Who is involved in the grievance process?
Mia Phillips
Updated on April 05, 2026
A grievance is normally initiated by an employee and then handled by union representatives. Most contracts specify how the grievance is to be initiated, the steps to complete the procedure, and identification of representatives from both sides who will hear the grievance.
How quickly should a grievance be dealt with?
When an employee raises a formal grievance, the employer should arrange to hold a meeting within 5 working days ideally.
What are the three stages of the grievance procedure?
Step 1: Understanding the options.
What are the stages of grievance procedure?
The five-step grievance handling procedure
- Step 1 – Informal approach. Wherever possible an employer should make an initial attempt to resolve a grievance informally.
- Step 2 – A formal meeting with the employee.
- Step 3 – Grievance investigation.
- Step 4 – Grievance outcome.
- Step 5 – Grievance appeal.
What is a Stage 3 grievance?
Stage 3: If the answer to the grievance is not acceptable to one or both parties, contact your union representative to discuss moving the grievance to the final stage of the grievance procedure.
How do you hear a grievance?
Grievance hearing
- Introduce those present and state the purpose of the hearing.
- Invite your employee to re-state their grievance and how they would like it to be resolved.
- Your employee can submit supporting evidence.
- Witnesses can give their account of events and answer questions.
What makes a grievance a ” real ” grievances?
For a real grievance to have occurred there must have been a violation of an employee’s rights on the job. Also, it must have been the employer or one of his/her agents — like a supervisor or manager — who has violated these rights, directly or indirectly.
What makes employees less likely to file a grievance?
Employees are less likely to file grievances if you: Stay in touch. Employees who feel like they can approach management with concerns will be less likely to allow problems to grow to a point that filing a grievance is necessary. Have a system in place for resolving complaints quickly and consistently, before they’re allowed to fester.
How to take a complaint or grievance seriously?
Take all grievances seriously. Test the validity of a grievance by gathering all available facts: Listen carefully to the person submitting the grievance. Try to see the situation from his or her point of view. Ask questions. If someone says, “The women in the office are being harassed,” ask for specific examples.
How is a grievance handled by a manager?
Therefore, they should be handled with utmost care and patience by the managers. If manager can deal with grievances effectively, they are successful managers. If, on the other hand, he is not able to handle grievances of his subordinates, he is called an inefficient or ineffective leader.
