Factsheet: Grievance Procedures Under the Acas Code

1. Acas grievance code of practice
2. Handling grievances under the Acas grievance procedure
3. Your employee raises grievance in writing (Acas grievance letter)
4. You carry out a proper investigation
5. You call a grievance hearing to investigate complaint
6. Grievance hearing
7. Grievance decision and possible action
8. Your employee appeals in writing (where appropriate)
9. You call an appeal meeting
10. You give the final decision in writing
11. Need help with the Acas grievance procedure?

Acas advice on handling internal grievance procedures is in the Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. This replaced the old Statutory Dispute Procedures. There was no clean break with the old procedures and transitional arrangements applied.

This factsheet explains how your employees should go about raising a grievance in the workplace, how employers should deal with grievances using an internal Aces grievance procedure (Acas Code of Practice), and the penalties for getting it wrong.

Acas grievance code of practice

The purpose of a grievance procedure is to give your employees a way to raise issues with their managers about their working environment or work relationships – known as submitting a grievance.

The Acas Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures simplified the much criticised Statutory Dispute Procedures. The Acas Code suggests parties ‘should’, rather than ‘must’ act in a certain way. Employment Tribunals ruling on individual cases can:

• Increase compensation by up to 25% where an employer has ‘unreasonably’ failed to follow the Acas Code
• Reduce compensation by up to 25% where an employee has ‘unreasonably’ failed to follow the Acas Code

The Employment Tribunal has wide discretion to uplift or reduce compensation as it applies to any grievance where either party has unreasonably failed to follow the Acas Code. The Employment Tribunal can also choose not to adjust compensation at all.

The Acas Code does not apply to collective grievances – a grievance brought by an appropriate representative for more than two employees.

If your employee is submitting a grievance during disciplinary procedures, you can decide whether or not to stay or suspend the disciplinary proceedings.

Even though the Acas Code has been in force since 2009, it is still not clear whether the code’s definition of employee covers the actions of employers towards former employees.

Handling grievances under the Acas grievance procedure

The Acas Code sets out steps you and your employees ‘should’ take when dealing with grievances using an internal grievance procedure. You should also follow your internal grievance procedure in addition to the steps outlined below. You should deal with all issues fairly and consistently to avoid claims of discrimination or unfair treatment and/or undermining the implied duty of mutual trust and confidence.

Your employee raises grievance in writing (Acas grievance letter)

Your employee should raise their grievance promptly and in writing. Failure to do so does not prevent your employee bringing a Tribunal claim about the matter. However, where your employee has not first raised the grievance in writing (sometimes referred to as an Acas grievance letter), compensation may be reduced by up to 25%. Where the grievance is about their line manager, and the company policy states that the grievance must be raised with them, your employee may approach another manager or the HR department.

You carry out a proper investigation

To establish the facts, you should collect documents, identify relevant people to interview and take statements before memories start to fade. Requests for anonymity and confidentiality should be taken seriously.

You call a grievance hearing to investigate complaint

The grievance hearing should be scheduled without unreasonable delay. Both you and your employee should make every effort to attend this meeting. Your employees can request to be accompanied by a fellow worker or trade union representative where the complaint is about a duty owed by you as the employer. However, it is good practice to allow your employee to be accompanied at all types of grievance hearing. This request must be ‘reasonable’, ie the companion should not be someone who will prejudice the meeting or is from a remote workplace if someone nearer is available. If your employee’s companion is not available to attend the scheduled date for the grievance, your employee can suggest an alternative time, as long as this is reasonable and not more than five working days after the original date, unless there is good reason for this.

Grievance hearing

The purpose of the meeting is for you to establish the facts and decide whether to uphold the grievance or not. Your employee should be sent copies of all relevant documents and statements before the hearing. Your employees should be allowed to call their relevant witnesses and you may also choose to call witnesses if this is necessary.

The hearing itself should be in a private room with no interruptions. A full written record of the meeting should be prepared or a transcript made if both parties have agreed to the meeting being recorded. The meeting should follow the following format:

• Introduce those present and state the purpose of the hearing
• Invite your employee to re-state their grievance and how they would like it to be resolved
• Your employee can submit supporting evidence
• Witnesses can give their account of events and answer questions
• Your employee’s companion can ask questions, address the hearing and confer with your employee, but is not entitled to answer questions on your employee’s behalf
• Decision maker/s considers the employee’s evidence and sums up the main points
• If new facts arise, the meeting can be adjourned for further investigations so all evidence is considered before making a decision
• Where there is contradictory evidence, you as the employer decides on the balance of probabilities which version is true
• You inform your employee when they might reasonably expect a response if the decision is reserved
• The decision can be given at the end of the hearing itself but should always be confirmed in writing

Grievance decision and possible action

When the matter is concluded, you should decide on appropriate action. Where the grievance highlights procedural errors or a lack of policy, training or procedures, these should be addressed as soon as possible. The decision should take into account:

• Whether independent mediation might help
• The gravity of the issues
• The impact of the decision on other individuals who may feel aggrieved

You should give your employee your decision without unreasonable delay. This should include details of intended actions. You must also notify your employee of their right to appeal.

Your employee appeals in writing (where appropriate)

Appeals should be in writing and specify the grounds of appeal. If your employee brings a Tribunal claim without appealing your decision, their award may be reduced. The meeting should be arranged such that there is at least one, preferably more, senior person who has not been involved in the previous grievance to hear any subsequent appeal.

You call an appeal meeting

Your employee has the right to be accompanied. The appeal meeting should carefully consider any new evidence and review the original decision.

You give the final decision in writing

You should communicate your final decision and the reasons for it in writing without unreasonable delay. Ensure any action is monitored and reviewed, so it deals effectively with the issues and prevents a further grievance being raised.

Need help with the Acas grievance procedure?

Our Employment Law solicitors and HR consultants can help you and your employees with all aspects of the Acas grievance procedure.

Contact us today on 01273 609911, or email info@ms-solicitors.co.uk.