Conviction

Purpose and scope of the procedure

Grievances are concerns, problems or complaints that volunteers raise with Conviction.

Where appropriate, you should seek to resolve any grievance informally with the person to whom you immediately report or the Volunteer Management Team. If this does not resolve the problem, you should raise your grievance formally as set out below.

This procedure does not form part of your volunteer agreement. It may be amended at any time and Conviction may use an alternative procedure depending on the circumstances of the particular case.

This policy and procedure applies to all our volunteers and staff.

Stage one: written grievance

If the matter cannot be satisfactorily resolved informally, or it is inappropriate to do so, you should raise the matter formally, without unreasonable delay, by setting out your grievance in writing and sending it to your line manager. If the matter concerns your line manager, you should send your grievance to the Volunteer Management Team.

Your written grievance letter should set out the nature of your complaint and include relevant facts, dates and the names of the individuals involved so that we can investigate it.

Stage two: meeting

We will arrange a meeting to discuss your grievance, usually within five working days of receiving your written grievance. You should make every effort to attend the meeting.

You have the right to be accompanied at the meeting by a companion if you make a reasonable request in advance of the meeting and tell us the name of your chosen companion.

If you or your companion cannot attend the meeting, you should let us know as soon as possible and propose a reasonable alternative date and time. If this is within five working days of the original date, we will accept it and the meeting will take place then. If it is not, we will make reasonable attempts to agree another alternative date and time.

At the meeting, you will be given the opportunity to explain your grievance and how you think it should be resolved.

We may adjourn the meeting if we need to carry out further investigations. The meeting will usually be reconvened afterwards.

We will confirm our decision, in writing, usually within five working days of the last grievance meeting. Our letter will explain any further action we intend to take to resolve your grievance and advise you of your right of appeal.

Stage three: appeal

If your grievance has not been resolved to your satisfaction as a result of the meeting, you should appeal against the grievance decision. Your appeal should be made in writing, setting out the full grounds of your appeal, within five working days of receipt of the grievance decision, to our Service Manager.

You will then be invited to attend an appeal hearing. The appeal will be heard impartially, without unreasonable delay and, where possible, by a more senior manager not involved in the decision being appealed or any prior investigation, and their decision is final. You have the right to be accompanied at the appeal hearing, as set out above.

You will be informed in writing of the appeal decision, usually within five working days of the appeal hearing. There is no further right of appeal.