Grievance Policy
A clear, fair grievance procedure that gives Australian employees a documented path to raise workplace concerns.
A documented grievance procedure protects your business and your people. It gives employees a fair, confidential way to raise concerns and gives you a structured process to investigate and resolve them - reducing the risk of escalations to Fair Work, anti-discrimination tribunals or unfair-dismissal claims.
This free template is written for Australian employers and reflects best-practice procedural fairness expectations under the Fair Work Act 2009 and modern award consultation provisions.
What this template covers - Definitions of a grievance and what falls inside / outside the procedure. - Informal and formal resolution pathways. - Investigation, support persons, confidentiality and natural justice. - Appeal mechanisms. - Record-keeping obligations.
Why every Australian business needs one Fair Work decisions consistently emphasise the importance of procedural fairness when investigating workplace conduct. A documented grievance procedure that you actually follow is one of the strongest defences against an unfair dismissal or general protections claim.
Download the editable Word template, plug in your business details and contact officers, and align it with your Code of Conduct, Bullying & Harassment, and Disciplinary policies.
Disclaimer. This template is general-purpose drafting for Australian employers and is not legal advice. Review and adapt the template for your industry, modern award coverage and workplace before issuing it. For complex, high-risk or contested matters seek advice from an employment lawyer or IR adviser.