessing Grievance is part of Employment. Just £38.50 + VAT provides unlimited downloads from Employment for 1 year.
Frequently Asked Questions
An employee has just submitted a written grievance. What should I do first and which template should I use? +
Acknowledge receipt promptly and decide whether the matter warrants the formal grievance procedure or can be resolved informally. For a current employee, use the Formal Grievance Letter to Employee template to notify any named colleague, or acknowledge and triage the complaint. For a former employee, use the Acknowledgement of Receipt of Ex Employee Grievance template. The Acas Code of Practice expects employers to act without unreasonable delay: a grievance meeting should ideally follow within five working days of receipt. Before handling it, download the Grievance Procedures and Guidance templates to ensure your framework meets legal requirements.
I want to raise a formal grievance with my employer after informal discussions failed. What should the grievance letter include? +
When informal discussions have failed, put your formal grievance in writing using the Grievance Letter from Employee template on this page. Clearly set out the nature of your complaint, when the problem started, how it has affected you and what outcome you are seeking, and state that you are raising a formal grievance under your employer's grievance procedure. The Acas Code of Practice recommends writing: if you do not, and the matter later reaches an employment tribunal, any compensation could be reduced by up to 25%. Address it to whoever your employer's procedure specifies, usually your line manager or HR.
I have received an employee's grievance but believe it should be handled informally rather than going through the full formal procedure. How do I communicate that? +
Where a grievance is better resolved informally, use the Grievance to be Dealt With Informally Explanation Letter template to acknowledge the employee's concerns, explain that the formal process is intended for genuine concerns of substance and propose resolving the matter informally instead. Acas guidance supports resolving issues informally, and obtaining the employee's agreement is good practice. Record any informal meeting using the Informal Discussion Letter template to keep a clear written record of what was discussed and any agreed actions.
An employee has raised a grievance that names a colleague as the subject of allegations. Does that colleague need to be told formally, and if so when? +
Usually, but not automatically as soon as the grievance is received. Whether, when and how much to tell the named colleague is fact-sensitive. They will normally need to be informed at an appropriate point so they can respond to the allegations, but the timing and detail depend on the investigation and on keeping personal information confidential. The Acas Code expects the employer to investigate impartially and to keep all parties fairly treated, making clear no decision has been made until the investigation is complete. Acas is clear the employer should keep all personal information confidential, and in some cases information may need to be withheld, for example to protect a witness. When the time is right, use the Formal Grievance Letter to Employee template to notify them that a formal grievance with allegations has been raised, explain the nature of those allegations and confirm investigation under the company's grievance policy. Avoid disclosing the full grievance before the investigation is under way, and take no action against them before gathering all available information.
An employee has raised a new grievance while an existing grievance is already being dealt with. Can the new one be added to the existing process? +
Yes, in many cases it can. Acas guidance confirms that where two or more related grievances exist, the employer should still follow the formal procedure for all of them, with some flexibility in managing them together (for example, a single meeting covering both, provided the employees agree). Each employee retains the right to their own grievance meeting where others party to the grievance are not present. Use the New Grievance to be Part of Existing Grievance template to acknowledge the new grievance, confirm it will be investigated and explain that it will be handled as part of the existing process.
