What Is an Employee Complaint Form?
An employee complaint form records issues on the job, like unfair treatment, harassment, or hostile behavior. HR keeps blank forms ready so employees can easily report concerns. After the employee fills out the form, HR looks into the issue and takes steps to make the workplace safer and more fair. Our employee complaint form helps your team handle complaints in a clear and respectful way.
When Do Employees Use a Complaint Form?
Employees often use this form to report issues involving themselves and other employees. The issues may arise between them and their supervisors or subordinates. Here are some common complaints filed with this form:
- Sexual harassment (e.g., unwanted advances or inappropriate comments)
- Verbal harassment (e.g., yelling, threats, slurs, or offensive jokes)
- Physical harassment (e.g., theft, pushing, hitting, or physical intimidation)
- Psychological or emotional abuse (e.g., constant criticism or isolation)
- Bullying or intimidation (e.g., threats or humiliation)
- Discrimination (based on race, gender, age, religion, disability, etc.)
- Retaliation (punishment for reporting a concern or participating in an investigation)
- Stalking or unwanted contact
- Cyberbullying or digital harassment
Employees can also highlight misconduct by clients and third-party vendors. Most importantly, a complaint form and filing process establishes a way to identify and curb unacceptable behavior.
Reporting Workplace Incidents
Use a workplace incident report if you need to document an issue as a manager or HR representative.
What to Include in an Employee Complaint Form
If you’re part of your company’s human resources department and need to provide a complaint form for employees, here are the key elements it should include:
- Date of complaint
- Employee’s name, title, and department
- Employee’s phone number and email address
- Employee’s supervisor and title
- The location and date of the incident leading to the complaint
- Description of the incident leading to the complaint
- Whether this is the employee’s first time raising the complaint
- Whether there were witnesses
- Proposed solutions from the employee/additional feedback
Use Legal Templates’s form to ensure you don’t leave out any essential elements.
How to File an Employee Complaint Form
If you’re an employee with a grievance to report, learn about filing an employee complaint form.
1. Tell a Manager
Start by telling a manager or supervisor about the event that caused the complaint. They should be able to guide you through the next steps, including accessing an HR complaint form. Provide evidence to support your complaint and show the need to address it.
2. Complete the Form
Write your workplace grievance form, including your name as the complainant. List your email, phone number, position, and direct supervisor.
Provide the date, time, and location of the incident. Write a brief account and indicate whether this issue has occurred in the past. Include information about potential witnesses and their contact information.
When filling out the HR complaint form, consider what a fair and equitable resolution could involve. HR officials and other decision-makers will review your recommendations and determine a course of action.
3. File the Complaint
File the complaint according to your company’s policies. Your manager or the company’s HR department will review the form once you submit it and incorporate your input to address the issue.
Managers may update company policies, like the harassment policy, and make changes to the employee handbook to set clearer expectations and prevent future violations.
Employee Complaint Form Sample
View an example of a free employee complaint form to get a better idea of its format. When you’re ready, access our template so you can distribute it to your employees when needed. Available in PDF and Word formats.
What to Do If an Employer Breaks the Law
If an employer breaks the law, you may need to escalate the issue to a higher authority. Here’s who to contact depending on the issue:
- Harassment or discrimination: US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Wage theft or unpaid overtime: US Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
- Health or safety issues: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
- Retaliation for reporting misconduct: Whistleblower Protection Program – OSHA
- Union-related concerns: National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
If you don’t know where to start, contact your state’s labor department. You can also seek guidance from local legal aid groups.
Create a Safer Work Environment Today
Give employees the resources they need to file complaints and air their grievances. Our employee complaint form template helps streamline the complaint process and gives staff members a voice within your organization. Plus, it provides your company’s HR department with documentation to ensure an inclusive and healthy business environment.
