Raising things with your employer?
If you've decided to raise your issue internally — through a grievance, appeal, or formal complaint — how you prepare and document it can significantly affect what happens next.
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What happens
What to expect at this stage
Decide whether to raise a formal grievance
A grievance is a formal written complaint to your employer. It's not always necessary — but it creates a documented record, triggers your employer's obligation to respond, and is generally expected by tribunals if the dispute later escalates. The ACAS Code of Practice makes clear that employers should have a grievance procedure and follow it.
Decide whether to raise a formal grievance
A grievance is a formal written complaint to your employer. It's not always necessary — but it creates a documented record, triggers your employer's obligation to respond, and is generally expected by tribunals if the dispute later escalates. The ACAS Code of Practice makes clear that employers should have a grievance procedure and follow it.
Prepare a clear, structured complaint
A well-written grievance letter focuses on facts: specific dates, specific incidents, specific people involved, and the impact on you. Avoid vague generalisations — 'on 3 March, my manager said X in front of Y' is stronger than 'I've been treated unfairly'. Structure matters because this document may be referred to at every subsequent stage.
Understand your employer's obligations
Under the ACAS Code of Practice, your employer must acknowledge your grievance, investigate it properly, hold a meeting with you to discuss it, give you a written outcome, and offer a right of appeal. Failure to follow these steps can be relevant if the case goes further — tribunals can increase compensation by up to 25% for unreasonable failure to follow the Code.
Keep contemporaneous records of everything
Document every meeting, every response, any changes in how you're treated, and the timeline of events. Notes written at or close to the time of events carry far more weight than recollections produced months later. Email notes to yourself so they're timestamped.
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Common questions
Questions people ask at this stage
It's not a strict legal requirement — you can make a tribunal claim without having raised a grievance. However, if a tribunal finds you unreasonably failed to follow the ACAS Code, it can reduce any compensation awarded by up to 25%. Conversely, if your employer unreasonably failed to follow the Code, compensation can be increased by up to 25%.
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Build on real situations - giving you grounded insight in what actually happens
Reviewed by a practising SRA-regulated employment solicitor - ensuring the information on our platform is accurate and reliable
Ministry of Justice LawTech Programme - accepted into the MoJ's programme supporting innovation in access to justice
Justice Technology Association member - committed to ethical, responsible legal technology
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