1. TITLE
Facilitate the resolution of employee grievances
RANGE: Grievances refer specifically to the treatment of employees or
prospective employees at the place of work and excludes
compensation issues, unless there is differentiation.
2. UNIT STANDARD NUMBER:
12139
3. NQF LEVEL:
6
4. CREDIT
5
5. FIELD:
Business, Commerce and Management Studies
SUB-FIELD:
Human Resources
6. ISSUE DATE:
7. REVIEW DATE:
8. PURPOSE:
This unit standard is intended for persons who are, or seek to be, a human resources
management or employment relations practitioner at middle management level. Persons
credited with this unit standard are able to resolve employee grievances; monitor and adjust the
application of the grievance procedure; and evaluate, analyse and address grievance patterns.
9. LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE:
It is assumed that people starting to learn towards this standard are able to:

apply writing, listening and talking skills at least at NQF level 4

identify inter and intra-personal behaviour patterns

apply organisational behaviour and systems theory (humanistic and psycho-dynamic)
and basic psychological activities (cognitive, affective and conative).
.
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10. SPECIFIC OUTCOMES AND ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
Specific Outcome 1:
Develop structures and procedures to resolve employee
grievances.
Assessment Criteria
1.1 Structures and procedures are appropriate to resolve employee grievances.
RANGE: Types of grievances include general grievances related to treatment at the
workplace, grievances related to sexual harassment and grievances related
to discrimination and equity. Compensation issues are excluded unless there
is differentiation.
1.2 All relevant stakeholders within the workplace are consulted and encouraged to
contribute.
1.3 The structures and procedures comply with all legal requirements and codes of good
practice.
1.4 Provision is made for reasonable and practical time frames.
1.5 Procedures are sufficiently comprehensive, easily accessible and applicable to all
categories of employees.
1.6 Structures and procedures are formalised.
Specific Outcome 2:
Implement structures and procedures to resolve employee
grievances.
Assessment Criteria
2.1 All stakeholders are advised through appropriate media of the structures and
procedures.
2.2 Commitment and support is obtained from relevant stakeholders.
2.3 All relevant stakeholders are provided with appropriate training in the use of structures
and procedures.
2.4 Appropriate assistance and advice on the use of structures and procedures are given to
all relevant stakeholders to ensure

adherence to the agreed grievance procedures

adherence to specified timeframes

correctly formulated grievances

resolution at the lowest possible managerial level.
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Specific Outcome 3:
Monitor the application of the grievance procedures and
adjust when required.
.
Assessment Criteria
3.1 Problems in the application of the procedures are correctly identified when they occur.
3.2 Procedures are regularly checked against legal requirements and codes of good
practice.
3.3 Corrective interventions are identified and implemented.
3.4 All relevant stakeholders are immediately informed when amendments to the grievance
procedures have been agreed to.
Specific Outcome 4:
Evaluate, analyse and address grievance patterns.
.
Assessment Criteria
4.1 An appropriate and user-friendly recording system is implemented and maintained.
4.2 Grievance patterns are correctly identified and analysed at regular intervals.
4.3 The necessary corrective and preventive actions are identified and implemented.
11. ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION:
1. Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor
with the relevant ETQA.
2. Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or will
assess this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA.
3. Moderation of assessment will be overseen by the relevant ETQA according to the
moderation guidelines in the relevant qualification and the agreed ETQA procedures.
4. Therefore, anyone wishing to be assessed against this unit standard may apply to be
assessed by any assessment agency, assessor or provider institution that is accredited by
the relevant ETQA.
12. NOTES:
Embedded Knowledge
Knowledge considered to be critical evidence of competence is included in the assessment
criteria explicitly, or can be inferred by performance. This includes knowledge on

Applying the principles of fairness to a grievance process in hierarchical and other
organisations

Recording and analysis of grievances.
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Critical Cross-field Outcomes
The following examples illustrate some of the ways in which this unit standard supports critical
cross-field outcomes:
1. Identify and solve problems by using critical and creative thinking by, e.g.,

identifying corrective and preventive actions to address identified application
problems and grievance patterns (assessment criteria 3.3 and 4.3).
2. Organise and manage oneself and one’s activities by, e.g.

planning and implementing a monitoring process according to assessment criteria 3.1
to 3.4.
3. Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information by, e.g.,

obtaining stakeholder input and identifying legal requirements when designing
structures and procedures (assessment criteria 1.2 and 1.3).
4. Communicate effectively by, e.g.,

advising stakeholders through appropriate media of the structures and procedures
(criterion 2.1).

providing stakeholders with appropriate training in the use of structures and
procedures (assessment criterion 2.3).
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by, e.g.

evaluating, analysing and addressing grievance patterns according to assessment
criteria 4.1 to 4.
Role cluster
The SGB: Human Resources Management and Practices has grouped unit standards into four
role clusters in its document “A Framework for Qualifications for Professionals and Practitioners
in People Management Processes”. This unit standard falls into the following cluster:
ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN LABOUR AND EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
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