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View full libraryUse this Grievance Hearing Outcome Confirmation Letter to formally communicate the outcome of an employee's grievance following a hearing. It helps UK employers explain whether the grievance has been upheld, partially upheld or not upheld, provide the reasons for the decision, confirm any appropriate actions and explain the employee's right of appeal.
Use this template to:
<p>If you are managing an employee grievance, the toolkit brings together practical HR templates covering investigation, meetings, mediation, appeals and outcomes.</p>
[Sender name]
[Sender address]
[date]
[Recipient name]
[Recipient address]
Dear [Recipient first name],
Outcome of Grievance Hearing
Private and Confidential
Further to the grievance hearing held on [Hearing Date], I am writing to confirm the outcome of your grievance relating to [brief description of the grievance].
During the hearing, we discussed the concerns you raised, including:
In reaching the decision, I have considered the points you raised during the hearing, the information gathered as part of the investigation, the relevant evidence and any responses provided by the individuals involved.
Outcome of the grievance
Retain the applicable option below and delete the alternatives before issuing the letter.
[Option A - ]Grievance upheld
Having considered the information available, I have decided to uphold your grievance.
The
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A grievance hearing outcome letter is an important part of a fair and transparent employee relations process. Once the employer has considered the employee's concerns, relevant evidence and any investigation findings, the employee should be informed of the decision and the reasons for it in writing as soon as reasonably practicable.
This resource is designed for HR professionals, business owners and managers handling formal workplace grievances. It provides a structured way to communicate the outcome without disclosing unnecessary confidential information about other employees or prejudging any separate process that may be required.
The letter should identify the grievance issues considered and explain the outcome for each substantive issue. Depending on the evidence, the grievance may be upheld, partially upheld or not upheld. The decision should be based on the findings, what is fair and reasonable, and how similar situations have been handled.
Give sufficient reasons for the decision so the employee can understand how the employer reached its conclusion. Avoid simply stating that the grievance has been rejected or that there is insufficient evidence without explaining the reasoning. Where evidence is inconclusive, explain that accurately rather than presenting an allegation as proven or disproven.
Where the grievance is upheld or partially upheld, the letter should explain what action will be taken to address the concerns. Depending on the circumstances, this could include clarifying procedures, reviewing management arrangements, providing training, arranging mediation where appropriate or undertaking further investigation.
Some matters may require a separate process. For example, if the findings raise potential misconduct by another employee, the employer may need to consider whether a separate disciplinary investigation is appropriate. The grievance outcome letter should not disclose unnecessary details about another employee's confidential disciplinary matters.
The employee should be offered the opportunity to appeal the grievance outcome. The letter should identify who will receive the appeal, how it should be submitted and the deadline under the organisation's grievance procedure. The employee should be encouraged to explain why they consider the outcome or process to be wrong and identify any relevant new evidence.
Where possible, an appeal should be considered by someone who was not involved in the original decision. If an appeal is submitted, it should be handled impartially and the appeal outcome communicated in writing.
Keep a record of the hearing, relevant evidence, decision and reasons, actions agreed and the appeal arrangements. Share the outcome with others only where necessary and appropriate. If the grievance concerns another employee, consider carefully what information can fairly be disclosed while respecting confidentiality and any separate process.
The letter should reflect the actual findings and decisions. It should not promise actions that have not been approved, imply that an appeal has already been considered or state that the matter is closed before the applicable appeal process has been completed.
Related HR resources and workflow
Explore the HR resources that may be relevant before and / or after using the Grievance hearing outcome confirmation letter, helping you understand the wider process, maintain appropriate documentation and follow a consistent approach.
The Grievance Hearing Script provides HR professionals and managers with a structured framework for conducting a fair and thorough grievance hearing.
Use this Grievance Decision Appeal Letter Template to challenge the outcome of a formal workplace grievance.
Use these best practice actions, recommended timescales and process stages to understand when and how the Grievance hearing outcome confirmation letter should be used, helping ensure each step is handled consistently and appropriately documented.
Understand the common mistakes to avoid when using this HR template, helping you reduce risk, prevent unnecessary costs and ensure the process is handled correctly.
The employer should communicate the decision as soon as possible after considering the hearing and any necessary investigation. The outcome should also be confirmed in writing, with reasons, any actions to be taken and the appeal arrangements.
Yes. Where a grievance contains several issues, the evidence may support some concerns but not others. Explain the outcome for each relevant issue and give the reasons for the findings. Avoid using a single overall conclusion that leaves the employee unclear about what was accepted or rejected.
Not necessarily. If the grievance findings raise concerns about another employee, a separate disciplinary process may be appropriate. Explain any relevant action that can appropriately be disclosed, but do not reveal unnecessary confidential information about another employee's disciplinary matters.
The deadline should be set out in the organisation's grievance procedure. There is no single universal statutory appeal deadline for every workplace grievance. The letter should identify the correct deadline, how to submit the appeal and who will consider it.
HRDocBox provides practical, customisable HR resources designed to help UK employers handle employee relations matters consistently. This template gives you a structured way to document the grievance decision, explain the reasons, confirm actions and communicate the appeal process.
HRDocBox provides a ready-to-adapt structure built around the practical steps of a UK grievance process. AI can help tailor wording to a specific case, but it cannot determine the findings without the evidence or confirm that the organisation's procedure has been followed. The employer must verify the facts, decision, confidentiality requirements and appeal arrangements before issuing the letter.
How this content is developed and reviewed
The Grievance hearing outcome confirmation letter template is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.
Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director
Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.
He has extensive practical experience of managing grievance HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.
HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.
"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."
"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."
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