Kemp & Townsend Ltd’s grievance policy

THIS IS THE KEMP & TOWNSEND ltd grievance Procedure policy DOCUMENT

OUR POLICY PURPOSE

WHILST WE AT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD ALWAYS ENDEAVOUR TO MAKE THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT A PLEASANT, FRIENDLY PLACE FOR EVERYONE TO FEEL FULFILLED, HAPPY & HEALTHY IN THEIR WORK, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN A GRIEVANCE ARISES, OR A DISCIPLINARY ACTION MUST BE CARRIED OUT. PLEASE SEE OUR DISCIPLINARY POLICY FOR MORE ON THIS.

THIS POLICY DOCUMENT WILL DISCUSS:

  • KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD’S PROCEDURE WHEN IT COMES TO GRIEVANCES

  • THE OPTIONS YOU HAVE IF YOU HAVE A GRIEVANCE.

KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD’S PROCEDURE

WE WILL FOLLOW A FULL & FAIR GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE AS ADVISED BY THE ADVISORY, CONCILIATION & ARBITRATION SERVICE (ACAS). WE WILL:

  • DEAL WITH GRIEVANCES FAIRLY & CONSISTENTLY

  • INVESTIGATE ANY GRIEVANCE BROUGHT TO US IN ORDER TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE

  • ALLOW ANY EMPLOYEE TO BRING A RELEVANT PERSON TO A GRIEVANCE MEETING (SEE MORE DETAILS BELOW)

  • GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR SAY BEFORE MAKING A DECISION

  • TAKE ACTIONS & MAKE DECISIONS AS SOON AS WE CAN

  • ALLOW AN EMPLOYEE TO APPEAL AGAINST THE GRIEVANCE OUTCOME, IF THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE IN THE COMPANY TO TAKE IT TO. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A LINE MANAGER HAS HANDLED IT FIRST, THEN THE EMPLOYEE CAN APPEAL TO THE DIRECTOR.

  • PROVIDE AN EXAMPLE TEMPLATE OF A LETTER THAT YOU CAN USE IF YOU WISH TO RAISE A FORMAL GRIEVANCE.

DEALING WITH GRIEVANCES INFORMALLY

IF YOU HAVE A GRIEVANCE OR COMPLAINT ABOUT YOUR WORK OR SOMEONE YOU WORK WITH (INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL) YOU SHOULD START BY SPEAKING WITH DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER) AT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD AS SOON AS YOU CAN. YOU MAY BE ABLE TO AGREE A SOLUTION INFORMALLY BETWEEN YOU.

YOU WILL ALSO BE EXPECTED TO TAKE ANY ACTIONS REQUIRED OF YOU AS SOON AS YOU CAN.

IF THERE ARE 2 OR MORE RELATED GRIEVANCES AMONG SEVERAL EMPLOYEES, KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD WILL:

  • STILL FOLLOW THE FORMAL PROCEDURE, FOR ALL THE GRIEVANCES

  • KEEP THE INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL

  • CONSIDER WHAT EACH EMPLOYEE WANTS

  • EXPLAIN TO EMPLOYEES HOW WE ARE DEALING WITH THE GRIEVANCES

THERE MAY BE TIMES WHEN WE DECIDE TO HAVE A SINGLE MEETING TO COVER ALL THE GRIEVANCES, IF YOU & YOUR COLLEAGUES AGREE. BUT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO YOUR OWN GRIEVANCE MEETING IN WHICH EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PART OF THE GRIEVANCE ARE NOT PRESENT.

THERE MAY BE A NEED FOR MEDIATION WHICH CAN BE USED AT ANY STAGE. BOTH SIDES OF THE GRIEVANCE WILL NEED TO AGREE TO THIS.

FORMAL GRIEVANCE

IF THE MATTER IS SERIOUS OR YOU WISH TO RAISE IT FORMALLY YOU SHOULD PUT THE GRIEVANCE IN WRITING TO DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER). YOU SHOULD KEEP TO THE FACTS & AVOID LANGUAGE THAT IS INSULTING OR ABUSIVE.

AS AN EMPLOYEE, YOU SHOULD RAISE A FORMAL GRIEVANCE WHEN:

  • YOU FEEL THAT RAISING IT INFORMALLY HAS NOT WORKED

  • YOU DO NOT WANT IT DEALT WITH INFORMALLY

  • IT’S A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE EG; WHISTLEBLOWING OR SEXUAL HARASSMENT.

IF THE GRIEVANCE IS A CRIMINAL MATTER THE POLICE MIGHT NEED TO BE INVOLVED.

FORMAL GRIEVANCE LETTER TEMPLATE

[TODAY’S DATE]

DEAR [NAME OF YOUR EMPLOYER / HR MANAGER/ LINE MANAGER],

I AM WRITING TO RAISE A FORMAL GRIEVANCE.

I HAVE A [PROBLEM WITH / COMPLAINT ABOUT] [GIVE DETAILS].

[OPTIONAL] I HAVE EVIDENCE IN THE FORM OF [GIVE DETAILS].

