No matter the size or industry, Employee Grievance are a typical occurrence in organizations. These complaints may be brought about for a number of different reasons, including disagreements with management, harassment, discrimination, and unfair treatment.
Employee complaints that go unanswered can result in lowered morale, poor production, and even legal problems.
In this Article, We will see the Employee Grievance policy & procedure.
PURPOSE OF EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE POLICY:
The goal of this policy is to give every employee a way to file a grievance related to their employment. Additionally, the Policy will guarantee that these complaints are resolved swiftly, fairly, and in accordance with other pertinent organizational policies.
This includes concerns from an employee about an action that has been taken and or an in-action by a supervisor, another employee or by the Management.
This policy should be read in conjunction with other related policy documents / guidelines such as but not limited to the employment terms & conditions, code of conduct, POSH, conflict of interest, etc.
SCOPE OF EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE POLICY:
The initial approach to settling any issue is least formal communication. An employee should initially attempt to handle any concern informally with his or her immediate supervisor.
If such discussion does not resolve the matter, and if the employee believes that his / her complaint rises to the level of a grievance, then the employee may initiate a formal grievance as described in this policy in an effort to seek an equitable solution.
For the purposes of this policy, a ‘grievance’ is defined as any type of problem, concern, or complaint related to work or the work environment. A grievance may be about an act, omission, situation, or decision that the employee thinks to be unfair, discriminatory or unjustified.
The policy will not cover matters or benefits relating to employment.
This grievance policy shall not be exercised to contest, dismissal, demotion, suspension or other disciplinary measure. If a grievance is filed and a disciplinary action has begun for the same or related issue, no further action shall be taken with the grievance procedure while such disciplinary action is pending.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES:
The employee grievance procedure must always be followed, and it’s crucial that problems are resolved fairly. The following elements shall be considered
- All employees should always try to resolve problems in the workplace at the earliest possible opportunity and usually with the least possible formality.
- All efforts shall be put to address matters before they reach the stage of becoming a formal grievance issue.
- Issues should be brought up and resolved quickly by all employees, who should also avoid unjustified delays in meetings, decisions, or confirmation of such decisions.
- All employees should act consistently, fairly, responsibly while raising a grievance and should not be biased, dishonest, willfully intentional or malicious in raising a grievance.
- XYZ Company will not accept and / or tolerate abusive or insulting behavior from anyone taking part while conducting grievance procedures. Any such behavior shall lead to appropriate disciplinary action
GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE:
Each grievance submitted shall be dealt with utmost confidentiality by a grievance committee consisting of:
- Head of Human Resources
- Director
- One Lady Member – Competent enough
EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE:
- Preliminary Step
Employee must first address his / her grievance with the immediate supervisor. This may be done orally in informal discussion. If the informal attempts to resolve the matter are not successful, a formal grievance may be initiated.
- Step 1
The grievance, in the first instance, must be submitted in writing to the immediate supervisor. Grievance must be submitted within fifteen calendar days following the date the employee first knew or had known of the grievance.
The concerned supervisor shall respond in writing within ten days following receipt of the grievance. If the response is unsatisfactory and the grievance is not settled in Step 1, then Step 2 may be proceeded.
- Step 2
Within three days following the receipt of written response from the supervisor in step 1, the grievance may be further appealed to the concerned Department Manager. The Department Manager will then undertake an investigation of the grievance and the underlying facts.
Within fifteen business days following receipt of the grievance, the Department Manager shall discuss the grievance with the concerned employee and then provide a written response.
- Step 3
If the response is still not satisfactory from Step 2, then the grievance can be submitted in writing to the grievance committee within three days following the receipt of response in Step 2. The committee will review the grievance and provide a written response within fifteen business days following receipt of the grievance.
The decision of the committee shall be in writing and the decision is final and binding.
RECORDS:
For topics handled by the Committee, the following minimal set of records must be maintained. The Human Resources department shall be the responsible function that ensures the filing and safekeeping of the records.
- The nature of the grievance
- Written grievance statement
- Action taken with reasons
- A written statement of the decisions
CONFIDENTIALITY:
Every staff member questioned about a particular issue, including members of the Grievance Committee and those responsible for keeping records, is subject to a duty of confidentiality that requires them to retain all correspondence and material shared during the process in strict confidence.
In conclusion, it is essential for preserving a positive and productive work atmosphere to have a clear and efficient procedure for managing employee concerns.
Hope this Employee Grievance policy is useful to you
Also Read TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY TO MOTIVATE STAFF