AI Written Grievances
What SMEs Need To Know About AI Written Grievances, Appeals And Workplace Complaints
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are increasingly being used in the workplace for drafting emails, reports and business documents. However, employers are now seeing AI written grievances, disciplinary appeals, flexible working appeals and other formal complaints.
AI can help employees organise their thoughts and communicate concerns more clearly. However, it can also create new challenges for employers. Lengthy submissions, complex legal arguments and professionally drafted documents can sometimes make relatively straightforward workplace concerns appear more serious or legally complex than they actually are.
This does not mean employers should dismiss AI-generated complaints or assume concerns are not genuine. Instead, employers need to understand how AI is changing workplace communications and how to respond appropriately whilst continuing to comply with the ACAS Code of Practice and their own internal procedures.
Can An Employee Use AI To Write A Grievance Or Appeal?
The simple answer is Yes. Employees are free to use AI as a drafting tool.
Using AI does not invalidate:
- Grievances
- Appeals
- Flexible working requests
- Complaints
The employer must still consider them fairly.
Why Are AI Written Grievances And Workplace Complaints Becoming More Common?
Artificial Intelligence tools can produce detailed grievances, disciplinary appeals, flexible working appeals and other workplace complaints within seconds. Employees may use AI to improve grammar, organise their thoughts or help draft documents they feel unable to write themselves. In many cases, this can be a positive development, enabling employees to communicate their concerns more clearly and confidently.
However, AI can also result in relatively straightforward workplace concerns becoming lengthy, professionally written submissions containing extensive legal terminology, references to employment legislation and multiple allegations. Some HR professionals have begun referring to this as “grievance inflation” because a concern that might previously have been raised in a short email can become a multi-page document that appears far more complex than the underlying issue.
Employers should avoid assuming that a well-written or legally worded document is necessarily more serious or that the employee fully understands every legal argument it contains. Instead, managers should concentrate on identifying the employee’s genuine concerns and the outcome they are seeking.
Whilst it is often impossible to know whether AI has been used, some indicators may suggest a document has been AI-assisted. These can include:
- Highly formal language that differs significantly from the employee’s usual style of communication.
- Repeated use of legal terminology or employment law references.
- Citations to legislation or legal principles that appear unrelated to the circumstances.
- Unusually structured or formulaic wording.
- Lengthy documents containing repetitive or duplicated content.
- References to employment tribunal cases or legal authorities without explanation.
- Generic wording that appears disconnected from the employee’s actual workplace experience.
The possible use of AI does not invalidate a grievance or appeal, nor does it diminish the employee’s statutory rights. Employers should continue to investigate concerns fairly, focusing on the facts, evidence and issues being raised rather than the technology used to prepare the document.
Should Employers Treat AI Written Grievances Differently?
In short, no. Whether a grievance, appeal or workplace complaint has been drafted by the employee alone or with the assistance of AI, employers should follow the same fair procedure and apply the same standards of investigation.
The use of AI does not make a complaint more or less credible, nor does it change the employer’s obligations under the ACAS Code of Practice. Managers should avoid becoming distracted by lengthy documents, legal terminology or professionally written submissions and instead focus on understanding the employee’s genuine concerns.
When reviewing an AI-assisted complaint, employers should concentrate on:
- The specific workplace issues being raised.
- The facts and evidence supporting those concerns.
- What the employee believes has happened.
- The outcome or resolution the employee is seeking.
- Whether further investigation is required.
Employers are not expected to investigate every sentence of a lengthy submission where multiple points relate to the same underlying issue. A practical approach is to identify the core concerns, group similar allegations together and investigate the matters that are genuinely relevant to the complaint.
Grievance meetings and appeal hearings provide an opportunity to clarify the employee’s concerns, confirm the issues they wish to have investigated and ensure the discussion remains focused on the facts rather than the wording of the document.
Ultimately, a well-written document should not influence the outcome of an investigation. Decisions should be based on the available evidence, the findings of a fair investigation and the employer’s policies and procedures—not on how professionally the complaint has been drafted.
How Can You Tell If AI Has Been Used?
In many cases, it may be impossible to know whether an employee has used AI to help draft a grievance, appeal or workplace complaint. Employers should avoid making assumptions or attempting to prove that AI has been used, as the method used to prepare the document is usually less important than the concerns being raised.
However, some features may suggest that AI has been used to assist with drafting, particularly where the style differs significantly from the employee’s usual way of communicating.
Possible indicators include:
- Highly formal or polished language that differs noticeably from the employee’s normal communication style.
- Repeated use of legal terminology or employment law references.
- References to legislation, tribunal decisions or legal principles that appear irrelevant or are not explained.
- Unusually structured, formulaic or repetitive wording.
- Lengthy documents that repeat the same points in different ways.
- Generic phrases that appear disconnected from the employee’s actual workplace circumstances.