I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW WHEN I CAN MEET YOU TO TALK ABOUT MY GRIEVANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE ACCOMPANIED AT THE MEETING BY [NAME].

YOURS SINCERELY,

[YOUR NAME]

GRIEVANCE HEARING

THE EMPLOYER WILL CALL YOU TO A MEETING, USUALLY WITHIN 5 WORKING DAYS, TO DISCUSS YOUR GRIEVANCE. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A RELEVANT COLLEAGUE OR TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVE IF YOU HAVE ONE.

AFTER THE MEETING YOUR EMPLOYER WILL GIVE YOU A DECISION IN WRITING, USUALLY WITHIN 24 HOURS.

IF THE EMPLOYER NEEDS MORE INFORMATION BEFORE MAKING A DECISION, THEY WILL INFORM YOU OF THIS & THE TIMESCALE.

ALL INFORMATION WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL.

YOUR RIGHT TO APPEAL

IF YOU ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE DECISION ON YOUR GRIEVANCE YOU CAN RAISE AN APPEAL. THIS IS WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE:

  • THE OUTCOME OF THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE DOES NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM

  • ANY STAGE OF THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE WAS WRONG OR UNFAIR.

YOU SHOULD TELL DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER).

YOU WILL BE INVITED TO AN APPEAL MEETING, NORMALLY WITHIN 5 WORKING DAYS. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY A COLLEAGUE OR TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVE.

AFTER THE MEETING THE EMPLOYER WILL GIVE YOU A DECISION, USUALLY WITHIN 24 HOURS. THIS DECISION IS FINAL.

AFTER THE MEETING

NO MEMBERS OF STAFF WILL BE DISCIPLINED BEFORE ALL THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN GATHERED. DISCIPLINARIES WILL BE DECIDED BY THE EMPLOYER & WILL BE INFORMED & IMPARTIAL.

A DECISION WILL BE MADE BASED ON:

  • THE FINDINGS FROM MEETINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS

  • WHAT IS FAIR & REASONABLE

KEMP & TOWNSEND WILL TELL INVOLVED EMPLOYEES THE OUTCOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE & IN WRITING.

IF NO ACTION IS DECIDED THIS WILL BE COMMUNICATED PRIVATELY TO THE EMPLOYEE WHO RAISED THE GRIEVANCE. RECORDS OF THIS WILL BE KEPT.

LOOKING AFTER AN EMPLOYEE’S MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

GOING THROUGH A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE CAN BE VERY STRESSFUL. WE AT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD SEE IT AS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONSIDER THE WELLBEING & MENTAL HEALTH OF ANY EMPLOYEES INVOLVED.

AT KEMP & TOWNSEND LTD WE WANT THIS PROCESS TO BE AS SAFE & APPROPRIATE AS POSSIBLE. SO, IF THE NEED ARISES, PLEASE KNOW THAT WE WILL ACCEPT ANY CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK.

ALSO, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT OUR MENTAL HEALTH POLICY FOR OUR APPROACH TO MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING.

TALKING TO STAFF AFTER A GRIEVANCE

THE GRIEVANCE OUTCOME & DETAILS MUST REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL. HOWEVER, WHERE APPROPRIATE, IT CAN BE A GOOD IDEA FOR THE EMPLOYER TO TALK PRIVATELY WITH ANY STAFF WHO WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE GRIEVANCE.

USUALLY THIS WOULD BE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THE PROCESS IS FINISHED & TO REMIND THEM NOT TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH COLLEAGUES.

WE MAY ALSO TELL AN EMPLOYEE ABOUT ANY CHANGES THAT WILL BE INTRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THE PROCESS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE MAY DECIDE TO UPDATE A POLICY OR PROVIDE TRAINING ON A PARTICULAR TOPIC.

WE DO THIS AS IT HELPS TO REDUCE THE BAD FEELING & GOSSIP WHICH CAN HAPPEN WHEN STAFF ARE INVOLVED IN FORMAL PROCEDURES.

KEEPING A RECORD

NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME, WE WILL KEEP A WRITTEN RECORD OF ALL GRIEVANCE CASES TO HELP WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR SIMILAR CASES IN THE FUTURE.

IN LINE WITH DATA PROTECTION LAW (UK GDPR), OUR RECORDS WILL BE:

  • CONFIDENTIAL

  • ONLY BE KEPT FOR AS LONG AS NECESSARY

WE HOPE THAT THIS DOCUMENT CAN BE A CONSTANT REMINDER THAT WE WILL ALWAYS MAKE SURE A GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE IS CARRIED OUT FAIRLY & IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACAS GUIDE TO DISCIPLINARY & GRIEVANCES AT WORK. OUR AIM IS ALWAYS TO PROTECT THE WELLBEING & SAFETY OR OUR EMPLOYEES.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE RAISE THEM WITH AN APPROPRIATE MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT - DANIEL KEMP (DIRECTOR) OR KIM SWANN (MANAGER).

This policy may be changed in accordance with updated guidance from ACAS. This policy will be reviewed & updated September 2024.