Stokers A5 Handbook Policies APR24

GRIEVANCE POLICY & PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION The business believes that all employees should be treated fairly and with respect. If an employee is unhappy about the way they are being treated at work, they should discuss this with their manager or the HR department, who will attempt to resolve the situation informally or via workplace mediation. Where informal attempts to resolve a matter are unsuccessful, it may be appropriate to raise the matter formally under this procedure. All employees have access to this procedure to help deal with any formal complaint (or “grievance”), relating to their employment fairly and without unreasonable delay. Stokers will aim to investigate any grievance raised by an employee, hold a meeting to discuss it with them, inform them in writing of the outcome, and give them a right of appeal if they are not satisfied. POLICY The purpose of this policy is to enable employees to work in the harmonious environment which is expected by the business, and trust that grievance issues will be managed in a constructive, fair and consistent manner. This policy applies to all employees regardless of length of service. It does not apply to agency workers or self-employed contractors. It does not form part of any employee’s contract of employment and Stokers may amend it and/or the procedures contained in it at any time.

Stokers also operates a separate Whistleblowing Policy to enable employees to report suspected illegal activities, wrongdoing or malpractice. However, where an employee is directly affected by the matter in question, or where they feel they have been victimised for an act of whistleblowing, they may raise the matter under this policy. If an employee has difficulty at any stage of the procedure set out in this policy because of a disability or because English is not their first language, they should discuss the situation with their manager or the HR department. Written grievances will be placed on the relevant employee’s personnel file along with a record of any decisions taken and any notes or other documents compiled during the grievance process. PROCEDURE If a grievance cannot be resolved informally the employee should put it in writing and submit it to the HR department. The written grievance should contain a clear description of the nature of the complaint, including any relevant facts, dates, and names of individuals involved. In some situations the employee may be asked to provide further information before the matter is progressed. Investigation It may be necessary for Stokers to carry out an investigation into an employee’s grievance. The amount of any investigation required will depend on the nature of the allegations and will vary from case to case. It may involve interviewing and taking statements from the employee and any witnesses, and/or reviewing relevant documents. The employee must co-operate fully and promptly in any investigation. This may include informing Stokers of the names of any relevant witnesses, disclosing any relevant documents and attending interviews, as part of the investigation. Stokers may initiate an investigation before holding a grievance meeting where it is considered appropriate. In other cases, a grievance meeting may be held before deciding what investigation (if any) needs to be carried out. Right to be accompanied Employees who raise a grievance may bring a companion to any grievance meeting or appeal meeting under this procedure. The companion may be either a trade union representative or a colleague. The employee must notify the HR Department of who their chosen companion is in good time before any such meeting.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES Issues that could cause grievances may include: • Terms and conditions of employment; • Health and safety; • Work relations;

• Bullying and harassment; • New working practices; • Working environment; • Organisational change; and • Discrimination.

The formal grievance procedure set out in this policy should not be used to complain about dismissal or disciplinary action. If an employee is dissatisfied with any disciplinary action, they should submit an appeal in accordance with Stokers Disciplinary Policy. Stokers has a separate Dignity at Work Policy that may be useful if an employee feels they have been the victim of bullying or harassment or wish to report an incident of bullying or harassment involving other people.

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