HR Glossary

Grievance

What is a Grievance?

A grievance is a formal complaint filed by an employee with their employer concerning a workplace issue. Common grievances include allegations of discrimination, harassment, and wrongful termination. Grievances must be filed in writing and typically must be filed within a certain amount of time after the incident in question occurred. Grievances are often resolved through arbitration or mediation, but may also go to court.

What is a Grievance Procedure?

A grievance procedure is a set of steps that an employee can take to address a problem or dispute with their employer. The procedure typically starts with the employee filing a written complaint with their supervisor or HR department. The employer then has a set amount of time to investigate the complaint and resolve the issue. If the problem is not resolved, the employee can then take the dispute to a higher level within the company, such as a manager or the HR director. If the problem still cannot be resolved, the employee can file a grievance with the state or federal government.

How do you build a Grievance Procedure?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to build a grievance procedure will vary depending on the specific workplace and the type of employees who work there. However, there are some general tips that can help you create a grievance procedure that is effective and fair for both employees and employers.

First, it is important to make sure that your grievance procedure is easily accessible to employees. This means that it should be clearly outlined in your employee handbook or other written policies, and that employees are made aware of it upon hire.

The grievance procedure should also be easy to understand. It is important to provide a clear process for filing a grievance, as well as timelines for how long employees have to file a grievance and how long the process will take.

The grievance procedure should also be unbiased and fair. All employees should be treated the same, and managers should not be able to influence the outcome of a grievance.

Finally, it is important to ensure that the grievance procedure is followed consistently. This means that employees need to be notified of the outcome of their grievance, and that steps should be taken to prevent the same grievance from happening again.

What sort of companies need a Grievance Procedure?

There are a few different types of companies that typically need a Grievance Procedure. Companies with a unionized workforce typically have a Grievance Procedure in place, as do companies with a large number of employees. Additionally, companies that have a high number of employee complaints often put a Grievance Procedure in place to help manage those complaints. Finally, companies that want to create a positive work environment often put a Grievance Procedure in place to ensure that employees have a way to air any complaints or concerns they may have.

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