Help & advice for
employers and employees
employers and employees
Website URL : http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx/index.aspx?articleid=4186
You are here:
- Advice and Guidance
- Disputes and problems at work
- Raising an issue at work
- Managing a complaint at work: A step-by-step guide
- Step 2: Prepare for meeting
Managing a complaint at work: A step-by-step guide
Managing a complaint at work - Step 2
Prepare for the grievance meeting
- Plan a date, time and place for the meeting to hear the case. It should be held:
- in private where there will not be interruptions
- and, ideally, within five working days of receipt of the grievance in writing.
- Write to the employee, giving them:
- the arrangements for the meeting
- the written evidence and witness statements from your investigation so there are no surprises at the meeting
- And add they have rights to be accompanied at the meeting and to appeal, after the meeting, against the decision how the matter will be resolved.
- Arrange for someone not involved in the case to take a note of the meeting and to act as a witness to what was said.
- To ensure consistency in decision-making, check whether similar grievances have been raised before, how they were resolved, and any follow-up action that was necessary.
- Consider arranging for an interpreter if the employee has difficulty speaking English.
- Also, consider whether any reasonable adjustments are necessary for any person attending the meeting who is disabled.
