Grievance letter advice

[weakestlink]

Leading on from my thread about my employer wanting to reduce my hours to 2 days/week from 3 - is this ok for a grievance letter? I have no experience of this. I am not a member of a trade union but kept that bit in so they might think "ooo she's in a union we might not be able to screw her over"

Dear Employer,
Following my email to you on 28th September 2011 which has received no response, I have taken further advice and I am writing to tell you that I wish to raise a grievance.
This action is being considered with regard to the following circumstances: failure to confirm my original job following the end of my maternity leave under the same terms and conditions as before I left (ie. 3 days per week ? Mon/Wed/Sun) equating to pregnancy/maternity discrimination as covered by the Equality Act 2010.

I am entitled to a hearing to discuss this matter; also I am entitled, if I wish, to be accompanied by another work colleague or my trade union representative

Please reply within 14 days of the date of this letter.

Yours sincerely,
weakestlink

Haven't seen details of previous but I assume it is not that they have "failed to confirm" that's the issue but that they have failed to allow a return on the same terms and conditions on which you left?

It would be clearer to say "Following my email to you on 28th September 2011 to which i have received no response, I am writing to raise a formal grievance.

My grievance is that I have not been allowed to return from maternity leave on the same terms and conditions as when I commenced maternity leave (my terms and conditions on commencing maternity leave were 3 days per week ? Mon/Wed/Sun).

This is considered pregnancy/maternity discrimination as covered by the Equality Act 2010.

I look forward to receiving your response as a matter"

How long does your grievance policy allow for them to get back to you?

Good luck.

Yes hairy you are right they are wanting me to go back for 2 days/week instead of 3 so your wording is much better. I think I was thinking failure to confirm following my email which requested 3 days.

I do not have a copy of my contract (am going to ask for one with this letter) but I read somewhere that if it's a small business you can expect a reply sooner than 28 days?

Personally think you should ask for a response to your email rather than diving into a formal grievance procedure. Maybe something along the lines of, 'I would be grateful for a response to my email of * and confirmation that my terms and conditions have not been changed since going on maternity leave...'

Ok I emailed on Friday asking for a response but nothing back yet. I know my boss gets her emails on her iphone straight away so no reason why she hasn't got it.

I am going to cal ACAS tomorrow and see how they think I should proceed.

I have redone the letter though as hairy suggested.

I think if she hasn't responded by end of Tuesday I'd be sending the letter.

Spoke to ACAS who said to send grievance email so have done it tonight. As I pressed send I saw a bloody spelling mistake - so annoying- but too late now.

Hope she replies now... She's going to hate me. She can be quite aggressive :(

Success!!!!!!!!

I can go back to my old job :)

Apparently it was never in question