MAKING A COMPLAINT

Grievance Procedures

If you have a complaint relating to your work at Linacre College, you should first try to solve the problem by discussingit informally with your line manager. If you cannotsolve the problem by informal discussion with your line manager, you may raise a formalgrievance with the person named in the table below as the first level grievance officerforstaff of yourcategory. If your complaint concerns the person named as yourfirst level officeryou may make yourcomplaint directly to the person named below as yourgrievance appeals officer. Should this person be conflicted then you should approach the Principal foradvice.

Your role

Maintenance team

Catering staff

Housekeeping team

Studentemployees

DevelopmentOfficestaff

Bursary and clerical staff, Head Chef, Accommodation, IT,

First level grievance officer Grievance appeals officer

Maintenance Manager

Head Chef

Accommodation Manager

College Accountant

Director of Estates

Domestic Operations Manager

Domestic Operations Manager

Domestic Operations Manager

Head of Alumni Relations and Development Bursar

Domestic Operations Manager Bursar

Academic Teamand LibraryStaff Senior Tutor Bursar

Bursar, Senior Tutor, and Director of Estates.

Principal

Vice-Principal, as chair and convenor of a Grievance Panel including two other Fellows not previously involved.

Yourgrievance should be in writingand describe, as clearly as possible, whatitis thatconcerns you. The first-levelofficerwillthen arrange ameetingto look into yourconcerns, withoutunreasonable delay. This person willdecide and explain to you the procedureto be followed atthatmeeting. You have astatutory rightto have a companion accompanyyou atthis meeting. This can be another Linacre employee, aunion representativeoran officialappointed by atrade union. You oryour colleague, orrepresentative,willbe offered the opportunity to explain yourgrievance directly. Anyone elsewho is involved willalso be offered asimilaropportunity to explain his orherposition.

One meetingmay not be enough to solve the problem; and yourfirst levelofficermay need to get otherinformation before they come to a decision. They will try, wheneverpossible, to come to a decision within one month of receivingyour formal written grievance, howeverthis may notbe possible where there are others involved and where furtherinvestigation is necessary. The decision of the first levelofficerwill be notified in writing to everyone concerned and, where appropriate, will setout whataction the College intends to take to resolve the grievance.

If you are notsatisfied with the resultof the grievance hearingheld by the first level officer, you may, as the final stage of the College grievance procedure, appealto the person named as the grievance appeals officerforstaff of yourcategory. You should send yourappeal, in writing, to that person statingclearly why you are notsatisfied with the first leveldecision. You should also send a copy of youroriginal grievance letterand a copy of the first leveldecision on yourgrievance.

The grievance appeals officermay look into the issues in any way that they see fit. They will try, wheneverpossible, to come to a decision within one month of receivingyour appeal, howeverthis may notalways be possible. The decision of the grievance appeals officerwill be communicated to you in writing and is final.

In the eventthattwo or more members of College staff share the same or a related grievance, the person responsible forjudgingthe grievances (orif the aggrieved staff belongto differentstaff groups, the more senior of the persons responsible forinvestigatinggrievances foreach of the respective staff groups) shallbe free to decide whetherto investigate and judge the grievances togetherorseparately.

If the person responsible forinvestigatingand judginga grievance decides thatthere may be a nee d for action underthe College's Disciplinary Procedures, the grievance procedure may be adjourned at any point. In this case, the provisions of the relevantdisciplinary procedure will be applied, or if the grievance has been judged, the person responsible forinvestigatingand judgingthe grievance shall be free to recommend thatthe relevantdisciplinary procedure be invoked and to provide to any disciplinary hearingsuch evidence orreportfrom the grievance hearingas appropriate.

Whistle-blowing

If you bring information about a wrongdoingto the attention of the College or a relevant organisation, they are protected in certain circumstances underthe Public InterestDisclosure Act 1998. The whistle blowing policy on the College website applies and can be found here: https://www.linacre.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/whistleblowing_policy_final_1.pdf