Legal Definitions - grievance

Grievances are formal complaints made by an employee or group of employees about a violation of workplace contract terms or labor policy. These complaints can be related to issues such as working conditions, pay, benefits, or treatment by supervisors or colleagues.

For example, if an employee feels that they are not being paid fairly for their work, they may file a grievance with their employer. Or, if an employee feels that they are being harassed by a supervisor, they may file a grievance about the treatment they are receiving.

The grievance procedure is a set of rules and methods for documenting, presenting, and resolving disputes in the workplace. This procedure is usually defined in the contract between the union and management, and may involve steps such as negotiation, mediation, or arbitration.

In unionized workplaces, there is usually a strict procedure for filing grievances, which is tracked by the labor union and a grievance representative. In non-union workplaces, there may also be formal grievance procedures in place.

The purpose of grievance procedures is to help management identify problems within the organization and provide employees with a communication channel to management, while also avoiding adversarial relationships between management and employees. Grievance procedures are also governed by case law, including landmark court case Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co. (1974), which established that employers have a duty to provide employees with a fair and effective grievance procedure.