Stage 1

Your first step is to raise your grievance informally with your manager who, in most cases, will be best placed to respond to the complaint and who will arrange to meet you.

Stage 2

If you are not satisfied with the outcome or you consider your complaint too serious or sensitive to be dealt with informally with your manager, you should put your grievance in writing to another manager or director.  A meeting will be arranged to hear your grievance and you have the right to be accompanied by a fellow employee or trade union representative.  Your companion will be entitled to ask questions and to address the meeting but not to answer any questions on your behalf. If there are any witnesses you want to question, their attendance at the meeting may be arranged (unless there are reasonable grounds for declining your request). Following the meeting you will be informed in writing of the decision or proposed action as soon as possible.  If there is likely to be any unreasonable delay, you shall be told when a response can be expected.

Stage 3

If you wish to appeal against the grievance decision you should inform a manager or director as soon as possible and preferably in writing setting out your appeal reasons within five working days of being notified of the outcome.  A meeting will be arranged to hear the appeal and you will again have the right to be accompanied as before.  Following the meeting you will be informed in writing of the decision or proposed action as soon as possible.  If there is likely to be any unreasonable delay, you shall be told when a response can be expected.  The appeal meeting decision shall be final and there is no further right of appeal.