Workplace Grievance Procedures

Paper Summary:

The paper defines a grievance as an expression of dissatisfaction or a complaint about an employment or workplace situation by a staff member, a group of employees or a union. The paper then discusses formal and informal grievance procedures and details the steps involved in investigating a workplace grievance. The paper also looks at a grievance complaint filed by a Potts Point Deli employee and discusses the subsequent investigation and outcome.

Outline:
A Grievance
Formal Grievance Procedures
Informal Grievance Procedures
Steps Involved in Investigating a Workplace Grievance
Cost of Unresolved Grievance
The Potts Point Incident

From the Paper:

"A Grievance is an expression of dissatisfaction or a complaint about an employment or workplace situation by a staff member, or a group of employees or a union (NSW Department of Commerce 2007). It can be against the employer, a fellow employee, or may be related to perceived unfair treatment, health and safety issues, a workplace conflict, harassment, and/or bullying. In fact, such behaviors such as workplace bullying can garner "legal claims that may be initiated by bullied workers" (Cooper, Einarsen, Hoel, & Zapf 2002, p. 400). Additionally, Australia's federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 prohibits sexual harassment in the workplace, defined as unwelcome sexual advances, or request for sexual favours, or unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature toward the harassed person (Cooper, Enarsen, Hoel, & Zapf 2002, p. 402)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Australia's Changing Workplace, 1997, Worklife Report, accessed Sept. 1, 2007, <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53420067.html>.
• Commonwealth of Australia Consolidated Acts, Workplace Relations Act 1996, Part 13 Dispute Resolution.
• Cooper, Cary L., and Einarsen, Stale, and Hoel, Helge, and Zapf, Dieter, 2002, Bullying and Emotional Abuse in the Workplace: International Perspectives in Research and Practice, New York: Taylor & Francis.
• Godard, John. 2001. New Dawn or Bad Moon Rising? (Workplace and Employee Survey, Work and Employment Relations Survey, Workplace and Employee Survey, Australian Work and Industrial Relations Survey), accessed Sept. 2, 2007, <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-75216380.html>.
• Office of Industrial Relations, NSW Department of Commerce, Restaurant, &c., Employees (State) Award, Award Code 577, 29 Grievance Handling and Dispute Procedure.

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