How to Raise a Grievance at Work: A Practical Guide
This guide covers grievance procedures in England, Wales and Scotland as the law stands in December 2025. The Employment Rights Bill is currently passing through Parliament and will introduce some changes from 2026 - see the section on upcoming changes below.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different. If your grievance involves potential legal claims or you're considering tribunal proceedings, speak to a solicitor before submitting anything.
Quick Summary
A grievance is a formal complaint to your employer about something at work - unfair treatment, bullying, a contract dispute, or anything else affecting you. Raising one properly creates a paper trail, gives your employer the chance to fix things, and protects your position if matters escalate.
Most employers must follow the ACAS Code of Practice on grievances. If they don't (or you don't), tribunal compensation can be adjusted by up to 25%. So it pays to understand how the process works - and to get it right from the start.
Important: What you write in your grievance can be used as evidence if your case goes to tribunal. This makes it essential to be accurate, specific, and considered in how you frame your complaint. More on this below.
What Is a Grievance, Really?
Strip away the jargon and a grievance is simply a formal way of saying: "I have a problem at work and I want you to deal with it."
The difference between a grievance and a casual complaint is documentation. When you raise a formal grievance, your employer is obliged to investigate it, meet with you to discuss it, and give you a written outcome. It goes on record.
This matters because:
- It forces your employer to take the issue seriously
- It creates evidence if you later need to go to tribunal
- It shows you tried to resolve things internally before taking legal action
- It can trigger the ACAS Code protections (the 25% adjustment)
When Should You Raise a Grievance?
A grievance is appropriate for most workplace problems that affect you personally:
Treatment issues
- Bullying or harassment from colleagues or managers
- Discrimination based on a protected characteristic (age, sex, race, disability, religion, sexual orientation, pregnancy, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership)
- Being treated unfairly compared to colleagues
- Being excluded, undermined, or humiliated
Contract and pay issues
- Not being paid correctly or on time
- Unauthorised deductions from wages
- Employer not honouring contractual benefits
- Changes to your role, hours, or location without agreement
Process concerns
- Unfair disciplinary action against you
- Being overlooked for promotion without good reason
- Disputes about holiday entitlement
- Problems with flexible working requests
Safety, wellbeing, and adjustments
- Health and safety concerns not being addressed
- Excessive workload affecting your health
- Employer failing to make reasonable adjustments for a disability or health condition
A note on reasonable adjustments: If you have a disability or long-term health condition, your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove barriers you face at work. If they're refusing to do so, or haven't properly considered your requests, this can form the basis of a grievance - and potentially a discrimination claim. Document what adjustments you've requested, when, and how your employer responded.
When a grievance probably isn't the right route:
- You're unhappy with a business decision that doesn't affect you personally
- You disagree with company policy in general
- You're the subject of a disciplinary process (respond to that process instead, though you might raise a grievance alongside it in some cases)
Should You Try to Resolve Things Informally First?
Usually, yes.
The ACAS Code recommends attempting informal resolution before going formal. This might mean:
- Talking directly to the person whose behaviour is the problem
- Raising the issue with your line manager
- Asking HR for an informal chat
Why bother? Because formal grievances can make working relationships worse. If there's a chance of fixing things with a conversation, that's often the better outcome for everyone - including you, since you presumably want to keep working there.
When to skip the informal stage:
- The problem is too serious (sexual harassment, fraud, serious safety issues)
- You've already tried informal approaches and they've failed
- The person you'd normally raise it with is the problem
- You're worried about retaliation
- You need a formal record for legal reasons
Your Grievance May Be Used at Tribunal - Write It Carefully
This is crucial and often overlooked.
If your workplace issue eventually leads to an employment tribunal claim, your grievance letter becomes evidence. The tribunal will read it. Your employer's lawyers will scrutinise it. Everything you wrote - and didn't write - can be examined and challenged.
What this means in practice:
Be accurate: Don't exaggerate or speculate. If you overstate your case in the grievance and it's later disproved, your credibility suffers across the board.
Be specific: Vague allegations are hard to defend at tribunal. Specific incidents with dates, times, and witnesses are much stronger.
Be comprehensive (but strategic): Include the key issues, but understand that what you put in writing becomes fixed. If you forget something important, adding it later can look like an afterthought.
