£9UK law · England & Wales

UK Grievance Procedure Policy Template

An ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures compliant grievance policy for UK employers. Sets out the formal stages, timescales, the right to be accompanied and the appeal route. £9.

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Editable Word (.docx) + PDF · Re-download any time · UK GDPR compliant

Legal background

UK employers must handle grievances in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. While the Code is not law in itself, an Employment Tribunal can adjust compensation by up to 25% (either way) for unreasonable failure to follow it. The Employment Rights Act 1996 also requires that the principal statement (Section 1) refers to the grievance procedure.

Sample excerpt

A short preview of the kind of clauses your generated document will contain. The full document is tailored to your inputs.

1. Purpose. This procedure provides employees with a fair and consistent way to raise concerns about their work, working environment or working relationships. It is aligned with the ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures. 2. Informal resolution. Where possible, employees should first try to resolve concerns informally with their line manager. Many issues can be addressed by a simple conversation. 3. Formal grievance. If informal resolution fails or is not appropriate, the employee should put the grievance in writing to [Manager / HR], setting out the nature of the complaint, the relevant facts and the resolution sought. 4. Grievance hearing. A hearing will be arranged within 5 working days of receipt of the written grievance. The employee has the right under section 10 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 to be accompanied by a fellow worker or trade union representative. 5. Outcome. The decision and reasoning will be confirmed in writing within 5 working days of the hearing, with details of the right of appeal. 6. Appeal. An appeal must be lodged in writing within 5 working days of receipt of the outcome letter. The appeal will be heard by a manager not previously involved in the case.

What's in the template

✓Informal resolution as the first step
✓Formal written grievance route
✓Right to be accompanied (s.10 Employment Relations Act 1999)
✓Investigation and grievance hearing
✓Outcome letter with reasoning
✓Right of appeal and appeal hearing
✓Timescales at each stage (working days)
✓Confidentiality and record-keeping

Who this is for

→Every UK employer (referenced in Section 1 statement)
→Companies wanting to reduce tribunal exposure
→HR functions standardising employee complaints handling
→First-time employers building their core HR pack

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Frequently asked questions

Is having this policy legally required?

You are required to refer to the grievance procedure in the written statement of employment particulars (s.1 ERA 1996). You are not required to follow the ACAS Code, but unreasonable failure to do so can result in a tribunal increasing or reducing compensation by up to 25%.

What happens if a grievance is raised after dismissal?

You should still consider it where reasonable to do so — particularly if the grievance relates to the dismissal itself (which may form part of an unfair dismissal claim).

Right to be accompanied — by whom?

A trade union official or a fellow worker. Not a lawyer or family member — those are at your discretion.

These templates are general legal information, not bespoke legal advice. For high-value or unusual matters, ask a solicitor to review.