Letter to raise a grievance at work
This advice applies to Scotland. See advice for See advice for England, See advice for Northern Ireland, See advice for Wales
If you are an employee and you want to make a formal complaint about something which has happened at work, you should raise a grievance.
The first step in doing so is to write to your employer. You should set out what your complaint is, with enough detail for your employer to be able to investigate it properly. Also include any details of what you've done to sort out the problem already.
Sam Hoolin
8 Park Avenue
Arlton
AL1 4CA
sam123@mail.com
01632 960001
Mo Smith
Workplace Ltd
24 Station Road
Giltham
GT16 3LP
3 December 2024
Dear Mo Smith,
I am writing to seek your help in resolving a problem that I am experiencing at work. It is a problem that is causing me some concern and that I have been unable to solve without bringing to your attention. I hope in doing so we can deal with the issue quickly and amicably.
In December, some time before the office Christmas party, my boss said that she would have to review my working arrangements in the new year. I currently work from home on Fridays as I find commuting into town five days a week very tiring. Up to now, she has been very supportive of me, but her attitude to me has changed since I told her I was pregnant. That was in late October. Since then, she has been criticising my work in ways she never did before, making derogatory comments about me to some of my colleagues and they have started saying that I don't pull my weight and am never in the office. In fact, I have been in the office four days a week and on the day I work from home, I get through more work than I do in the office. My boss has acknowledged this in the past. I was very worried over the Christmas period and hoped things would get better in the new year.
However, on 2 January, the first day back at work, my boss said that I would have to work in the office every day of the week until I went on maternity leave. When I asked why, she just said she needed staff in the office. I said I would try, but I had been finding it hard before I was pregnant, and it was only likely to get harder as my pregnancy advanced. She said if I couldn't work in the office, I should look at other options. I asked what she meant, and she said I was free to go elsewhere.
I raised this matter informally, but haven't been satisfied with the outcome. I tried talking to my boss but she refused to talk to me about this and said she had said all she had to say on the matter.
I was very upset about this as I have been in this job for over 10 years and have not had any problems in the past. I was so worried and upset that I have had to go to my GP and have been signed off sick for a month.
I would welcome the chance to talk this through with you at a convenient time and place.
I would like to be accompanied to the meeting by J Sinden.
Yours sincerely,
Sam Hoolin
Page last reviewed on 27 September 2019