To raise a formal grievance at work, put your complaint in writing and send it to the appropriate manager, HR contact or employer under your organisation’s grievance procedure. Explain what happened, give relevant dates and evidence, describe any steps you have already taken, and say what outcome you are seeking. Keep a copy, attend the grievance meeting prepared, and check the procedure for any appeal.
A formal grievance is a way to raise a workplace concern through your employer’s official process. You might use one to complain about bullying, harassment, discrimination, unfair treatment, pay problems, working conditions or the way a manager has treated you.
You do not always have to try an informal conversation first. Informal resolution may be suitable for some problems, but a serious concern or a problem that has not been resolved informally may need a formal grievance. The Acas formal grievance procedure guide explains the main stages.
This guide focuses on Great Britain. Northern Ireland has a separate employment relations system, so workers there should check guidance from the Labour Relations Agency.
What is a formal grievance?
A formal grievance is a written complaint raised with an employer about a problem at work. It asks the employer to consider the concern through a formal process rather than treating it only as an informal discussion.
Examples of issues that may justify a grievance include:
- Bullying, harassment or repeated inappropriate behaviour.
- Discrimination or a failure to consider reasonable adjustments.
- Concerns about pay, working hours or the application of workplace policies.
- A manager’s conduct or the way a complaint has been handled.
- Changes to working arrangements or treatment that you believe is unfair.
- Concerns about how an investigation or another workplace process has been conducted.
A grievance is not automatically a legal claim. It is an internal procedure for raising and investigating a concern. Depending on the facts, the same events may also raise separate legal issues, and an internal grievance does not necessarily protect or extend a legal claim deadline.
Step 1: Check your employer’s grievance procedure
Before sending your complaint, look for your employer’s written grievance policy. It may be in your staff handbook, HR portal, intranet, employment documents or a separate workplace policy.
Check the procedure for:
- Who should receive the grievance: this may be your line manager, another manager, HR or the employer.
- What the letter should include: some employers provide a form or ask for specific details.
- How to submit it: check whether email, a portal or a particular form is required.
- What happens next: look for information about meetings, investigations, decisions and appeals.
- Any stated timescales: note the expected steps and when you should follow up.
Government guidance explains that an employer’s written procedure should set out how to raise a complaint, who to contact if the usual person is involved, and how meetings and appeals are handled. See GOV.UK’s grievance procedure guidance.
Do not assume you must send the complaint to that manager. Check the policy for an alternative contact, such as a more senior manager or HR. If there is no clear procedure, Acas advises approaching another manager or someone in HR if you do not feel comfortable speaking to your line manager.
Step 2: Decide what your grievance is about
A useful grievance identifies the particular problem rather than simply saying that work is unfair or that you are unhappy. Before writing, summarise the main issue in one or two sentences.
For example, instead of writing, “My manager is always treating me badly,” identify the specific conduct, approximate dates, people involved and effect on you. If the concern involves several connected incidents, list them in date order.
Separate what you personally observed from what you believe or suspect. If you do not know why something happened, describe the facts and explain why they concern you rather than presenting an assumption as proven.
Step 3: Gather relevant evidence
You do not need to prove every detail before submitting a grievance. However, relevant records can help your employer understand the complaint and investigate it fairly.
Depending on the issue, useful material may include:
- Emails, work messages or letters relevant to the events.
- A dated chronology of incidents, meetings and conversations.
- Relevant contract terms, workplace policies, rotas or payslips.
- Previous complaints and the responses you received.
- Names of people who may have witnessed an incident or hold relevant information.
- Records showing the practical effect of the problem, where relevant.
Keep the evidence organised and refer to it clearly in your letter. For example, you might identify an email by its date and subject rather than attaching a large collection of unrelated documents.
Preserve records lawfully. Do not access accounts or files you are not authorised to use, remove confidential business material improperly, or circulate sensitive information unnecessarily. If a document contains other people’s personal information, consider whether a redacted copy is more appropriate.
Step 4: Write and submit your grievance letter
Your letter should be clear, factual and focused on what you want the employer to investigate or resolve. You do not need to write it like a court document or use legal terminology you are unsure about.
Acas recommends setting out what the grievance concerns, including relevant evidence and explaining what you would like the employer to do. See the official Acas guidance on raising a formal grievance.
A practical grievance letter structure
- Subject line: use “Formal grievance” and a short description if appropriate.
- Opening: state that you are raising a formal grievance under the workplace procedure.
- Summary: identify the main concern and the people or workplace decisions involved.
- Facts: describe the events in date order, using specific examples where possible.
- Previous steps: explain any earlier conversations or attempts to resolve the issue, or why you did not feel able to take that approach.
- Evidence: identify relevant documents and witnesses.
- Impact: explain how the issue has affected your work or working conditions, where relevant.
