Bullying in the Workplace Grievance Complaint Letter Example UK

This page last updated 7.7.26.

Bullying and harassment at work, what are my employee rights UK?

My wife Amy & I are employment consultants with 26 years combined experience in helping clients like you. We can assist you to avoid falling into the traps, which most employees make when writing a grievance letter to their employer.

We assist employees like you – not employers!

Amy and I created this website after taking our own employers to the Employment Tribunal, to enable employees like you in understanding your employee rights UK for bullying and harassment.

Read this webpage first!

Below, we have outlined the steps on what to do if you are being subjected to bullying and harassment at work.

Word of Caution:

  • Do NOT use AI to generate your grievance letter. See why by clicking here.

What is the difference between bullying and harassment in the UK?

What is the difference between bullying and harassment in the UK? Harassment is ‘related to’ a protected characteristic, such as your race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion etc,. However, bullying is not ‘related to’ a protected characteristic. Therefore, the difference between bullying and harassment in the UK is that harassment is ‘related to’ a protected characteristic such as race, sex, disability, and bullying is not ‘related to’ a protected characteristic. That said, being subjected to either bullying or harassment is unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome conduct, which has the purpose and effect of creating a hostile, intimidating and oppressive environment, in which to work. Bullying and harassment is also undignified. You want to make sure you put this in your grievance complaint letter to your manager / employer.

Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 is the section which covers unlawful harassment ‘related to’ a ‘protected characteristic‘.

Below is the legal definition of ‘harassment’:-

The Equality Act 2010 – Definition of Harassment at Work

The Equality Act 2010 defines “harassment as: “unwanted conduct” which must have the “purpose or effect” of:

1. “Violating the victim recipients’ dignity” or:-

2. “Creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the victim recipient”.

Vento Scale:

If you believe you have been subjected to workplace harassment, then make sure that you state that you feel you have been subjected to workplace harassment within your grievance complaint letter to the Human Resources Department. Equally as important, state within your letter of grievance how the harassment has made you ‘feel’. This is the most important thing you can do, as injury to feelings on the ‘Vento Scale’ can pay out (in exceptional cases) over £44,000.

As of July 2026 – the Vento Scale has been increased as follows –

  • lower band (less serious cases): £1,300 to £12,600
  • middle band: £12,600 to £37,700
  • upper band (the most serious cases): £37,700 to £62,900
  • exceptional cases: over £60,700+

Steps on how to stop workplace bullying and harassment:

Step 1 = Your letter of grievance for bullying and harassment needs to provide facts and information germane to your grievances to your employer’s Human Resources Department for bullying and/or harassment. We have created 3 webpages to assist you in writing a grievance letter to your employer:

  • 15 Steps to take before you write a grievance letter.
  • 20 Tips on writing a grievance letter to your employer.
  • Free grievance letter example for work-related stress, bullying and harassment, and discrimination, which you can send to your employer.
  • Do NOT use AI in your grievance letter. There are many free AI detectors online, which can be used quickly to detect whether a grievance letter has been AI-generated.
  • The Employment Tribunal Service is receiving an uptick in AI generated grievance letters, which are frowned upon.
  • Notwithstanding, AI can cite case laws which do not exist, apply legislation from other jurisdictions, or outline legal principles that have absolutely no bearing on your particular circumstances.

Step 2 = You need to outline within your letter of grievance what the conduct was, which was unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome to you i.e. bullying and harassment.

Step 3 = You need to outline within your letter of grievance what was said or done, which was undignified, or amounted to bullying / harassment.

Step 4 = You need to outline in your grievance letter how the bullying / harassment created a hostile, oppressive, and intimidating environment for you to either work or communicate with the bully / harasser.

Step 5 = You need to outline within your grievance letter the date/s the incident/s of bullying and harassment have taken place.

Step 6 = You need to state within your grievance letter who was present at the material time/s the bullying and/or harassment took place.

Step 7 = You need to ask your employer within your letter of grievance to observe and recommendations within The Statutory Code of Practice on Employment, with express particular Chapter 7, which covers unlawful harassment.

Step 8 = It would be preferable to outline what outcome you want as part of the grievance outcome.

The above are each of the steps to take when writing a grievance letter to your employer.

Once your employer receives your grievance complaint letter for bullying / harassment, it is incumbent upon your employer to take reasonable steps to prevent further acts of disruption and harassment from occurring.

In the event your employer fails to take reasonable steps to prevent further acts of bullying and/or harassment, then your employer may be vicariously liable for the on-going harassment.

Under s.109(1)(2)(3)(4)(a)(b) of the Equality Act 2010, the employer is vicariously liable for the conduct of its officers, servants, agents and employees’ if the employer fails to take reasonable steps to prevent the harassment. Reasonable steps the employer could take is to provide regular training to promote, champion and embed its Bullying & Harassment Policy; Dignity at Work Policy and Equalities Policies and Procedures into the workforce at large. If you can prove that the employer has been negligent in not communicating its policies and procedures through regular training (bi-annually), then you will have your employer on the backfoot.

