When used in employment law, grievance is the term for an official complaint made by an employee. It must be filed in accordance with workplace protocol, or union protocol if the employee is a member.
Grievances can stem from illegal conduct or from violations of an employment contract. In some cases, grievances are filed after an employer changes existing rules without proper notification and/or punishes an employee for continuing to act in accordance with them.
In employment law, a grievance is always filed in response to a specific concern or concerns. Some common issues that may cause an employee to file a grievance are:
When used in a general legal context, a grievance is a wrong suffered by someone that often results in a lawsuit. Common examples include various transgressions or injuries due to another party's negligence.