Grievance definition

In general terms, a grievance is a perceived or real wrong which forms legitimate grounds for complaint or redress. Within an employment context, it refers to an employee’s dissatisfaction with an employer’s course of action that may or may not violate employment law. Companies should have policies in place for dealing with grievances, which should operate on a good faith basis and should allow maximum opportunity for resolving the grievance amicably before it moves to more formal, independent channels.