For the avoidance of doubt, pursuant to s.110(1)(a)(b)(c)(2) and s.112(1) of the Equality Act 2010, the harasser is personally liable for their own bullying, harassment, discrimination. When I sued my wife’s employer in the Employment Tribunal, I also sued my wife’s line manager too. Moreover, those persons who the line manager had engaged to also ‘mob’ my wife (google workplace mobbing) were also held to account pursuant to s.111 of the Equality Act 2010. Put short, it was unlawful for my wife’s line manager to instruct, cause or induce other employees to be participants in the acts of harassment.

Employment Tribunal – Balance of Probabilities:

In truth, it is rare that an employee will have any actual ‘evidence’ of bullying, harassment discrimination at work, to which s/he has been subjected – Glasgow City Council v. Zafar [1998] ICR 120.

Discrimination and harassment in the workplace is usually subtle, the harasser careful to make sure there are no witnesses to workplace bullying, harassment and/or discrimination. Fortunately, Employment Tribunals recognise this, and take it into account. However, you still have to establish a ‘balance of probabilities’ case within your letter of grievance for bullying, harassment and/or discrimination to shift the burden of proof. It is my own experience that workplace bullying and harassment occurs due to mismanagement, poor management, or weak management. Often, senior management have little resolve to confront the harasser, or more likely than not, are the harasser themselves.

Place the Onus on your Employer

Should you chose to lodge an Employment Tribunal claim due to workplace harassment or discrimination in the workplace, the onus is on the employee to establish facts, that ‘on the balance of probabilities’ what you have alleged in your ET1 [employment tribunal claim] has actually occurred – Igen v Wong Court of Appeal [2005] IRLR 258. This is different to let’s say a criminal trial, whereas ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’ has to be established.

The Employment Tribunal recognises that the employer will unlikely “concede” any liability of the alleged “torts” (wrongs). The employer will attempt to establish that the claimant’s claim does not have any “merit”. The employer will allege that your ET1 is “misconceived” and attempt to throw out as much as it can. Remember, the onus is on the employee to “shift the burden of proof “on to the employer by outlining a prima facie case for harassment and discrimination.

Do you need to know how to write a grievance letter to your employer?

Below, my wife Amy and I have outlined some grievance letter examples to help you to know how to write a grievance letter to your employer.

Grievance Letter Complaint Examples

Below are two grievance letter examples of a hypothetical incident of ‘sexual harassment in the workplace’. Another more in depth letter of grievance example germane to work related stress, harassment and disability discrimination is available at www.formalgrievance.com.

The first grievance letter example is a bad example of what to state within your letter of grievance, as it does not establish how you felt as the complainant:

“Mr Shart grabbed his crotch and told me he wanted to give me a large portion later. I was somewhat taken back, as my workplace colleagues just stood there laughing at me.”

Good grievance letter example:

“I found Shart’s conduct to be unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome. I felt Shart’s actions were undertaken with the purpose and effect to wilfully embarrass me, which he did embarrass me. I found Shart’s statement that he wanted to give me a large portion to be offensive, and most undignified. The fact that my workplace colleagues just stood there laughing at me left me feeling humiliated and ridiculed because of my sex. Mr Shart’s conduct was wholly inappropriate. I am not sure what made him believe that his behaviour was acceptable to me. However, I felt by my colleagues laughing at me, they condoned Shart’s conduct. This incident created a hostile, oppressive, and intimidating environment for me ‘related to’ my protected characteristic of sex and amounted to sexual harassment in the workplace.”

In the good grievance letter example above, the wording encompasses the legal definition of “harassment”. You have informed your employer that (i) you found Shart’s conduct unwanted, uninvited and unwelcome (ii) you felt embarrassed (iii) you found Shart’s conduct to be offensive and undignified (iv) you have established the fact that you felt humiliated (v) that in no way did you encourage Shart to behave in the manner he did; Shart acted of his own volition, and of his own accord (vi) you felt your colleagues condoned Shart’s conduct by their failure to stop him.

Unlawful Victimisation:

In the good grievance letter example of harassment in the workplace as outlined above, you have made it difficult for your employer to point the finger of blame at you, as to do so may amount to the employer subjecting you to ‘unlawful victimisation‘ by reason that you have exercised a statutory right in lodging a letter of grievance for ‘sexual harassment’.

Pursuant to s.27(1)(2) EqA 2010, it is unlawful for an employer, its officers, servants, agents and employees’ to victimise you for submitting a grievance letter for sexual harassment or any other harassment. If you have been victimised for having raised a grievance, then contact us.

