Free Formal Grievance Letter Example UK

Employers Skullduggery:

Do not underestimate the skullduggery, which your employer will be capable of after you submit your formal grievance letter. Your employer will very likely take ‘all necessary measures’ to diminish its liability, usually at the aggrieved employee’s expense. Therefore, we suggest you write a formal grievance letter which places your grievances in an articulate manner, and which grievance letter outlines your employer’s breaches to the sections of the relevant Acts or Regulations. For example:

Less favourable treatment’ in contravention of s.13(1) of The Equality Act 2010.
Failing to make a reasonable adjustment’ in contravention of s.39(5) of The Equality Act 2010.
Harassment in contravention of s.26 of The Equality Act 2010.
Breach of a statutory duty of care in contravention of s.1(1)(a) of The HSAWA 1974.

Word of Caution:

Do NOT use AI to generate your grievance letter.
If you need assistance in outlining your grievances to the relevant sections of the Acts and Regulations, reach out to us – myrightsuk@protonmail.com or call us 9-5 UK time on 07775943414.
We work 7 days a week because we know your employment problems don’t just end on a Friday afternoon.

Free Formal Grievance Letter Example UK:

If you haven’t already done so, please visit our webpage on the 15 steps to take BEFORE you submit your grievance letter to your employer.

The grievance letter example below contains three categories (i) work-related stress – (ii) harassment – (iii) discrimination, which you could use within your formal grievance letter to your employer. Read through all the paragraphs below (even if they don’t apply to you, you can learn a lot!)

The free grievance example letter below is specific to disability discrimination because 85% of our work is disability related. However, we can customize any grievance letter for you to suit your particular circumstances.

For the avoidance of doubt, 75% of our clients are female. Female employees face a higher level of discrimination in the workplace. Please visit our webpage on Women’s Health.

You can add any of the following segments within your formal grievance letter, should they pertain to you, or your particular circumstances. Remember, keep an eye on your paragraph numbers, to make sure they flow numerically throughout the grievance letter!

NB: The grievance letter ought to be sent to both your employer’s HR Department, AND a director within the organisation preferably via email.

Wherever possible, send the grievance letter to the [Health and Safety Director] too. Large organisations usually have a Health and Safety Director or HR Director. This way, even if the HR Dept are inept, then you will have a hook into a director who will have to explain to a Judge why s/he “omitted to act”. See directors fiduciary duties.

Also, wherever possible, send your written formal grievance by your personal email address rather than your work email address. Should this not be available, send all correspondence by recorded delivery.

Cut and paste in or out of this free grievance letter example what you like. Remember, the grievance letter template below is an ‘aid’ to assist you in writing a better letter of grievance to your employer. The grievance letter template below is for personal use and must not be used for commercial use. Copyright 2010-2026 © All Rights Reserved

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??/??/2026

VIA EMAIL

Dear Sir/Madam,

RE: FORMAL GRIEVANCE LETTER

I am invoking the grievance procedures.

The ‘omission’ to have observed my statutory rights under The HSAWA 1974 is to my ‘detriment’. The ‘detriment’ is that my health and well-being has been affected due to my employer’s relevant failures of The HSAWA 1974. See Spring v Guardian Assurance plc, (1994) 2 All ER 129:

“The changes which have taken place in the employer-employee relationship, with far greater duties imposed on the employer than in the past, whether by statute or by judicial decision, to care for the physical, financial and even psychological welfare of its employees”.

In invoking the grievance procedures, I am asking my employer to observe the implied term of mutual trust and confidence, and not act in a manner which would likely seriously damage that trust and confidence.

I am providing my employer with both facts and information, which disclosures of information are substantially true in accordance with s.43B(1)(b)(d) of The Employment Rights Act 1996.

I am asking organisations name to observe the ACAS Guidelines with regard to the grievance procedure as a whole.

In am asking my employer to make reasonable adjustments to the grievance procedures, which includes implementing the recommendations encompassed within The EHRC Statutory Code of Practice on Employment 2011, with express particular Chapter 17 at paragraph 6.93:

“Employers should ensure that when conducting disciplinary and grievance procedures they do not discriminate against a worker because of a protected characteristic. For example, employers may need to make reasonable adjustments to procedures to ensure that they do not put disabled workers at a substantial disadvantage.”

