How to Write a Grievance Appeal Letter

Check the deadline in the outcome letter

Grievance outcome letters normally state how long you have to appeal and who to send it to — often a short period such as five or ten working days. That deadline comes from your employer's own procedure, so read the outcome letter and the policy rather than relying on a general rule. If you need longer, ask in writing before the deadline passes.

An appeal is not the same letter again

Repeating the original grievance rarely changes anything. An appeal argues that something about the decision or the process was wrong. Start from the outcome letter and work through its findings one at a time.

Choosing your grounds

• • A finding is not supported by the evidence, or conflicts with a document you provided.
• • Evidence you supplied was not considered, or a witness you named was not spoken to.
• • The procedure was not followed — for example no meeting, no right to be accompanied, or unexplained delay.
• • New information has come to light that was not available at the time.
• • The outcome or remedy does not address the concern you raised.

Structure that works

Reference the original grievance and the date of the outcome letter, state that you are appealing under the employer's procedure, then take each ground in turn with a short heading, the finding you are challenging, and the reason. Finish with what you are asking the appeal to do — reconsider a specific finding, hear a witness, or provide a remedy.

Language to use, and to avoid

Write 'the outcome letter states X; the email of 3 March shows Y' rather than 'the investigation was a whitewash'. Where you are stating your belief, say so. Do not assert that the employer acted unlawfully — describe what happened and let the appeal hearer draw conclusions.

What normally happens next

Appeals are usually heard by someone not involved in the original decision, at a meeting you can be accompanied to, with a written outcome afterwards. Acas guidance describes this pattern, though the detail comes from your employer's procedure. In many organisations the appeal outcome is the final internal stage.