Grievance Letter Example

Employee Grievance Letter Example Bullying & Harassment in The Workplace Grievance Complaint Letter.

Interesting statistics – over seventy-five percent of the clients we help are female.

This webpage last updated 12.12.25:

Steps on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace, or to raise a grievance letter against a workplace colleague, supervisor, or co-worker.

1. Step 1 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Don’t waffle.
2. Step 2 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Less is more.
3. Step 3 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Keep your emotions out of the grievance letter.
4. Step 4 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Bring your grievances to the relevant points of law including the breaches of any relevant Statutory Acts and Regulations.
5. Step 5 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Provide both ‘facts and information’ within your grievance letter.
6. Step 6 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Provide any evidence which you have of bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation. Provide this evidence to your employer when you submit your grievance complainant letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace.
7. Step 7 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Name the person/s who have subjected you to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation within your grievance complainant letter.
8. Step 8 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = If the working environment is toxic, then say so within your grievance complainant letter.
9. Step 9 = on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Provide examples of feeling bullied and harassed within your grievance complainant letter.
10. Step 10 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Provide the date/s the bullying and harassment occurred within your grievance complainant letter.
11. Step 11 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Provide the name/s of any witnesses within your grievance complainant letter.
12. Step 12 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Make sure you outline to your employer in your letter of grievance the injury caused to your feelings as the complainant.
13. Step 13 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Outline what resolution you are looking for within your grievance complainant letter.
14. Step 14 – on how to write a grievance letter on bullying and harassment in the workplace = Make sure you submit your grievance complaint letter via email.

My wife Amy & I are employment consultants with 26 years combined experience. We created this website after taking our own employers to the Employment Tribunal. We know first hand the stress, anxiety, and distress which you feel, because we have already trodden the path, which you now tread. Please visit our testimonials page.

Amy & I have broken down the subheadings above into paragraphs below to assist you in writing your grievance complainant letter for workplace bullying and harassment.

Below are a list of steps to take when writing a grievance complaint letter to your employer:

Don’t Waffle – Less is More:

• The mistake most people make when writing a grievance complaint letter for bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation is to waffle. Don’t waffle. Make sure what you say in your grievance complaint letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace counts. Remember, less is more.

Points of Law:

• Wherever possible, outline the Acts or Regulations, which you reasonably believe have been breached within your grievance complaint letter for workplace bullying and harassment. For example, if you believe your employer, line manager or a co-worker has breached your statutory rights under the auspices of The Equality Act 2010, The Employment Rights Act 1996 or The HSAWA 1974, then make sure you say so within your grievance complaint letter to your employer.
• It is also very helpful if you are able to identify the specific sections of The Equality Act 2010, or The Employment Rights Act, or The HSAWA 1974, which you believe have been breached within your grievance complainant letter for workplace bullying and harassment.
• If you are not sure which sections of the relevant Acts and Regulations have been breached, please book in a telephone consultation with Amy or myself so we can assist you in writing your grievance complaint letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace. We charge £35 for an initial consultation up to one hour. Please call us on 07775943414 during business hours 9-5 UK time to arrange a telephone consultation, or email us at [email protected]
• Try and keep your emotions out of the grievance letter and keep your grievance letter concise.

Provide ‘facts and information’:

• When writing your grievance complainant letter for bullying and harassment, provide as much information as you can, including the date/s and time/s the incidents of bullying and harassment occurred.
• Employment Tribunals tend to look at the ‘course of conduct’ rather than individual incidents of bullying and harassment in the workplace. So, if the bullying and harassment has been going on for some time, it would be helpful to outline within your grievance complainant letter a timeline of each incident of bullying and harassment in the workplace.
• For the avoidance of doubt, you want to make it clear in your grievance complainant letter that the bullying and harassment is not a one-off incident, but rather forms a ‘continuum’ of bullying and harassment. To this end, we suggest you outline within your grievance complainant letter the ‘cumulative effects’ of the bullying and harassment.

Evidence:

• Most of us will never likely have any evidence of bullying, harassment or discrimination in the workplace, but if you are lucky enough to have the evidence, then furnish that evidence as part of the grievance letter, which you submit to your employer as part of your bullying and harassment grievance complaint letter.
• However, be very careful sending work emails to your personal email address as this could result in disciplinary action being brought against you.