Health and Safety – Work-Related Stress

(Add or delete)

I have discussed with my GP how the excessive workload management expect me to work under has impacted my physical and psychological health and wellbeing.

My doctor has made a ‘professional medical diagnosis’ of (?? work-related stress, panic attacks, anxiety, depression, IBS, migraines, asthma, sleepless nights, heart palpitations, eczema, ??)

I feel tired all the time which is having a substantial adverse effect on my abilities and capabilities to undertake my day-to-day activities.

I am asking that a stress specific risk assessment be undertaken in accordance with the Health and Safety Executives ‘Management Standards’.

State here what it is about your job that makes it so stressful:

The workload is too much for me to undertake, given the demands’ of the job. Notwithstanding, there has been a lack of reasonable support, training, and supervision. It was incumbent upon management to have consulted me to ascertain what training, support and/or supervision would have assisted me, to cope with managements expectations. The ‘omission’ to have done so is to my ‘detriment’.

I also wish to bring to management’s attention that my employer has omitted to undertake any preventative measures to combat work-related stress from occurring within my working environment. I can state as a matter of fact that no stress audits or stress tests have been conducted during my tenure. This ‘omission’ is also to my ‘detriment’.

Why has my employer omitted to have undertaken any stress tests or stress audits?

Specifically, what steps (if any) has my employer taken to identify and mitigate stress in the workplace?

On the balance of probabilities, had stress tests and stress audits been implemented, the risk of harm to my occupational health would have been identified sooner. Notwithstanding, I would not have suffered the injuries to my health, which as a matter of consequence I subsequently have done.

I feel I have been ‘set up to fail’. This is due to management’s failure to provide me with reasonable support to help me cope with:

the demands of the job
the extent of my workload and management’s unreasonable expectations of my person, without those demands being risk assessed

I have been unlawfully harassed by (name) in contravention of s.26 of the Equality Act 2010.

The harassment I have been subjected to is discriminatory due to my (*sex, sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, race, disability, marital status).

The harassment is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. The harassment is unwanted, uninvited, and unwelcome to me, and is an affront to my dignity.

(If none of the wording above applies to you, then replace the above paragraph above with the following):

I have been subjected to a systematic campaign of bullying by name, which bullying is unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome to me. The bullying makes me feel ill and is impacting upon my mental health and wellbeing. I find (bully’s name) behaviour abhorrent. Being bullied and harassed creates a hostile, oppressive, and intimidating environment in which to work and communicate with (bullies name).

Furthermore, the bullying and harassment has caused me needless stress, distress and anxiety. This has had (and is having) a profound and ‘detrimental impact’ upon both my physical and psychological health and wellbeing. My doctor is also of the same medical opinion.

Adequate preventative measures’ should have been implemented by management to protect my occupational health and well-being in accordance with s.1(1)(a) of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The ‘omission’ to protect my occupational health and well-being in accordance with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is to my ‘detriment’.

By reason that management have failed to take reasonable and practicable steps to eliminate and eradicate bullying and harassment from the working environment, both my employer and its management have failed to demonstrate a commitment to my health and safety whilst at work. This matter is raised as a qualifying disclosure of information in accordance with s.43A; s.43B(1)(b)(d) & s.43C(1)(a) of The ERA 1996. Put shortly, the ‘omission’ by my employer to have taken reasonable steps to eliminate bullying and harassment from the working environment, not only affects my physical and psychological health and wellbeing, but also affects the health, safety, and wellbeing of other employees too. Hence, this information is raised in the wider public interest as a ‘qualifying disclosure of information’.

As such, my employer is vicariously liable for its respective omissions to render my person with a working environment free from bullying and harassment in accordance with s.109(1)(2)(3)(4)(a)(b) of the Equality Act 2010.Wigan Borough Council v Davies [1979] ICR 411, EAT on 26th January 1979:

“There is an implied term in contracts of employment that the employer will provide reasonable support to ensure that the employee can carry out his/her duties without harassment or disruption by fellow workers; and where an employer has an obligation to take reasonable steps to achieve something and takes few or no steps, the onus of proving what steps would have been reasonable is on the employer.”

