Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
We know how stressful it can be when problems crop up at work. Whether your employer has indicated that a disciplinary process is to be implemented, or if you feel you have no choice but to submit a grievance relating to the way in which you have been treated, we will be there to take you through the procedural steps, advise you on how best to present your concerns and what the potential implications of the outcome may be.
Disciplinary procedures
Employers should normally use disciplinary procedures to tell employees that their performance or conduct isn't up to the expected standard and to encourage improvement. You should always be given the opportunity to put your side of the situation. Employers normally have genuine reasons for considering it necessary to commence disciplinary procedures, but there are occasions where disciplinary procedures are inappropriate or otherwise unreasonable, or are part of a wider campaign of bullying or harassment.
If your employers are contemplating taking disciplinary action against you, they should first write to you, explaining the complaint made against you in sufficient detail and with enough information about your alleged misconduct or poor performance to give you the chance to prepare a reply or an explanation before a disciplinary meeting or hearing.
Through every step, we can help you by giving you the information you need, and advising you of your rights and your employer’s obligations.
Grievance procedures
The conciliation service ACAS defines grievances as “concerns, problems or complaints that employees raise with their employers” and, in practice, employees may need to submit grievances for a number of different reasons. Some examples of grievances that you may need to raise with your employer might relate to:
• discrimination
• the terms of your employment
• your pay or working conditions
• disputes with colleagues
• failure to allow you to exercise your statutory employment rights
Not all grievances mean that the working relationship between you and your employer is at an end, although grievances must be lodged in order to pursue certain types of claim in an employment tribunal (and your failure to comply with the relevant procedure may lead to any award a tribunal might make being reduced by up to 25%). We can give you the advice you need to prepare and lodge your grievance, together with the support you need throughout the procedure.
If you would like to discuss the above please email us, or go back to our other contact details.