A workplace grievance is a concern or problem that is, or should be, raised with your organisation by a worker. 

Grievances can be about the work environment, workplace decisions, or relate to interactions and relationships with others.  

Theys can include things like:

• disrespectful treatment at work — for example, telling inappropriate jokes, or ongoing rudeness
• decisions about specific working arrangements — for example, a change of duties after taking parental leave, or being denied rest breaks over long days in the lead-up to a production
• a problem that makes a worker’s job unsafe or unreasonably difficult — for example, not being provided with the right work equipment to complete a project safely, or being told that raising concerns about safety could mean fewer work opportunities.

A grievance policy can help your organisation or business provide consistent guidance for dealing with workplace issues.  

It sets out:

• how a worker can raise the issue with your organisation, and  
• how your organisation will, or may choose to, deal with it.  

A good grievance policy:

• sets out a fair and transparent process for dealing with concerns
• supports workers to raise issues with you  
• supports your organisation to deal with issues effectively
• protects workers from victimisation or retaliation
• is culturally safe and trauma informed.

Your grievance policy may relate to other policies in your workplace. Learn more about workplace policies including:

• what makes a good workplace policy
• how to implement a policy at your workplace
• links to other templates. 

Having a grievance policy can also help you meet your legal obligations to provide safe places of work and prevent unlawful behaviour.

Learn more about creating safe workplaces.

How to use this template

This is a guided template for organisations and businesses. You will need to consider what is right and practical for your workplace and the resources available to it.

Download the template, follow the prompts, adapt it to your organisation, delete the guidance notes and add your branding. 

Be sure to communicate it to any workers that it applies to. Make sure they can access it, and that they know who to ask if they have questions. 

But remember: This template is general and doesn’t cover specific scenarios or types of organisations. Consider how you will use this policy alongside any other policies you have to make sure it’s all consistent and relevant to your organisation. 

This policy may not apply to every issue in your organisation. For example, if your organisation is covered by an enterprise agreement or award, they are likely to contain dispute resolution procedures that apply to employees in your workplace.  

Some workplace laws, like the Fair Work Act, mandate a process to deal with certain employee disputes. For example, disputes about the right to request flexible work arrangements, rights in relation to casual and fixed term employment and the right to disconnect.  

It’s important to understand your obligations in responding to and resolving different types of workplace disputes and grievances. Learn more about workplace issues. 

Download the template