As a direct consequence’ of (bully’s name) conduct, I have felt (explain here how what has happened has made you FEEL. Eg, I have felt in a low mood, and have cried on numerous occasions, suicidal thoughts, not wanting to get out of bed, lack of sleep, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, low motivation etc,. Keep it to the point.

Furthermore, as a consequence of (bully’s name) unwanted conduct, it has also ‘triggered’ my (If the harassment has triggered or caused a disability, present or past, [panic attacks, asthma, IBS, depression, migraines] then state so here). A ‘causal link’ exists between the unwanted conduct meted out upon my person, and the manifestation of my anxiety. My consultations with my doctor, is that s/he is of the same opinion.

I no longer wish to work with (harasser’s name). This is due to the very fact that the unwanted conduct is harmful to my health and wellbeing. Therefore, I am asserting a statutory right in accordance with s.44(1)(c) of the ERA 1996. I am bringing to my employer’s attention by reasonable means that parameters at work are prejudicial to my health, safety, and well-being. I draw managements attention to the House of Lords ruling in the case of Waters (A.P.) v. Commissioner of Police For The Metropolis [2000] 1 WLR 1607; [2000] UKHL 50; [2000] IRLR 720:

“If an employer knows that acts being done by employees during their employment may cause physical or mental harm to a particular fellow employee and he does nothing to supervise or prevent such acts, when it is in his power to do so, it is clearly arguable that he may be in breach of his duty to that employee. It seems to me that he may also be in breach of that duty if he can foresee that such acts may happen and, if they do, that physical or mental harm may be caused to an individual.”

I am requesting my harasser and myself be separated with immediate effect. I am asking my employer to consider the case authority of Mrs S Hill v Lloyds Bank Plc UKEAT/0173/19/LA. A failure to separate my harasser and myself would leave my employer vicariously liable for any further acts of bullying or harassment, which are inflicted upon my person.

In addition, I am asking (organisations name) to observe The EHRC Statutory Code of Practice on Employment 2011, with express particular to Chapter 7, in addition to (organisations names) own Bullying & Harassment Policies and Procedures.

The Following Applies:

(Write a short statement on what happened, where it happened, what was said, who saw/heard it, the date and time, who you may have told, what the bully did, and most importantly, how you FELT. Keep the statement short and succinct, i.e. don’t ramble.

Discrimination – Equality Act 2010

(Add or delete as is applicable – keep the paragraphs numerically in sequence!)

I have been unlawfully discriminated against, on protected grounds of (race, disability, sex, age, religion) add or remove as relevant.

State what your ‘protected characteristic’ I have anxiety, depression, cancer, migraines, thyroid, menopause, IBS etc,.

If your employer knows about your impairment / disability, state so here. My employer has ‘Constructive Knowledge’ of my impairment. For the avoidance of doubt, I have on numerous occasions informed my line manager of my asthma, diabetes, hypertension, thyroid condition, migraines etc,.

Factors within the working environment are significantly influencing my medical impairments, which is having a substantial adverse effect upon my abilities and capabilities to effectively undertake my day-to-day activities.

As a consequence of the aforementioned, it makes it very difficult for me to concentrate, breath, sit still, gives me migraines, effects my mobility, causes me irritable bowel syndrome, rapid heartbeat, sleepiness, tiredness, fatigue, aches, pains, high blood pressure, panic attacks etc,.

If something at work is the causation of your disability/impairment, and or triggers your disability, make sure you say so. Example: Due to a combination of my excessive workload, and managements unreasonable expectations of my person, I am unable to ‘cope with the demands’ of the job – OR – Due to being subjected to a ‘systematic campaign’ of bullying by my line manager, it has ‘triggered’ the reoccurrence of my asthma, panic attacks, depression -OR- Due to the close proximity of the desks at work, it is triggering my agoraphobia / claustrophobia.

Reasonable Adjustments:

A statutory duty of care exists to implement reasonable adjustments. The failure to implement the reasonable adjustments, which I need implementing is a contravention of s.20(3); s.21(1)(2) & s.39(5) of the Equality Act 2010. I refer my employer to The EHRC Statutory Code of Practice on Employment 2011, with express particular Chapter 6 at Paragraph 6.2:

“The duty to make reasonable adjustments is a cornerstone of the Equality Act and requires employers to take positive steps to ensure that disabled people can access and progress in employment.”