- Requested outcome: say what you would like the employer to consider doing.
- Closing: ask for confirmation of receipt and information about the next steps.
“I am writing to raise a formal grievance under the company’s grievance procedure. My complaint concerns [brief description of the issue]. The main events took place on [relevant dates]. I have set out the details below and identified the evidence I believe may help the company investigate the matter.”
This is a starting point, not a complete letter. Adapt it to the facts and the employer’s policy.
What outcome should you ask for?
Ask for an outcome that addresses the actual problem. Depending on the circumstances, you might request an investigation, correction of a pay or record error, a review of a decision, steps to address inappropriate behaviour, or an explanation of how a policy was applied.
You can request a particular solution, but the employer may need to investigate before deciding what action is appropriate. A grievance letter should not assume that a particular person must be disciplined or dismissed.
Step 5: Submit it to the right person and keep a record
Send the grievance using the method specified in the policy. If you submit it by email, keep the sent message and attachments. If you use an HR system or form, save the confirmation or a copy of what you submitted.
If you do not receive an acknowledgement within the period stated in the policy, follow up politely in writing. Ask who is handling the grievance and what the next step is.
Raise the matter without unreasonable delay. There is not one universal statutory deadline for every internal grievance, but waiting can make evidence harder to obtain and may complicate related legal issues. If the events could involve an employment tribunal claim, check the applicable time limit separately rather than relying on the grievance process.
What happens after you raise a grievance?
Your employer should consider the complaint and follow a fair procedure. The exact process depends on the workplace policy and the circumstances, but it will commonly involve a meeting, an investigation where needed, a written decision and an opportunity to appeal.
The grievance meeting
The meeting gives you an opportunity to explain the complaint and answer questions. Prepare a short summary of your main points, a chronology and a list of the outcomes you are seeking. Bring or refer to relevant documents, and explain any facts that you believe have been misunderstood.
Under the Acas Code of Practice, an employee has a statutory right to be accompanied at a grievance meeting that concerns a duty owed by the employer to the employee. The companion can be a fellow worker, a trade union representative or an official employed by a trade union, subject to the applicable rules. Check the employer’s invitation and the current Acas Code of Practice for details.
If you cannot attend the proposed meeting, explain why promptly and ask whether it can be rearranged. If you need an adjustment to participate, such as an accessible format or other support, explain what would help.
The investigation and decision
Your employer may need to speak to relevant people, review documents or make further enquiries. Cooperate with reasonable requests and provide any additional information that is relevant.
After considering the grievance, the employer should communicate its decision in writing without unreasonable delay. The decision should explain the outcome and any action to be taken, where appropriate, and tell you how to appeal if you are dissatisfied.
Appealing the outcome
If you believe the grievance was not properly considered, read the appeal instructions carefully. Explain the grounds for your appeal in writing and without unreasonable delay. Identify the parts of the decision you dispute, any relevant evidence that was overlooked, and what you want the appeal to reconsider.
Wherever possible, an appeal should be handled impartially by a manager who has not previously been involved. The outcome should be communicated in writing. The Acas Code sets out the relevant principles for grievance decisions and appeals.
Common mistakes when raising a formal grievance
| Common mistake | A better approach |
|---|---|
| Using general accusations without examples. | Describe specific events, dates, words or decisions where you can. |
| Sending a long, unfocused account. | Use a clear chronology and separate the main issues into sections. |
| Attaching every document you have. | Include relevant evidence and label it so the employer can identify it. |
| Demanding a particular punishment. | Explain the problem and request a reasonable outcome that addresses it. |
| Assuming the grievance pauses legal deadlines. | Check any relevant claim deadline independently and obtain advice promptly if necessary. |
| Sending the complaint only to the person complained about. | Check the policy for an appropriate alternative recipient. |
| Keeping no copy of the submission. | Save the letter, attachments, acknowledgement and later correspondence. |
Examples: how the approach may differ
If your grievance concerns bullying or harassment
Record the conduct you experienced or witnessed, when it happened, who was involved and whether there were witnesses or relevant messages. Explain what steps you want the employer to consider to address the behaviour and protect a fair process. If the complaint concerns discrimination or sexual harassment, separate legal protections may be relevant; a grievance is not a substitute for checking those rights and any applicable deadlines.
If your grievance concerns pay
Identify the payment or period in dispute and explain how you calculated the amount you believe is outstanding. Relevant payslips, timesheets, rota records and contract terms may help. State whether you are asking the employer to investigate, correct a record or make a payment if the investigation confirms an error.
If your grievance concerns your manager’s conduct
Focus on identifiable actions and their effect on your work, rather than relying only on descriptions such as “unprofessional” or “unfair”. If your manager is the normal grievance contact, use the alternative route in the policy or contact a more senior manager or HR.
If a disciplinary process is already under way
You may be able to raise a grievance during a disciplinary process. The employer should consider whether the issues are related and whether the processes should be paused or handled together. Raising a grievance does not automatically stop disciplinary proceedings. Explain the connection between the grievance and the disciplinary matter, and seek advice promptly if your job may be at risk.
Does raising a grievance protect your legal rights?
Raising a grievance can give your employer an opportunity to investigate and resolve a problem internally. It does not automatically establish that the employer acted unlawfully, guarantee a particular outcome or preserve every possible legal claim.
Some workplace disputes involve separate time limits for claims in an employment tribunal. Those limits depend on the type of claim and the circumstances. In many cases, contacting Acas for Early Conciliation is part of the process before bringing a tribunal claim, but the applicable rules and deadlines should be checked promptly. Do not assume that writing to HR, waiting for a grievance decision or appealing internally will stop time running.
If the complaint involves dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing, unpaid wages or another potentially time-sensitive legal issue, obtain advice about the specific claim and deadline. Official information is available from Acas and GOV.UK’s employment tribunal guidance.
When might you need help with a grievance letter?
General guidance may be enough for a straightforward workplace concern. More tailored help may be useful where the facts are disputed, several incidents are connected, a manager or senior decision-maker is involved, you have already received an unsatisfactory response, or the grievance overlaps with disciplinary action or a potential legal claim.
The wording and structure matter because the letter should identify the real issue, present the evidence clearly and request an appropriate outcome without making unsupported allegations. It should also fit the employer’s procedure and the wider circumstances.
Need help preparing a formal grievance?
If you are unsure how to frame your complaint, organise the evidence or respond to your employer’s process, consider getting advice on your specific circumstances before sending the letter or taking the next step.
Read the guide to disciplinary and grievance procedures for the wider process and the issues to consider.
Frequently asked questions
Can I raise a formal grievance without speaking to my manager first?
Yes, depending on the circumstances. Informal discussion can resolve some problems, but it is not always appropriate, especially where the concern is serious or involves your manager. Check your employer’s policy for the correct person to contact.
Does a formal grievance have to be in writing?
The formal process will usually require a written complaint. The Acas Code says that where an issue cannot be resolved informally, an employee should raise the grievance in writing and set out its nature. Follow your employer’s procedure for the submission method and required details.
What should I include in a grievance letter?
Explain what happened, when it happened, who was involved, what evidence may be relevant, what steps you have already taken and what outcome you are seeking. Keep the letter factual, focused and consistent with the employer’s grievance policy.
Can I raise a grievance about bullying or harassment?
Yes. You can raise concerns about bullying, harassment or inappropriate workplace behaviour through the grievance process. Record specific incidents and relevant evidence. Depending on the facts, discrimination or other legal protections may also be relevant.
Can I take someone to a grievance meeting?
Employees have a statutory right to be accompanied at grievance meetings that concern a duty owed by the employer to the employee. The permitted companion is generally a fellow worker, a trade union representative or an official employed by a trade union, subject to the applicable rules. Check the meeting invitation and Acas guidance.
How long should an employer take to deal with a grievance?
There is no single timetable that applies to every grievance. Check the employer’s written procedure for its expected stages and timescales. The employer should deal with the matter without unreasonable delay and keep the process fair.
What if my employer rejects my grievance?
Read the written decision and check the appeal procedure. If you disagree, explain your grounds in writing without unreasonable delay, identify evidence or issues you believe were overlooked, and state what you want reconsidered. Also check whether the underlying issue involves a separate legal deadline.
Will raising a grievance stop an employment tribunal deadline?
Do not assume that it will. Internal grievance procedures do not automatically pause employment tribunal time limits. The deadline depends on the type of claim and the circumstances, so seek prompt advice and check the current Acas Early Conciliation rules where relevant.
Can I raise a grievance while facing disciplinary action?
Yes, a grievance can be raised during a disciplinary process. The employer should consider whether the issues are related and whether it is appropriate to pause one process or deal with them together. A grievance does not automatically suspend disciplinary proceedings.
Where can I get free guidance on raising a grievance?
Acas provides free information on workplace grievances and the applicable procedure. You can also check your employer’s policy and consider speaking to your trade union representative, if you have one. Individual legal advice may be useful where the facts or potential claims are complex.
Official sources and further guidance
- Acas: Formal grievance procedure, step by step
- Acas: Raising a formal grievance
- Acas Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures
- GOV.UK: Raise a grievance at work
- Acas: Workplace advice and guidance
Disclaimer: This page provides general information about workplace grievance procedures in Great Britain. It is not personalised legal advice and does not create a solicitor-client relationship. The appropriate steps depend on the facts, your employment status, the documents and policies that apply, and the relevant law. Northern Ireland has a separate employment relations system. Check current official guidance and obtain advice about any specific legal claim or deadline.