Toxic Working Environment:

• In your grievance complainant letter for workplace bullying and harassment it is very important that you outline to your employer how the working environment has become toxic. You need to say in your grievance complaint letter to your employer that the bullying and harassment is “unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome” to you, and furthermore, that the bullying and harassment has created a “hostile, oppressive and intimidating” working environment. This wording is very important.
• If the bullying and harassment is ‘undignified’ to you, then make sure you say so within your grievance letter.

Perpetrators:

• You must outline in your grievance complainant letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace, the full names of the people who are subjecting you to bullying and harassment. We suggest also outlining the person/s position within the Company, such as your line manager, co-worker or supervisor.
• You have to remember that in the event you end up going to the Employment Tribunal, that your grievance letter will form part of the documents, which the Tribunal will receive. Therefore, always look ahead and think that everything you write within your grievance complainant letter may one day be seen by an Employment Judge. This is why we say putting in case law and outlining the specific contraventions of The Equality Act 2010 etc,. within your grievance letter is so very important. A picture paints a thousand words.

Resolution:

• Finally, outline within your grievance complainant letter for bullying and harassment specifically what it is that you want as part of the resolution to your grievances. In truth, you may not know at this time what it is that you actually want in resolution. However, you may want to return to work or potentially reach a settlement agreement with the employer. If it is the latter, and you want to reach a settlement with your employer to leave, then Amy & I suggest reaching out to us so that we can write your grievance letter for you. Put shortly, you will have a much greater prospect of settling if we write your grievance letter for you than if you write your grievance letter yourself.
• Please call us 9-5 on 07775943414 (we work 7 days a week) to arrange a telephone consultation (£35 up to one hour) or email us ([email protected]) outlining the support you would like us to provide you with. After the initial consultation we charge £50 an hour.
• Remember, you only get one chance to get your grievance letter right, so it is incumbent upon you to put yourself in the strongest possible position to lever a settlement agreement, or in the alternative, to put an end to the workplace bullying and harassment. We can help you achieve this!

Should you prefer, we can write you a custom grievance complaint letter or have a telephone consultation with you if:

• You are being subjected to a toxic work environment and want to write a complaint letter.
• You are suffering from work-related stress.
• You want to know stress at work employee rights UK.
• You want to raise a grievance for work-related stress.
• You have been invited to attend a sickness absence attendance meeting during your sickness absence.
• You need to know your rights about attending sickness absence meetings.
• You disagree with an occupational health report.
• You want to know what not to say to occupational health UK.
• You need to know how to write a resignation letter to your employer, boss, or supervisor.
• You have been subjected to bullying and harassment at work and want to raise a grievance at work.
• You have been subjected to unfair treatment at work and want to submit a grievance complaint letter.
• You have been subjected to discrimination at work and want to submit a complaint letter.
• You have been put on a capability or performance improvement plan and want to know how to beat it.
• You want to know how to beat a disciplinary hearing.
• Victimisation at work grievance complaint letter.
• You want to know how to appeal a grievance outcome letter.
• You are being investigated at work and want to know your employment rights UK.
• You have been suspended from work and want to know your employment rights UK.
• You need to blow the whistle to your employer UK.
• You have been put on an unfair disciplinary.
• You have been unfairly dismissed and want to know your employment rights UK.
• You need to appeal a grievance outcome.
• You need to appeal a disciplinary outcome.
• You need to appeal a capability outcome.
• You need to appeal a performance improvement plan outcome.
• You want to know your employee rights UK for a performance improvement plan (PIP).
• You need help with a pay related matter.
• You are being performance managed / micromanaged and need to know how to get out of it.
• You are being subjected to workplace mobbing and want to raise a grievance at work.
• You have been asked to attend a workplace investigation and want to know your rights.
• Sexual harassment in the Workplace.
• How to write a grievance letter for disability discrimination.
• Victimisation at work employee rights UK grievance complaint letter.
• Pregnancy and maternity grievance letter template.
• You need reasonable adjustments.

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Reach out to us at: [email protected] or call during working hours 9-5 on 07775943414.

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If you have been suspended from work pending a disciplinary investigatory meeting then click here.

If you are being subjected to an unfair disciplinary investigation or unfair disciplinary procedure click here.

If you have already raised a grievance letter and need to know the next steps in the grievance procedures then click here.

If you have already submitted your letter of grievance for bullying, harassment, and discrimination, and want to know the next steps click here.

If you are being subjected to sex discrimination in the workplace click here.

If you are being subjected to disability discrimination in the workplace click here.

If you are being performance managed or subjected to a performance improvement plan click here.

If you are being subjected to bullying and victimisation in the workplace then click here.

If your employer is referring you to occupational health and you want to know what not to say to occupational health UK click here.

If you have been invited to attend a keeping in touch sickness absence attendance meeting click here.

ACAS Bullying & Harassment:

Before you can lodge a claim in the Employment Tribunal, you first have to contact ACAS in accordance with s.7 of The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013, to engage in pre-claim conciliation.

This puts even greater emphasis on the letter of grievance, which you write to your employer’s HR Department to invoke the grievance procedures.

Notwithstanding, the Ministry of Justice is now parachuting in non-employment law Judges into the Tribunal service due to a back log of cases.

This is why Amy and I believe it is important to outline the law and case law in your grievance complaint letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace, not least as if you do end up in the Employment Tribunal, and the Judge is not an employment Judge, your grievance letter for bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation will outline the law and the case law to assist you in getting across specifically what Acts or Regulations, your employer / line manager has contravened.

The Employment Tribunal places the burden of proof on the employee (claimant) to establish their employer’s liability under s.136 of the Equality Act 2010.

Your employer knows this, which is why the Human (Remains) Department will deny any knowledge of harassment, discrimination or victimisation having occurred.

In the authority of Madarassy v Nomura International Plc [2007] EWCA Civ 33 (26 January 2007), the Court of Appeal held the following position at paragraph 12:

“I do not underestimate the significance of the burden of proof in discrimination cases. There is probably no other area of the civil law in which the burden of proof plays a larger part than in discrimination cases. It is for the complainant to prove the facts from which, if the amendments had not been passed, the employment tribunal could conclude, in the absence of an adequate explanation, that the respondent committed an unlawful act of discrimination.”

Note the use of the word “complainant”.

For the avoidance of doubt, in the grievance procedures YOU are the “complainant”. Therefore, the burden of proof is on you!

The employee grievance complaint letter to the ‘Human Remains Department’ needs to accomplish three things:

Firstly: The employee grievance complaint letter should bring to the HR Department’s attention its omissions and/or breaches of statutory duties under UK employment laws. Furthermore, where possible, outline to the HR Department within your grievance letter which Statutory Acts & Regulations your employer has contravened. This provides the HR Department an opportunity to articulate the letter of grievance to put things right. These Employment Acts and Regulations are already encompassed within the Grievance Letter Template Aid which can be purchased for only £12.

Secondly: The employee grievance complaint letter you write to your employer’s HR Department ought to outline a chronology to highlight the ‘facts’ and ‘information’ germane to your grievances, viz: the what, the who, the where, and the when.  If you need some help drafting a grievance letter, then click here

Thirdly: To ask the HR Department questions within your letter of grievance to ascertain what steps (if any) have been taken by the employer / HR Department to have prevented the bullying, harassment & discrimination from occurring in the workplace. In June 2022, ACAS have endorsed submitting questions to an aggrieved party’s employer in order to obtain answers to their grievances. ACAS have provided clear advice of how an employer should go about answering an aggrieved employees questions. Thus, you need to ask your employer questions within your grievance letter. We are here to help you structure and formulate your questions to your employer, and to guide you and support you in raising your grievance letter to your employer to make it bullet proof. Remember, you only get one chance to get your grievance letter right!

Free Example Grievance Complaint Letter:

Provide your employer with both ‘facts and information’ in your letter of grievance:

On 10.10.25 Jonny Bloggins called me a ‘retard’. This statement was made in the company of Greg Squires and Matt Green. This statement was calculated with the ‘purpose and effect’ to cause injury to my feelings, which it did do. For the avoidance of doubt, Jonny Bloggins is palpably aware that I suffer from anxiety attacks and depression. As such, it is my position that Jonny Bloggins acted in contravention of s.26 EqA 2010 and subjected me to unlawful harassment ‘related to’ my disabilities by calling me a ‘retard’.

Ask your employer the following questions in your grievance complaint letter:

Question 1: How do you say Jonny Bloggins calling me a retard was not calculated with the ‘purpose and effect’ of causing injury to my feelings?

Question 2: What specific training has Jonny Bloggins been given by the HR Department under the Company’s Bullying & Harassment Policy over the last three years?

Question 3: Specifically, what date/s was this training undertaken, and by whom?

Question 4: Do you agree calling me a “retard” amounts to unlawful harassment ‘related to’ my disabilities? If you disagree, how do you say calling me a “retard” was not calculated with the purpose and effect to wilfully cause injury to my feelings?

Question 5: How do you say Jonny Bloggins calling me a “retard” in front of Matt and Greg was not humiliating, embarrassing and undignified for me because of my mental health issues?

Question 6: How do you say calling me a “retard” did not create a hostile, oppressive, and intimidating environment in which to work and communicate with Jonny Bloggins as my line manager?

Question 7: What specific steps is my employer and its HR Department going to take to ensure further acts of harassment are not inflicted upon my person?

For the avoidance of doubt, I am taking this opportunity to inform my employer in writing that should Jonny Bloggins subject me to any further incidents of harassment and/or discrimination, that I will hold my employer vicariously liable for its respective omissions to prevent the harassment in accordance with s.109 EqA 2010. Notwithstanding, I will hold Jonny Bloggins personally liable for his own unwanted conduct in accordance with s.110 EqA 2010.

The essence to writing a good grievance complaint letter to the Human Resources Department to invoke the grievance procedure is to provide both facts and information within your letter of grievance, and moreover, ask a series of questions within you grievance letter for the HR Department to answer.

This puts your employer and its Human Resources Department on the hook to answer the questions encompassed within your grievance complaint letter.

An omission to answer the questions, which you ask within your letter of grievance complaint letter for bullying and harassment in the workplace could lead to an Employment Tribunal drawing an ‘adverse inference’ from your employer’s omission to answer the questions encompassed within the letter of grievance, viz: that on the balance of probabilities contraventions of the Equality Act 2010 have occurred, otherwise the employer would have answered the questions in the letter of grievance if it had nothing to hide.

Dattani v Chief Constable of West Mercia Police [2005] IRLR 327 –

“A respondent, asked a direct question in writing by an aggrieved person, who fails to respond, or does so evasively, ought to be treated in the same way irrespective of whether a question has been asked under the statutory procedure.”

Grievance Complaint Letter  Sample:

In the grievance complaint letter example below, I am establishing facts whereby a combination of factors are the causation for the hypothetical employee’s illness, viz: workplace stress caused by excessive workload and workplace harassment, which triggered an employee’s disability (usually panic attacks and depression). Note, in the authority of Private Medicine Intermediaries v Hodkinson & Ors UKEAT/0134/15/LA the Employment Appeal Tribunal made the following observation –

“Where the complaint is of discrimination arising in consequence of disability it may be enough if the disability was a significant influence on the treatment or a cause that was not the main or sole cause but that was an effective cause.”

Therefore, if the bullying and harassment has ‘significantly influenced’ you medical condition / disability, then s.15(1)(a)(b) of The Equality Act 2010, may have been contravened. This gives you the right to raise a grievance complainant letter for disability discrimination, not least as your employer and its employees must not put you at a ‘disadvantage because of something arising in consequence of your disability’.

The employee grievance complaint letter example below for bullying and harassment in the workplace, places the burden on the employer and its HR Department to “remedy the breach”. As an employee you want to keep your statements within the letter of grievance short to your employer – preferably in bullet points with sub-headings. Make sure you number each of the paragraphs.

In invoking your employer’s grievance procedures you want to write as much as you need within your grievance complaint letter in order to establish the ‘facts’ of your case. This requires the employee to put their grievances in some order of semblance within the grievance complaint letter, whereas a reasonable person of a reasonable mind can articulate what your grievances are germane to.

At the end of this grievance complaint letter example for bullying, harassment and discrimination, I have included a breakdown of each paragraph in relation to the hypothetical employer’s failures (breaches of duty) or Statutory Acts & Regulations.

You can purchase a grievance letter template which is pre written by Sam Stone. All you have to do is fill in the blanks where indicated. This grievance letter template includes case law and legal terminology germane to all of the following grievances (i) work related stress (ii) bullying and harassment (iii) discrimination.

Free Grievance Complaint Letter Template Example Bullying and Harassment in the Workplace:

[anything in parenthesis is legal parlance].

Date

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am lodging a grievance letter to invoke the grievance procedure, due to a ‘reasonable belief’ that (organisations name) has breached its ‘statutory duties’ germane to ‘health and safety’ within the working environment.

In so doing, I am asking (organisations name) to observe the implied term of ‘mutual trust and confidence’, and ‘not act in a manner which would likely destroy, or further seriously damage that trust and confidence’. I trust therefore, that (organisations name) will observe the ‘good faith performance’, and take ‘reasonable and practicable steps’ to remedy the following breaches with immediate effect.

I contend (organisations name) has ‘failed to provide’ my person with a ‘safe place and safe system of work’. This amounts to a contravention of my employer’s statutory duties under the auspices of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, The Management Of Health And Safety At Work Regulations 1999, The Employment Rights Act 1996, and the Equality Act 2010. These omissions are outlined in the following paragraphs.

1. Breach of Duty of Care – Equality Act 2010 – Disability Discrimination:

I have consulted my doctor and discussed with him the fact, that the combination of excessive workload and workplace harassment has ‘significantly influenced’ my asthma, triggering my having asthma attacks. This has meant that I have had to medicate more frequently. As a consequence of such, the excessive use of my inhalers is having a ‘detrimental impact’ upon my health, inducing both rapid heart beat and heart palpitations. The ‘cumulative effects’ of the aforementioned have adversely affected my ‘abilities and capabilities’ to undertake my ‘day-to-day activities’. This impedes both my ‘mobility and concentration’ within the working environment. I am asking that (organisations name) make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate my disability, and acts with ‘due diligence’ to remedy the situation without unreasonable delay.

2. Breach of Duty of Care – Equality Act 2010 – Harassment

I feel I have needlessly been subjected to a ‘systematic campaign’ of harassment, due to (organisations name) omissions to take ‘reasonable and practicable steps’ and/or implement any ‘preventative or protective measures’ to ensure a working environment free from harassment. I wish to bring to the ‘directorships attention their fiduciary duties’, with express particular the fact that it is the directorship who are legally responsible to champion, promote, communicate, and implement (organisations name) policies and procedures down the chain of command to their ‘ordinary employees’. Notwithstanding, neither myself nor my workplace colleagues have been involved in any workplace training (or stress audits) germane to health and safety within the preceding ?twelve? months. Such an omission speaks volumes in itself. Perchance, I would not now find myself in this position had (organisations name) been proactive in conveying it policies and procedures germane to harassment and equality.

Furthermore, this omission has created an ‘oppressive and intimidating’ working environment for my person. I can no longer ignore the ‘palpable risk of harm’ Mr. Shart’s ‘unwanted conduct’ has had upon my ‘mental and physical health’, both of which are ‘prejudicial’. This information is disclosed to my employer as an assertion of a statutory right in accordance with s.44(1)(c) of The ERA 1996. I personally find Mr. Shart’s ‘unwanted conduct’ abhorrent; it is undignified, embarrassing and degrading. I am having sleepless nights and night sweats whilst wondering what the next day might bring. This has unnecessarily caused anxiety, nervousness and distress. Due to a lack of sleep, I often go about my duties in a state of autonomy or zombiefied state; this is hardly conducive to a ‘safe working environment’.

3. Breach of Duty of Care – Employment Rights Act 1996 – Workplace Danger

It is my contention that Mr Shart’s ‘unpredictable behaviour’ poses a palpable ‘danger’ to both myself (and others) within the working environment. As such, a ‘foreseeable risk of harm’ exists to both my mental and physical health. Therefore, I am asking (organisations name) to observe the Statutory Code of Practice on Employment 2010. Notwithstanding, I contend that a failure to do so may make (organisations name) ‘vicariously liable’ for any subsequent ‘omission to act’ to prevent further detriments from being inflicted upon my person. For the record, I no longer wish to work with Mr Shart. This is due to the very fact, that his ‘unwanted conduct’ has a ‘detrimental effect’ on my health’. As such, I ask that you consider the ‘magnitude of the risk of harm occurring, and the gravity of the harm which may occur’ should management ‘refuse this reasonable request’.

It is my hope that in invoking the grievance procedure, I will not be made a workplace pariah, and or subjected to any ‘detriment’ or ‘detrimental treatment’ which would amount to a contravention of the aforementioned Acts or Regulations. I trust my career can continue to flourish under more positive circumstances, and look forward to pursuing my career with (organisations name).

Yours faithfully,

The Law Respective To The Wording Within The above Letter of Grievance for Bullying and Harassment in The Workplace.

In the First Paragraph of your bullying and harassment grievance complaint letter you have identified the following grievance complaints:

1. Breached your contract of employment, by its failure to observe the organisations own contractually binding policies, 2. Failed to observe the organisations “statutory duties” to provide you with a “safe place or system of work”, 3. Failed to observe the “mutual trust and confidence” (breach of “duty of care”) 4. Placed on notice you expect your employer to act in “good faith” and observe the “good faith performance“, 5. Placed on notice you expect your employer to take “reasonable and practicable steps” to ensure your “health and safety at work”.

You have ‘identified’ to your employer that a “foreseeable risk of harm” exists to your “health”. It is incumbent upon your employer to make “reasonable adjustments” and take “reasonable and practicable steps” to “protect” your “health” from any potential “risk of harm”.

1. Breach of Duty of Care – Equality Act 2010 – Disability Discrimination

I have consulted my doctor and discussed with him the fact, that the combination of excessive workload and workplace harassment have exacerbated my asthma, triggering my having asthma attacks. This has meant that I have had to medicate more frequently. ‘As a consequence of such’, the excessive use of my inhalers is having a ‘detrimental impact’ upon my health, inducing both rapid heart beat and heart palpitations. The ‘cumulative effects’ of the aforementioned have ‘adversely affected’ my ‘abilities and capabilities’ to undertake my ‘day-to-day activities’. This impedes both my ‘mobility and concentration’ within the working environment. I am asking that (organisations name) make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate my disability, and acts with ‘due diligence’ to remedy the situation.

You have established the following facts:

1. You have consulted your doctor, and placed information on your medical records – “medical evidence” of “impending harm to health” 2. You have informed your employer in your letter of grievance that you have a lawfully recognised impairment (disability) thus it is incumbent upon your employer to articulate a “foreseeable risk of harm” to “health” 3. Your grievance letter to your  employer outlines that your employer is legally obligated to make  – “reasonable adjustments” for your person 4. You have identified in your grievance letter that the “triggers” for your disability – “causation” are ‘excessive workload” and “harassment’ 5. You have established in your grievance letter example that the “triggers” for your “disability” have led to you taking medication more frequently – “detrimental impact” – “risk of harm” 6. You have informed the employer in your letter of grievance that you are having asthma attacks more often – “gravity of harm” 7. You have informed your employer in the grievance letter example that habitual abuse of your inhalers is having a “detrimental impact” upon your health – “prejudicial to health” 8. You have informed your employer in the grievance letter sample that your disability impedes your ‘day to day activities’ – “mobility/concentration” within the “working environment” – potential “risk of harm” and or “danger” 9. Your grievance letter outlines the fact that your “abilities and capabilities” to undertake and perform your job role are being impeded. See the page on “Workplace Stress” 10. You are placing the onus on your employer in your grievance letter to act with “due diligence“.

Second Paragraph:

State how being harassed has made you ‘feel’. This is very, very important. I cannot understate this point.

2. Breach of Duty of Care – Equality Act 2010 – Harassment

I feel I have needlessly been subjected to a ‘systematic campaign’ of harassment, due to (organisations names) omission/s to undertake any ‘preventative or protective measures’ to ensure a working environment free from harassment. I wish to bring to the ‘directorships attention their fiduciary duties’, with express particular the fact, that it is the directorship who are legally responsible to champion, promote, communicate, and implement (organisations names) policies and procedures down the chain of command to their ‘ordinary employees’. Notwithstanding, neither myself nor my work colleagues have been involved in any workplace training (or stress audits) germane to health and safety within the preceding ?twelve? months. Such an omission speaks volumes in itself. Perchance, I would not now find myself in this position, had (organisations name) been proactive in conveying it policies and procedures germane to harassment and equalities.

Furthermore, this omission has created an ‘oppressive and intimidating’ working environment for my person. I can no longer ignore the ‘palpable risk of harm’ Mr. Shart’s ‘unwanted conduct’ has had upon my ‘mental and physical health’, which unwanted conduct is prejudicial to my health, safety and welfare at work. I personally find Mr. Shart’s ‘unwanted conduct’ abhorrent; it is undignified, embarrassing and degrading. I am having sleepless nights and night sweats whilst wondering what the next day might bring. This has unnecessarily caused anxiety, nervousness and distress. Due to a lack of sleep, I often go about my duties in a state of autonomy or ‘zombiefied state’; this is hardly conducive to a safe working environment.

1. You are outlining in your grievance letter that your employer has failed to promote, champion, and embed its policies and procedures, 2. You have stated in your grievance letter that the directorship have failed to observe their “fiduciary duties” 3. You have brought your employer’s attention in your grievance letter that it has failed to observe Regulation 13(2) of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSAWR 1999)- “Every employer shall ‘ensure’ that his employees are provided with adequate health and safety training” 4. You have brought your employer’s attention in your grievance letter that it has failed to observe Section 2(1) & (2c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSAWA 1974) – “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees; including the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees.” 5. You have established in your grievance letter that Mr. Shart’s “unwanted conduct” is having a “detrimental impact” upon both your “mental and physical health”. 6. You have used all the ‘buzz words’ in your grievance letter to your employer which legally define “harassment” under the auspices of The Equality Act 2010. 7. You have made clear how the harassment has made you “feel” in creating an viz: “undignified, embarrassing and degrading” environment.

*Beadles Group Ltd -v- Angelica Graham: The employer had no written policy on either sex harassment or equal opportunities, and had failed to provide ‘training or advice’ to ‘ordinary employees’ about sexual harassment, or warn them against it. Ms Graham was awarded £180,000 having worked for just one week as a trainee sales person. (see case law)

Third Paragraph:

3. Breach of Duty of Care – Employment Rights Act 1996 – Danger

It is my contention that Mr Shart’s ‘unpredictable behaviour’ poses a palpable ‘danger’ to both myself (and others) within the working environment. As such, a ‘foreseeable risk of harm’ exists to both my mental and physical health. Therefore, I am asking (organisations name) to observe the Equality Human Rights Commission guidelines. Notwithstanding, I contend that a failure to do so may make (organisations name) ‘vicariously liable’ for any subsequent ‘omission to act’ to prevent further detriments from being inflicted upon my person. For the record, I can no longer reasonably be expected to work with Mr Shart. This is due to the very fact, that his ‘unwanted conduct’ has a ‘detrimental effect’ on my health’. As such, I ask that you consider the ‘magnitude of the risk of harm occurring, and the gravity of the harm which may occur’ should management ‘refuse this request’.

It is my hope that in invoking the grievance procedure, I will not be made a workplace pariah, and or subjected to any ‘detriment’ or ‘detrimental treatment’ which would amount to a contravention of the aforementioned Acts or Regulations. I trust my career can continue to flourish under more positive circumstances, and look forward to pursuing my career with (organisations name).

1. You have used the word “danger” in your letter of grievance which is recognised under the Employment Rights Act 1996 S.44 & 100. Also see “whistle-blowing” 2. You have requested the organisation to observe EHRC guidelines. Making this request puts the burden on the employer to do so. 3. You have established in your grievance letter that a failure to observe EHRC guidelines, or prevent any further acts being inflicted upon your person, will potentially make the employer and its directorship “vicariously liable” for any subsequent “omission/s to act“. 4. The employer cannot later argue that a failure to separate you and your harasser was an error, oversight, or simple “omission”. You have established that the employer has a duty to “act” and a failure to do so will amount to a “deliberate omission to act”. 5. By placing on the record that you no longer wish to work with Mr Shart, any omission by the employer to separate the victim and harasser, may in itself amount to a discriminatory practice. (See: Fletcher and Steele v Cannon Hygiene Ltd. 6. You have made it apparent in your letter of grievance to your employer, that should your employer subject you to a detriment for having exercising your statutory rights in raising grievances, it could ultimately make your employer liable to pay you compensation. See ‘Victimisation‘.

An HR Officer who has the slightest comprehension of employment law will find the above paragraphs – very sobering. Every line of the above grievance letter example contains points of law, and legal terminology, which may not be obvious to a layperson, but will be to your employer’s solicitor.

