AAI Grievance Procedure
Scope
This procedure applies to all employees of ActionAid International USA employed on full time, or part time.
Purpose
ActionAid International recognises that an employee may, from time to time, have a grievance arising from his/ her employment. The following describes how an employee can raise a grievance, receive a fair hearing and have it settled as promptly as is reasonably practicable.
Principles
Any issue arising should be dealt with as near the point of origin as possible. Therefore, where there is a difference of opinion, the employee should normally discuss and try to resolve the matter informally with the party concerned before instigating the grievance procedure. Where a matter has not been resolved in this way, it will be dealt with in accordance with the following procedure, with the expectation that every effort will be made to achieve a mutually satisfactory outcome.
If an issue affects more than one individual responsible to any supervisor, the staff representative - accompanied by one of the employees concerned - will raise the issue with his/ her immediate supervisor in the first instance.
If an issue affects more than one individual employee from more than one supervisor’s area of responsibility, the staff representative -- accompanied by one of the employees concerned -- will raise the issue with the supervisors’ line manager.
At both stages of the formal procedure the employee has the right to be accompanied by a work colleague.
Advice may be sought from a Human Resources Manager on any aspect of this policy and procedure. He/she will also be available to discuss other alternative measures to pursuing the complaint through the formal procedure where it is felt that the complaint can be resolved more effectively in this way.
Informal Stage
Unless an issue is considered so serious not to warrant doing so, before pursuing a grievance through the formal procedure, an employee should normally discuss the matter with his/ her immediate supervisor who will look into the matter and attempt to resolve it. Where an employee is complaining about his/ her immediate supervisor he/ she will raise the matter with the next level of management within the line management structure.
A note of the discussion should be recorded and kept by both the employee and his/ her immediate supervisor
Formal Procedure
If the formal procedure is used, the decision of the person(s) who hears the grievance should be confirmed in writing as soon as possible after the grievance interview and any necessary investigation. This should be made available at any subsequent interviews.
As far as is practicable each stage of a grievance should be settled within a period not exceeding ten working days. The period of time to resolve a grievance may be longer than this suggested time, depending on the nature of the grievance. However all efforts should be made to act within the stated time periods.
Stage 1
Where the immediate supervisor is unable to resolve the grievance informally, the employee should take the matter to the supervisor’s line manager. The employee will be asked to provide brief written details of the complaint and of previous attempts to try to resolve the matter. At this point the employee will also be required to confirm that he/ she is invoking the formal grievance procedure. The Employee will then be invited to a meeting as soon as practical to discuss the grievance. During the meeting the Employee should explain the nature of their complaint and how they think it should be resolved. Following the meeting the Employee’s line manager will attempt to resolve the grievance after considering all the evidence and matters discussed at the hearing. The Employee will be notified of the decision regarding the grievance in writing.
If Stage 1 is at International Director level, Stage 2 will consist of two senior managers who have had no previous involvement in the case and who are not within the line management structure.
Stage 2 - Appeal
Where the grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved at Stage 1, the employee should take the matter to the next level of line management (up to the appropriate International Director or his/ her nominated representative). He/ she will hear the grievance with another senior manager who has had no previous involvement in the case and who is not within the line management structure of the employee, having received written accounts of the matter and the action taken so far. The Employee will be invited to an appeal meeting where he/she will have the opportunity to outline the nature of the complaint and how he/she thinks it should be dealt with. The Employee will then be informed of the decision in writing. The decision of this level of management (up to the appropriate International Director or his/ her nominated representative) will be final.
