Who can use this policy
This policy can be used by all employers.
Commentary
This Personal Grievance Policy only deals with personal grievances, that is, grievances that are personal to the employee that are not related to discrimination, harassment, performance management and bullying. The complaints handling section of the Anti-Discrimination and EEO Policy is best used to deal with grievances arising from discrimination, harassment or bullying. This policy also makes it clear that it does not apply to reasonable performance management.
Subscribers should refer to any relevant award, agreement or other industrial instrument to check whether they contain a grievance procedure dealing with personal grievances. Subscribers should also check these instruments to see whether they contain individual grievance procedures, before finalising their Personal Grievance Policy.
Subscribers should also carefully consider whether this type of policy is necessary in their business. Many businesses only implement formal grievance policies relating to discrimination, harassment, and bullying as opposed to other more general grievances.
The grievance procedure outlined in this policy aims to provide a clear structure for dealing with personal grievances, and flexibility for the employer to adjust the process depending on the nature of the grievance. Having a rigid or restrictive grievance procedure can impose unduly onerous requirements on the parties, especially when the grievance is minor.
Employee grievances should be dealt with promptly and efficiently so that they do not escalate and harm the employment relationship.
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