The warning signs of impending harm to health ought to have triggered a statutory duty of care to my person.

State here some ‘reasonable adjustments‘, which your employer could make for you. Example:

Reduction in workload.
Stress risk assessment.
Different line manager.
Hybrid working.
HR to seek OH advice.
Longer breaks
Additional training

However, I must state that it would be good business practice to undertake a ‘proper assessment’ of my medical conditions in consultation with me to ‘identify the hazards’ in order to ‘minimise the risks’ which are prejudicial to my health, safety and well-being at work. In this regard, I draw my employer’s attention to The EHRC Statutory Code of Practice on Employment 2011, being Chapter 6 at Paragraph 6.32):

“It is a good starting point for an employer to conduct a proper assessment, in consultation with the disabled person concerned, of what reasonable adjustments may be required. Any necessary adjustments should be implemented in a timely fashion, and it may also be necessary for an employer to make more than one adjustment. It is advisable to agree any proposed adjustments with the disabled worker in question before they are made.”

I must state that at present, parameters within the working environment are ‘prejudicial‘ to my health, and as such, continue to be ‘prejudicial‘ to my occupational health and safety.

If the discrimination has caused you embarrassment or humiliation, then state so here. Example: I have felt embarrassed and humiliated by the events, which have transpired at work, and question the motivation and intent for such discriminatory practice in this modern age (use your own wording, or just elaborate). I find this sort of discriminatory behaviour abhorrent. It is unwanted, unnecessary, and undignified. I also find it intimidating and oppressive.

If the harassment or discrimination has caused you anxiety, stress or distress, then state so here. Example: As a direct consequence of the discriminatory conduct, which has been inflicted upon my person to date, it has caused me needless stress, distress and anxiety. It is also having a detrimental impact upon my mental and physical health. My doctor is of the same medical opinion. A ‘causal link’ exists between the unwanted conduct and the triggering / exacerbation of my medical impairment/s.

Where you are taking medication for your medical condition, you could state the following – As a direct consequence of the discriminatory acts, which have been inflicted upon my person to date, it has necessitated the need to take medication OR medicate more frequently. This is having a ‘detrimental impact’ upon my health. It induces – (?rapid heart beat ? heart palpitations, high blood pressure, dizziness, heightened state of alertness, drowsiness ?)

Where the conduct in question has been happening over a period of time, then state what steps your employer could have taken, and should have taken to have prevented this discrimination from happening. Example: It would be ‘fair comment’ to say, that had organisations name taken reasonable steps to eradicate and eliminate discrimination from occurring within the working environment, that I would not now find myself in this position.

Finally, I would appreciate your promptness in addressing my grievances. I look forward to seeking effective remedy and redress to resolving these grievances without unreasonable delay.

Yours faithfully,

_____

NB: When the time comes, your employer will invite you to attend a Grievance Meeting. We have written a webpage on attending a grievance meeting, and furthermore, how to appeal the grievance outcome.

Remember, you don’t have to be alone in going through your employment dispute with your employer. We took our own employers to the Employment Tribunal and know what you are going through. If you feel you need assistance writing your grievance letter Amy & I can write your grievance letter for you.

We only charge £35 for an initial telephone consultation up to one hour. During the initial consultation, we can talk through your employment situation, provide guidance, and support you from beginning to end.

Amy & I can assist you in avoiding the pitfalls that employees often make and help you understand the psychology behind the grievance process so that you get the upper hand. Remember, you only get one chance to get this right, so make sure you do just that!

Go on, don’t hesitate, pick up the phone and call us 07775943414 (9-5 UK) or email us at: myrightsuk@protonmail.com

Over the past 15 years Amy & I helped thousands of clients. Read our testimonials page.

Amy & I can write you a custom grievance letter for any of the following employment issues:

Reach out to us on 07775943414 (9-5 UK) or email us – myrightsuk@protonmail.com

We work 7 days a week because we know your employment problems don’t just end on a Friday afternoon!

Good Luck and sock it to the bastards!

Disclaimer: The information contained within this webpage does not constitute legal advice. The authors do not accept any legal responsibility or liability for the use of this grievance template. The grievance template is an aid to assist you in establishing your own grievance letter.

Free Grievance Letter Template UK

Free Formal Grievance Letter Example UK

Free Formal Grievance Letter Example UK: