The fundamental principles of grievance handling found in UTS policies and procedures reflect best practice in grievance handling. These principles are:

• Procedural and substantive fairness (rules of natural justice)
• Confidentiality
• Timeliness
• Record-keeping
• Transparency

• A fair and impartial process
• The grievant should be informed of the process and the implications of making a formal/written complaint before proceeding
• The person against whom a complaint is made (the respondent) has the right to know details of the complaint against them
• The respondent has the right to put their side
• Before they respond, the respondent has a right to know the implications for them in terms of disciplinary action if the complaint is proven
• The grievance handler should be fair, impartial and unbiased in their investigation. If there is a conflict of interest the matter should be referred to another grievance handler or internal unit.

• The grievance handler should not assume guilt. They should determine that the complaint is substantiated only after hearing from both/all sides, checking other relevant evidence, and taking into account any mitigating circumstances.

• A grievant should be able to raise a complaint and get advice in confidence
• A complaint should not be referred elsewhere, formally investigated, or discussed with others without the grievant's consent
• You cannot act on an anonymous grievance (except in relation to allegations of child abuse or corruption)
• Generally, procedural fairness requires that the respondent knows who has lodged the grievance
• You must ensure confidentiality of records

• Delays at any stage of the grievance procedure can result in a denial of procedural fairness
• Delays determining the grievance can be critical in any appeal
• Delay in addressing issues in a complaint can lead to the exacerbation of the situation, a continuation of the problem, a worsening of the relationship between the parties involved, and increased distress for all parties
• Delays can also result in more time being expended in dealing with a grievance once action is taken because the situation has escalated

• You must keep records to avoid relying on your memory about details of allegations, responses and actions
• Records can be used for statistical purposes to identify systemic problems
• Records can substantiate procedural fairness in the event of an appeal against process or outcome of grievance investigation
• If the allegations are complex or serious, record the complaint, the response, the evidence of witnesses and ask the parties to sign

• Effective implementation of UTS policies and procedures
• Effective communication to all parties about relevant policies and procedures
• Effective communication to all parties of the outcome, of reasons for the outcome and, where appropriate, the evidence which was relied upon
• Principle of openness, honesty and fair dealing
• Fair and accurate reporting if the case is referred to internal units or more senior managers
• Fair and accurate reporting particularly where disciplinary action is likely to result