Avoid emotional language: "I felt humiliated and devastated" is fine. "My manager is a vindictive bully who has made my life hell" is less helpful - even if it feels true.
Don't make allegations you can't evidence: If you accuse someone of something and can't back it up, it weakens your overall case.
Consider what you're NOT including: Sometimes there are tactical reasons to hold certain points back for legal proceedings. If you think tribunal is likely, get legal advice before submitting your grievance.
This is one reason why getting the grievance right matters so much. It's not just an internal HR process - it's potentially the foundation of your legal case.
The Formal Grievance Process: What to Expect
The ACAS Code of Practice sets out how employers should handle grievances. Understanding what should happen helps you know when things are going wrong.
The typical stages:
- You submit a written grievance - to your line manager, HR, or whoever your policy directs
- Your employer acknowledges it - ideally within a few days
- Investigation - they look into the issues you've raised
- Grievance meeting - you discuss your complaint in person
- Written decision - they tell you the outcome and next steps
- Appeal - if you're unhappy with the decision, you can challenge it
Your right to be accompanied: At the grievance meeting, you can bring a trade union representative or a work colleague. They can confer with you and address the meeting, but can't answer questions on your behalf.
How long should it take? The ACAS Code says grievances should be dealt with "without unreasonable delay" but doesn't specify timeframes. A straightforward grievance might be resolved in a couple of weeks. Complex cases could take longer. If it's dragging on with no explanation, chase it up in writing.
Critical Warning: ACAS Deadlines Don't Pause
This catches people out constantly.
If you're considering an employment tribunal claim, you must start ACAS early conciliation within 3 months minus one day of the act you're complaining about.
Your employer ignoring your grievance does not extend this deadline.
It doesn't matter if:
- They haven't acknowledged your grievance
- The investigation is ongoing
- They haven't held a meeting
- You're waiting for an appeal outcome
The clock keeps ticking regardless. Many potential claims are lost because people wait for the grievance process to finish, only to find they've run out of time to go to tribunal.
What to do: If your situation might lead to a tribunal claim, work out your deadline early. If the grievance process is dragging on and you're approaching 3 months, contact ACAS to start early conciliation - you can continue the grievance process in parallel.
Coming change (October 2026): The Employment Rights Bill will extend tribunal time limits to 6 months. But as of December 2025, this isn't in force. Work to the current deadline.
What If Your Employer Ignores Your Grievance?
Unfortunately, some employers don't follow proper procedures. They might:
- Not acknowledge your grievance
- Take months to investigate
- Skip the meeting
- Give you no written outcome
- Refuse to allow an appeal
If this happens:
1. Chase it up in writing Create a paper trail showing you've tried to engage with the process and they've failed to respond.
2. Escalate internally If your line manager is ignoring you, go to their manager or to HR directly.
3. Contact ACAS ACAS can provide advice and, in some cases, may be able to help facilitate resolution.
4. Consider your legal position An employer's failure to address a grievance can itself be a breach of the implied term of trust and confidence. In serious cases, this might support a constructive dismissal claim - but get legal advice before resigning.
5. Factor it into any tribunal claim If you later bring a tribunal claim, the employer's failure to follow the ACAS Code can result in your compensation being increased by up to 25%.
And remember: Their failure to respond doesn't give you more time to bring a claim. Protect your deadline.
Grievances and Constructive Dismissal
If you're thinking of resigning because of your employer's behaviour, you should usually raise a grievance first.
Why?
- It shows the tribunal you tried to resolve things internally
- It gives your employer a chance to fix the problem (which strengthens your case if they don't)
- It creates documentary evidence of what happened and how they responded
- It protects you from the argument that you resigned too hastily
There are exceptions. If the situation is so bad that raising a grievance would be pointless - you're being bullied by the MD and there's no one above them to complain to, for instance - you might be justified in resigning immediately. But this is risky. Get legal advice.
The Employment Rights Bill: What's Changing?
The Employment Rights Bill is currently passing through Parliament (as of December 2025, it's in the final stages). Once it receives Royal Assent, changes will be phased in over 2026 and 2027.
