How to Handle a Grievance Against Your Employer

Raising a formal grievance against your employer is rarely easy. It can feel like a step that will change your working relationships for good, and that is exactly why preparation matters. A grievance is not just a complaint; it is a legal process with its own rules, timescales and expectations. Whether you are dealing with bullying, unpaid wages, a health and safety concern, or a manager who has overstepped the mark, handling it carefully protects both your position and your case.

1. Check your employer's procedure and the ACAS Code

Before you write anything, find your employer's grievance procedure. It will be in your contract, staff handbook, or on the intranet. That policy sets out who to contact, what timescales apply, and whether you can appeal. If you cannot find it, ask HR for a copy in writing.

The ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures is the key legal benchmark. It is not a statute, but employment tribunals consider it when deciding whether an employer acted fairly. If an employer unreasonably fails to follow it, a tribunal can increase any compensation award by up to 25%. The Code says grievances should be handled without unreasonable delay. Many policies set specific timescales, such as acknowledging your grievance within five working days, holding a meeting within ten, and giving a written outcome within five. Check yours and keep a note of every date.

2. Gather the facts before you submit

Emotion is understandable, but a grievance built on facts is far stronger. Create a timeline: dates, times, locations, who was present, what was said or done, and how it affected you. Save emails, messages, meeting notes, and any relevant documents. If there were witnesses, note their names.

Decide what outcome you actually want. Do you want an apology? A change of manager? Unpaid wages? Training for a team? A policy change? Being specific helps your employer respond, and it shows you are seeking resolution rather than punishment.

While the grievance is ongoing, keep working normally. Do not refuse reasonable instructions unless you believe there is a genuine and serious health and safety risk. Do not resign before getting advice: if you leave and later claim constructive dismissal, you will need to show you exhausted internal procedures first.

3. How to write your formal grievance

Put your grievance in writing and mark it clearly as a formal grievance. Address it to your manager or HR. If the complaint is about your manager, send it to another manager or to HR instead.

Use a clear structure:

• What happened – a factual summary, not a character attack.
• When and where – dates, locations, and frequency.
• Who was involved – names and roles.
• Impact on you – how it affected your work, health, or pay.
• What you want – the resolution you are seeking.

Attach copies of evidence and keep a dated copy for yourself. Avoid insults, speculation, or sweeping statements. Stick to what you can prove or describe clearly. End by requesting a meeting to discuss the grievance.

4. The grievance meeting and your right to be accompanied

Your employer should arrange a meeting without unreasonable delay. You have a statutory right to be accompanied by a work colleague or a trade union representative. In most cases, you cannot bring a lawyer unless your contract says otherwise.

Prepare for the meeting as you would for any important discussion. Bring your timeline, evidence, and a list of key points. You can take notes, and you can ask for a copy of the employer's notes afterwards. Your companion can confer with you, ask questions, and help you present your case, but they cannot answer questions on your behalf.

If you cannot attend on the proposed date, suggest alternative dates promptly. If the meeting goes ahead without you after you have a good reason for not attending, you may be able to challenge the outcome on appeal.

5. Outcome, appeal and tribunal time limits

After the meeting, your employer should give you a written decision promptly. If your grievance is upheld, ask what will change and by when. If it is not upheld, you have the right to appeal. The appeal should ideally be heard by someone more senior who was not involved in the original decision.

Appeal timescales vary, but many policies require you to appeal within five working days. The appeal meeting should then be held without unreasonable delay, and you should receive a written outcome. If you are considering an employment tribunal claim, remember the strict time limit: usually three months less one day from the act you are complaining about. ACAS early conciliation can extend that deadline, but a grievance does not automatically pause it. Do not let the internal process run so long that you miss your tribunal window.

6. If you are a small business owner receiving a grievance

The same principles apply. Follow your own procedure, or the ACAS Code if you do not have one. Hold a meeting, allow the employee to be accompanied, and give a written outcome with a right of appeal. If you are the subject of the grievance, appoint someone else to hear it. Keep clear records of every step. Failing to handle a grievance fairly can lead to a tribunal claim and an uplift in compensation. A calm, structured approach is not just legally safer; it often resolves the issue faster and with less damage to the team.