GRIEVANCE

HANDLING
 WHAT IS GRIEVANCE ?

A grievance is a complaint formally presented by the

employee or employees to the management.

Any discontent or dissatisfaction, whether expressed or

not and whether valid or not, arising out of anything
connected with the company that an employee thinks,
believes or even feels unfair, unjust or inequitable.-Prof.
Jucious

A grievance is a sign of an employee's discontentment

with his job or his relationship with his colleagues.
Grievances generally arise out of the day-to-day working
relations in an organization.
REQUIREMENT OF COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The factory shall have a written policy to receive and address
employee grievances. This policy shall establish:
Procedures that are easy to understand.
A mechanism to ensure confidentiality.
A procedure for management follow-up on reported grievances that
are communicated to workers.
A procedure that allows workers to report a grievance against a
supervisor to someone other than that supervisor.
A procedure for workers to monitor the status of complaints.
An appeal system for unfavorably resolved complaints or
disciplinary actions.
The factory shall have a policy that ensures that workers who report
a grievance can do so without fear of penalty, dismissal or reprisal
of any kind.
The factory shall have a policy that provides workers with access to
additional support or advocacy for their grievance, for example,
interpreters and/or counselors.
 WHEN DEALING WITH A GRIEVANCE
Ensure you're familiar with the procedure and apply it correctly
Hold any grievance hearing in private without interruptions
Where a grievance relates to the person's line manager, ensure that
the employee can raise the grievance with someone else
Listen carefully to the person's explanation of the problem and
consider whether there is a deeper issue which might be the root
cause of the grievance
Listen to any conflicting points of view
Weigh up all evidence to see whether there is an issue you need to
address
Decide what action to take, trying to balance fairness to the person
without compromising the business or other workers
Inform all concerned parties of your decision and the appeal
process
 HOW TO PREVENT A GRIEVANCE?

Identify potential causes

Correct problems promptly
Encourage corrective suggestions
Establish and reaffirm policies and work rules
Communicate and give advance notice of changes
Keep employees informed of their progress
Be objective
Learn to listen
Be consistent
 PREPARING FOR A GRIEVANCE

Who is involved?

Where did the situation occur?

When did the incident occur?

Why did the situation occur?

What are the circumstances?

What was the impact to the operation/business as a

result of the situation/incident?

What remedy is the grievant seeking?

 GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES

A company can establish grievance procedures that

allow workers to address their problems and complaints
to management through different channels, depending
on the problems being reported and how workers feel
most comfortable reporting them. Such channels range
from reporting a complaint to a supervisor, to a workers
representative, during worker assemblies or through
suggestion boxes.

Most important is that such procedures are in place and

that the information taken from them contributes to
managements ability to resolve workers problems
before such problems become widespread or escalate to
 SAMPLE FORMAL
GRIEVANCE PROCESS
FLOW
 Stage 1
Method of Communication: Written or oral complaint by worker or through
union representative/worker representative

Reporting Level: Immediate Supervisor

Response: Written response from immediate supervisor to worker

Required time for response: Specified (e.g., 5 days from receipt of

complaint) and if delayed, a written communication why response will be
delayed

Records: Nature of grievance, response of supervisor to complaint

Special conditions: If complaint is contested, supervisor could ask worker

to attend conference to discuss issue. Workers have the right to the
presence of a representative of their choosing during the conference.
 Stage 2
Method of Communication: Written or verbal

Nature of grievance: (1) Unresolved grievance from stage 1; (2) reports of

workers against their immediate supervisor; (3) major complaints (defined by
factory)

Reporting Level: Department Head/Senior Manager or HR Manager

Response: Arrange to hear reports from worker and supervisor (in separate
hearings, if complaint requires confidentiality), provide written response to
grievance

Required time for response: Specified (e.g., 7 days from receipt of

complaint) and if delayed, a written communication why response will be
delayed

Records: Copy of immediate supervisors response to grievance, specific

remedy requested, response of manager to grievance, notes of hearing

Conditions: Workers have the right to the presence of a representative of

their choosing during the conference.
 Stage 3
Nature of grievance: (1) Appeal regarding unfavourable actions/resolutions;
(2) grievance regarding behaviour of manager who handled the complaint
Reporting Level: Grievance Committee that includes workers
representative/union representative
Method of Communication: Written
Response: Arrange for hearing where worker presents grievance
Required time for response: Specified (e.g., 7 days from date of hearing)
or if it will be delayed, a written communication why response will be
delayed
Records: Nature of grievance, specific remedy requested, decision of
grievance committee
Special conditions: Workers have the right to the presence of a
representative of their choosing during the conference.
A worker may seek advice from or pursue the grievance with an external or
independent appeal system in cases where he/she is dissatisfied with the
internal appeal system.