What this means for grievances and related claims:
| Change | Expected Date | Relevance to Grievances |
|---|---|---|
| Tribunal time limits extended to 6 months | October 2026 | More time to bring a claim if your grievance isn't resolved |
| Sexual harassment duty strengthened | October 2026 | Employers must take "all reasonable steps" to prevent harassment - failures become more actionable |
| Third-party harassment liability | October 2026 | Employers become liable for harassment by customers/clients |
| Day-one unfair dismissal rights | 2027 | If dismissed for raising a grievance, you may claim unfair dismissal without 2 years' service |
| Right to be accompanied extended | Under debate | May be extended to include certified professionals - outcome uncertain |
Important: These dates are based on the government's July 2025 roadmap. The Bill is still being debated and could change. Don't assume new rights apply until they're confirmed as in force.
For the latest updates, check:
- ACAS Employment Rights Bill page: www.acas.org.uk/employment-rights-bill
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does my employer have to respond to a grievance? The ACAS Code doesn't specify exact timeframes - it says employers should deal with grievances "without unreasonable delay." What's reasonable depends on the complexity. A simple pay dispute might be resolved in two weeks. A bullying allegation requiring multiple witness interviews might take two months. If there's no progress and no explanation, chase it up - and keep an eye on your tribunal deadline.
Can I raise a grievance after I've resigned? You can try, but your employer isn't obliged to hear it. Some will; many won't. If you have serious concerns, it's better to raise them while still employed.
Can I be disciplined for raising a grievance? Raising a genuine grievance shouldn't lead to disciplinary action. If your employer retaliates against you for complaining, that's likely victimisation - which is unlawful if your grievance related to discrimination, whistleblowing, or other protected matters.
What if my grievance is about my line manager? Submit it to their manager, or to HR, or to whoever your grievance policy directs. You shouldn't have to raise a complaint with the person you're complaining about.
Can I record the grievance meeting? Covert recording is generally a bad idea - if discovered, it can damage trust and potentially your case. If you want to record, ask permission first. Your right to be accompanied means you can bring someone who can take notes.
What's the difference between a grievance and a whistleblowing disclosure? A grievance is a complaint about something affecting you personally. Whistleblowing (making a "protected disclosure") is reporting wrongdoing in the public interest - fraud, safety dangers, environmental damage. Whistleblowing has separate legal protections. If your concern might qualify as whistleblowing, get specific advice.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Being too vague: "I feel bullied" is harder to investigate than "On 15 October, James shouted at me in front of the team and called my work 'pathetic'."
Waiting too long: Raise concerns while they're fresh and while evidence is available. And remember your tribunal deadline.
Expecting too much: A grievance can lead to action, apologies, policy changes, or mediation. It rarely results in someone being sacked unless the misconduct was very serious.
Going in unprepared: Treat the grievance meeting seriously. Know your key points, bring your evidence, and have a clear idea of what resolution you're seeking.
Not thinking about tribunal: If legal action is a possibility, your grievance isn't just an HR exercise - it's the first chapter of your legal case. Write it accordingly.
Getting Your Grievance Right
A well-prepared grievance can resolve your workplace problem, protect your legal position, and demonstrate that you acted reasonably throughout. A poorly drafted one can undermine your case before it even begins.
Yerty's Guided Journey can help. Our stage-by-stage process walks you through understanding your situation, gathering evidence, and preparing your grievance properly - with prompts to help you think through what to include and how to frame it.
Start your guided journey: https://yerty.co.uk/features/journey
The platform helps you:
- Understand where you are in the process
- Know what to do at each stage
- Prepare documents that work for both HR and (if needed) tribunal
- Track deadlines so you don't miss critical dates
- Access template letters and guidance tailored to your situation
For complex situations - especially where discrimination, whistleblowing, or potential tribunal claims are involved - we'd also recommend speaking to a solicitor. Getting early advice can save significant problems later.
Sources
- ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures - www.acas.org.uk/acas-code-of-practice-on-disciplinary-and-grievance-procedures
- ACAS guidance on grievances - www.acas.org.uk/grievance-procedure-step-by-step
- ACAS: Employment Rights Bill - www.acas.org.uk/employment-rights-bill
- Gov.uk: Raise a grievance at work - www.gov.uk/raise-grievance-at-work
- Equality Act 2010 (reasonable adjustments) - www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents