Date June 2004

It is Concept Joinery Ltd.'s aim to ensure that its employees are given the opportunity to raise and have resolved any grievances or disputes. Although it is anticipated that the great majority of doubts and problems will be settled quickly through constructive informal discussions, there is the need for a formal procedure designed to meet those circumstances which cannot be resolved quickly through informal discussion.

Informal Stage

If the grievance is against another member of staff, employees are encouraged to attempt to resolve the grievance informally before entering the formal procedure.

Any employment related concern should be discussed in the first instance with the employee's manager. (If the matter is such that the employee does not wish to discuss it personally with the manager, the issue should be raised directly with the Personnel Manager or a Director or Principal.)

If the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved at this stage, the formal procedure which follows will apply.

Conduct of Formal Grievance Procedure Representation:

At each of the stages set out below, employees have the right to be accompanied or represented by an employee representative or trade union official of their choice.

Right of Appeal:

An employee will have the right of appeal against any decision taken on a grievance issue. Notice of the right of appeal will include details of the time limit within which such an appeal must be made.

Right to be heard:

In all stages of the procedures, the person against whom the grievance has been made will have the right to be heard.

Status Quo ante:

If the Grievance Procedure is invoked, both parties agree to maintain the status quo - ante until the issue which is the subject of the grievance is resolved, except where the matter relates to an accusation requiring urgent action, including the suspension of other employee(s) through the Disciplinary Procedure.

Recording:

A written record of all meetings held under the formal procedure will be made and signed by those present immediately following the meeting. These records will be confidential to the signatories and will be filed in the employee's personal file. Only one copy of the original record will be made and placed in the file of the person against whom the grievance was made. Records will be destroyed after a period of one year.

Time Scales:

The time scales identified in this procedure should not normally be exceeded except where they are varied by mutual consent. The time scales applied must reflect the urgency of the grievance being raised: for example, an accusation of harassment or bullying should be treated with the utmost urgency and may involve immediate action, including the suspension of other employee(s) through the Disciplinary Procedure, whereas a grievance about work practices or work load may not require such urgent action.

Collective Grievances:

These should be raised at Stage 2 in the first instance by the trade union representative, when the full-time officer of the recognised trade union(s) may become involved. When the issue remains unresolved following exhaustion of the internal procedure, either side may refer the matter to ACAS for conciliation.

Formal Procedure Stage 1

An employee who has a grievance relating to their employment should make it known to the Personnel Manager or employee representative and should state that the formal grievance procedure is being invoked. Where the grievance is against the Personnel Manager, the matter should be raised with a Director or Principal.

The Personnel Manager should attempt to respond to the grievance as soon as possible, but within 5 working days.

Stage 2

If the grievance remains unresolved following stage 1, the employee should seek a meeting with a Director or Principal. This meeting should be held as soon as possible, but within 15 working days.

Within five working days, the Director or Principal will provide a written response aimed at resolving the grievance. If appropriate, this will set target dates by which time the grievance will be resolved, and dates for reviewing progress towards this resolution.

Stage 3

If the grievance is still not resolved following receipt of the written response, the employee may make a written request to the Director or Principal to convene an Appeals Board meeting to consider the matter further. This request should be made within five working days of receiving the response.

This meeting must take place as soon as possible but within 20 working days of the request being received. The Appeals Board must consist of two management members who have not been involved at any earlier stage of the grievance. The Appeals Board may take evidence from:

- the employee(s) making the grievance

- any employee against whom the grievance has been made

- the director or any supervisor, and

- any management member who has been involved in an earlier stage of the procedure.

The decision of the Appeals Board will be final and should be communicated in writing to the employee making the grievance within five working days of the meeting taking place.

Link With Disciplinary Procedure

If a grievance concerning another employee is found to be made out after the Grievance Procedure has been followed in full, the Disciplinary Procedure may be commenced at Stage 2 for less serious grievances and Stage 3 or 4 for more serious grievances. If a grievance is found to be malicious or without foundation and is sufficiently serious, the Disciplinary Procedure may be instigated at an appropriate stage against the employee making the grievance.

© Lee Hallard Building Services (Concept Joinery Ltd. T/a)   2004

Policy Stmt Grievance2004.wpd