GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

OBJECTIVES

When an employee has a complaint it is called a grievance. In the great majority of cases, grievances are best dealt with through informal discussions between you and a manager, where applicable, and it is in your interests to talk to a manager about any aspects of work or your working relationship that concerns you. However, where issues cannot be resolved in this way, Active has a formal procedure for grievances or complaints. The aim of the grievance procedure is to ensure that such issues are dealt with fairly and speedily before they develop into major problems or disputes. The procedure is designed to maintain good relations within the company and you are encouraged to make use of it should any problem arise that you are unable to resolve satisfactorily with a manager.

RIGHT TO BE ACCOMPANIED

You have the right to be accompanied at all meetings held as part of Active’s formal grievance procedure. You may nominate a single companion who is either:

A colleague from within the workplace; or

A full-time official employed by a trade or a lay trade union official suitably certified by the union as having experience or training in accompanying employees at formal hearings of this nature.

You may choose an official from any trade union whether or not the union is recognised by Active.

Nominated colleagues or trade union officials are free to choose whether to accede to your request to act as a companion and no pressure should be brought to bear on an individual to do so.

We will provide reasonable paid time off for the nominated companion to attend hearings, consult with you and to become familiar with the details of your case.

The role of the companion is to support you at the hearing. Your companion has a statutory right to ask questions and to participate but not to answer questions on your behalf. Reasonable time will be allowed for you and your companion to confer privately during the course of the hearing.

USING THE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Using the grievance procedure will not prejudice your future employment prospects in any way. Records or written evidence of matters raised under the procedure will not be retained on your personal file after the problem has been resolved. There is a separate procedure for appeals against action taken under the disciplinary procedure