Grievance procedure - does this sound right to you?

[Crimebusterofthesea]

I am part of a team who has recently submitted a team grievance against a senior member of staff. It was submitted due to a number of issues with this individual (won't go into detail so as not to out myself) and after an initial investigation, we were told that there would be a hearing. I have recently found out that the senior member of staff suggested she be demoted, back to the same level as the team who submitted the grievance against her. Because of this, there will now be no hearing and that is essentially the end of the grievance. We, as a team, don't feel that this is right - surely the hearing should still go ahead. Can you really just say 'oh, okay, I'll demote myself and then the whole thing can be forgotten'? Would appreciate your opinions MN jury!!

I guess it depends on the content of the grievance. If the issue was really simple - being unfair with the Rota, for example - and a demotion removes the issue, it could be reasonable.

Investigations and hearings are hugely time consuming and can be distressing, so I can understand this solution seeming the simple one.

Do you have a particular outcome in mind? Have you been asked what you'd hoped to achieve?

It doesn't depend on the nature of the grievance. If you raise a formal grievance you are entitled to a hearing if you want one. If you are not happy with the proposed solution, then notify them of that and request that the hearing go ahead as per the grievance procedure.

I think the thing that we can't understand is that the senior member has essentially found their own solution and therefore doesn't have to go through the hearing. Surely it shouldn't be her choice? Many of the points raised in the grievance related to aspects of her work that will still be totally evident even though she has now demoted herself. She is incompetent on so many levels and we work in a very high risk sector, so her practice was compromising the safety of other colleagues.

The role she has demoted herself to has changed massively since she was promoted, so there is massive concern that the problems will continue. This just doesn't seem like an appropriate course of action and it honestly seems like those dealing with the grievance have granted her wish just to get out of continuing with the hearing.