Workplace Banter

However, from my own experiences, your employer will undoubtedly seek to place some portion of the blame on to you, to both limit its liability, and furthermore, discredit you. It will allege that you were horsing around, and that Shart’s conduct was merely ‘harmless banter’. The employer may even insinuate that you in someway encouraged Mr Shart’s behaviour, and that Shart was only reacting to you ‘egging him on’ in front of your workplace colleagues. Notwithstanding, unless you are able to ‘establish facts’ from which the Employment Tribunal could conclude that harassment and/or discrimination has taken place, your claim is potentially worthless. This is why it is so very important that you get your ducks in a row before you lodge your letter of grievance for bullying and harassment. (see: grievance letter template aid). If you need help in writing your letter of grievance for bullying, harassment and/or discrimination, then contact us via email – myrightsuk@protonmail.com

Webmaster’s thoughts:

1. When it comes to workplace bullying and harassment, the law is quite clear. It is what you as the ‘complainant’ finds to be offensive, undignified, embarrassing, degrading, hostile or intimidating. For the avoidance of doubt, it is NOT for your employer to decide how YOU [FELT]. Each person knows what they feel is “harmless banter” and also, the behaviour which is not acceptable to them.

2. You need a plan of action. Gather all the evidence and facts BEFORE you lodge your grievance letter. Once the employer’s grievance procedure is invoked, your employer will appoint an investigating officer who will endeavour to limit the organisations liability. Remember, the appointed investigator is there to protect the organisation – not you! You will have no control over the appointed investigator, or the questions s/he will ask your workplace colleagues, or how that person goes about investigating what you have alleged. Keep in mind the investigator is also an employee, and will not jeopardise their own career by finding any “evidence” of bullying, harassment and/or discrimination, which may have occurred, or which you have outlined within your letter of grievance for bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation.

3. So, before your write a grievance letter to invoke the grievance procedure, you may want to obtain ‘witness statements‘ from your colleagues. You want short statements, giving the date, the time, the place, what the harasser stated, and who else was present. Get the person to sign and date their witness statement, and provide their name and address.

4. From my own experiences, your colleagues will put as much distance between you and them once the grievance investigation gets underway. They will not want to become embroiled in your grievance, or risk losing their own job  – forewarned is forearmed!

5. Moreover, I obtained evidence before lodging my letter of grievance by recording my line manager on my mobile telephone. I got a mate of mine at work who was also an employee to record my line manager sexually harassing me. This way, I had all the evidence to hand prior to lodging my grievance letter that sexual harassment had taken place. We have created a webpage on the legalities of making covert recordings at work.

Legal Definition of Harassment

The legal definition of harassment under S.26 of the Equality Act 2010 is the following:

“Unwanted conduct” which must relate to one of the following “Protected Characteristics”

i. sex

ii. sex orientation

iii. race

iv. disability

v. age

vi. gender

vii. marriage and civil partnership,

viii. gender reassignment

ix. religion.

The “unwanted conduct” must have the “purpose or effect” of:

1. violating the victim recipients dignity, or

2. creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the victim recipient.

In truth, it is not hard to establish that the “harassment” (unwanted conduct) has “violated” your “dignity”. In nearly every case of “harassment” it will be viewed by the victim as having been, or had the “effect of” either being “degrading, humiliating, offensive or hostile”. The key is that you MUST tie the harassment in to one of the aforementioned “protected characteristics” when writing your letter of grievance.

If you believe that you have been “harassed” due to either your sex, sexual orientation or sexual nature, then click here:

If you believe that you have been “harassed” due to having a disability, then click here: You may be surprised as to what legally constitutes having a “disability”. I strongly suggest you read this section, as you may have a disability, which you were unaware is a legally recognised as a disability.

Remember, you don’t have to be alone in going through your employment dispute with your employer. We took our own employers to the Employment Tribunal and know what you are going through. If you feel you need assistance writing your grievance letter Amy & I can write your grievance letter for you.

We only charge £35 for an initial telephone consultation up to one hour. During the initial consultation, we can talk through your employment situation, provide guidance, and support you from beginning to end.

Amy & I can assist you in avoiding the pitfalls that employees often make and help you understand the psychology behind the grievance process so that you get the upper hand. Remember, you only get one chance to get this right, so make sure you do just that!

Go on, don’t hesitate, pick up the phone and call us 07775943414 (9-5 UK) or email us at: myrightsuk@protonmail.com

Over the past 15 years Amy & I helped thousands of clients. Read our testimonials page.

Amy & I can write you a custom grievance letter for any of the following employment issues:

Reach out to us on 07775943414 (9-5 UK) or email us – myrightsuk@protonmail.com

We work 7 days a week because we know your employment problems don’t just end on a Friday afternoon!