Employment Law
Employment Law

Personal grievance

Personal Grievances and Complaints

The decision to raise a personal grievance or complaint is serious and should be made with care after receiving appropriate professional advice.

Personal grievances include unjustifiable dismissal, other actions by your employer that are unjustifiable, sexual and racial harassment, discrimination on various grounds such as age, race, sexual orientation, marital status, and religious status; and threats to disadvantage you because you have raised a personal grievance. Complaints include parental leave complaints and human rights complaints.

The processes you may become involved with include discussions with your employer’s lawyer, mediation that is either private or provided by the Employment Relations Service of the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment, an investigation by the Employment Relations Authority and a hearing before the Employment Court. Human rights complaints are dealt with by the institutions established by the Human Rights Act.

Most cases are resolved without the need for an investigation by the Authority and a hearing before the Employment Court.

How we can help

We will assist you in managing the grievance or complaint by

  • Advising you about the law, the processes and the possible outcomes;
  • Representing you in discussions with the employer’s lawyer;
  • Speaking on your behalf at mediation;
  • Preparing your evidence for an investigation by the Authority and the Court;
  • Representing you at the Authority and the Court

If you would like our help, this is the information we will need

  • A dateline of events.
  • A description of the issues for you.
  • Any witness statements you have obtained.
  • Your employment agreement and job description.
  • Letters, emails, and other relevant documents on the issues
  • Any relevant policies your employer has put in place.
  • Pay slips.
  • Your contact details and those of the employer.
“My friends tell me I have a personal grievance”
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