When writing your grievance letter to your employer to complain about bullying, harassment and discrimination, you don’t want to waffle and obscure your points in pages of diatribe! Don’t give the employer any wiggle room. Let the employer know that you mean business, and that should it fail to remedy a breach, it is going to have to dust off its cheque book.

If you need help in formulating your grievance letter, then click here. Amy or I can add some [case law] or [points of law] into your grievance letter, which could potentially strengthen your case. Remember, a poorly written grievance letter provides your employer every opportunity to rubbish what you state, and furthermore, undertake a sham grievance investigation.

The grievance letter example above is NOT ENOUGH by itself. You have to take sufficient steps [prior] to lodging your grievance letter to both preserve and protect your own employment rights. Most employees will be oblivious to the fact that many employers have an ‘agreement’ with a legal organisation who will vet an employees grievance letter to get the Company off the hook. This fundamentally undermines the Equality of Arms.

However – not all is lost!

Amy & I have written a grievance letter template to aid employees like yourself with the bulk content of what needs to stated within your grievance letter, including references to Statutory Acts & Regulations. All you have to do is fill in the blanks where indicated! (see testimonials)

The grievance letter template aid provides you with a fighting chance against both your employer and their solicitors.

In addition, Amy & I can assist you in writing your grievance letter or appeal letter, and furthermore, can assist you if you have been suspended from work, subjected to a disciplinary, or have been placed on a performance improvement plan. We have already walked the path, which you now tread thousands of times, and know the pit falls you will encounter along the way. We are here to help you and guide you.

Employment Law Statutory Acts & Regulations

The Equality Act 2010. The Equality Act covers discrimination in the workplace, and also workplace harassment. This includes sex discrimination, sex harassment, sexual harassment, gender discrimination, sexual misconduct, and harassment based on sex. The Equality Act 2010 also covers discrimination due to an employee having a disability, disability related harassment, less favourable treatment due to a disability, equal opportunities for the disabled, and also, the employers [duty of care] to make [reasonable adjustments] for an employee who has a disability.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is the Act which governs your employer’s [duties of care] for your health and safety at work. This takes into account employees health and safety in work, including your occupational health, and also the management of health and safety at work regulations. Your employer is legally obligated to provide you with a safe place of work, and a safe system of work. This includes an environment free from workplace stress and work harassment.

The Employment Rights Act 1996 takes into account your employment rights. Part of the Employment Rights Act 1996 also takes into account your health and safety at work. These are covered within sections [44] and [100] of the Act. The Employment Rights Act 1996 is the [Act] which governs [Employee Rights], and also forms the basis for those employee’s who want to claim either unfair dismissal or constructive dismissal in an employment tribunal. This is usually due to a breach of the contract of employment. The Employment Rights Act 1996 also covers whistleblowing.

Management of Health and Safety At Work Regulations 1999. The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, also known as [MHSWR 1999] is specific to workplace risk assessments. The MHSWR 1999 establishes your employer’s duty of care to undertake a work risk assessment for you. Your employer is obligated to [share with you] the risk assessments for your work area, and undertake risk assessments within the workplace to determine your abilities and capabilities to perform your respective duties. Therefore, it is incumbent upon your employer to undertake a risk assessment to [identify] what [risks] you might be exposed to whilst at work. Work risk assessments ought to include a risk assessment for expectant mothers, taking into account the [nature and extent] of the expectant mothers work.

Further, the Health and Safety Executive has adopted [Management Standards]. The Health and Safety Executive ‘Management Standards’ take into account [both] the employee’s workload, and the employee’s abilities and capabilities. See the section on work related stress, which gives a break down of the Health and Safety Executives ‘Management Standards’.

Employees in the UK lodge around 5,000 Employment Tribunal claims every week. Therefore, there is a strong chance that [you] will end up being a part of this statistic. Furthermore, your employer will likely show your letter of grievance to its solicitors, in an attempt to get it off the hook. I cannot understate the importance of the letter of grievance, which you submit to your employer, and also, the steps you ought to undertake PRIOR to entering the grievance procedure.

Disclaimer: The author of this web site and sub-domains accepts no liability arising from the use of, or any part of, or reliance on the information contained within this web site, and its respective pages or downloads. The content is not intended to be legal advice, and you should not rely upon it in any respect to any specific situation you may be facing. Therefore, the content of this web site will serve as a good springboard to get professional legal advice from a solicitor.

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