- Requests for legal remedies or outcomes that appear disproportionate to the issues being raised, such as references to constructive dismissal, discrimination or compensation where the underlying concern is relatively minor.
These indicators do not prove that AI has been used, nor do they mean the employee’s concerns are any less genuine. Many employees simply use AI as a drafting tool to improve the presentation of their thoughts.
If you believe AI may have been used, the most effective approach is to discuss the concerns directly with the employee. Asking open questions during the grievance or appeal meeting will help clarify the issues, establish the facts and ensure you understand the outcome the employee is seeking.
What If The Employee Doesn’t Understand What’s In The Document?
One challenge employers may encounter is that an employee is unable to explain some of the legal terminology, arguments or references contained within an AI-assisted grievance or appeal. This is not unusual where AI has been used to help draft the document.
For example, during a grievance or appeal meeting it may become apparent that the employee cannot explain why certain legislation has been quoted, what a particular legal term means or why specific allegations have been included in the submission.
This does not invalidate the grievance or mean the employee’s concerns should be dismissed. Instead, it highlights the importance of using the meeting to understand the issues the employee genuinely wants to raise.
Managers should use open questions to:
- Clarify the employee’s concerns in their own words.
- Establish exactly what they believe has happened.
- Identify the facts and evidence supporting the complaint.
- Confirm which issues they want investigated.
- Understand the outcome they are seeking.
If parts of the written submission appear inconsistent with the employee’s explanation, the investigation should focus on the concerns raised during the discussion rather than the wording generated by AI. The objective is to understand the substance of the complaint and investigate it fairly, not to assess the employee’s drafting skills or knowledge of employment law.
Beware Of AI Legal Errors
One of the risks of AI-assisted grievances and appeals is that they may contain inaccurate or entirely fictitious legal information. Whilst AI tools can produce impressive-looking documents, they do not always provide accurate legal advice and can occasionally generate incorrect or misleading content.
For example, AI may:
- Refer to legislation that does not exist or has been repealed.
- Misstate employment law or legal principles.
- Cite employment tribunal or court cases that are inaccurate, irrelevant or entirely fictional.
- Apply legal concepts that do not fit the circumstances being described.
- Suggest legal remedies that are unavailable or inappropriate.
Employers should avoid accepting legal arguments at face value simply because they appear professionally written. Where a grievance or appeal contains legal references, these should be verified independently before being relied upon.
Equally, inaccurate legal arguments should not distract employers from the employee’s underlying concerns. The investigation should focus on establishing the facts, considering the available evidence and responding fairly to the issues being raised. The legal terminology used in the document should not determine how the complaint is handled.
Confidentiality And Data Protection Concerns
Many publicly available AI tools process information entered by users through external systems. Employees may not always appreciate the risks associated with entering confidential workplace information into these platforms.
Examples of information that could create concerns include:
- Personal data relating to colleagues.
- Customer information.
- Confidential business information.
- Internal investigation material.
- Commercially sensitive information.
- Protected personal data.
Employers should consider whether their existing policies provide sufficient guidance on the use of AI tools and the handling of confidential information.
Should Employers Use AI To Draft Grievance Outcomes?
AI can be a useful drafting tool for employers, helping to structure grievance outcome letters, appeal decisions and other workplace correspondence. However, AI should support management decision-making, not replace it.
Before using AI, employers should ensure they comply with their own AI Policy, Data Protection Policy and confidentiality obligations. Confidential or personal information should not be entered into public AI platforms unless appropriate safeguards are in place.
If AI is used to assist with drafting, the final document should always be reviewed by the decision-maker to ensure that:
- The facts are accurate and supported by the investigation.
- Any legal references or procedural advice have been independently verified.
- The tone is professional, balanced and appropriate for the circumstances.
- The conclusions reflect the evidence gathered during the investigation.
- The reasoning is clear, consistent and capable of being explained if challenged.
- The final decision represents the employer’s own judgement rather than AI-generated recommendations.
AI can help produce well-structured documents more efficiently, but it cannot assess witness credibility, weigh conflicting evidence or exercise managerial judgement. Those responsibilities always remain with the employer.
Used appropriately, AI can improve the quality and consistency of workplace documentation. Used without proper oversight, it can introduce factual inaccuracies, legal errors and decisions that are difficult to justify. Human review remains essential.
AI Toolkit
If your business is beginning to use AI for HR administration, grievance handling or other employment matters, our AI Toolkit for Employers provides practical guidance on developing policies, protecting confidential information and using AI responsibly in the workplace. Learn more: AI Workplace Toolkit.
Do Your Workplace Policies Need Updating?
As AI use becomes more common, employers should review whether existing policies adequately address the use of AI in the workplace.
Areas worth reviewing include:
- Acceptable Use Policies.
- Information Security Policies.
- Confidentiality Requirements.
- Disciplinary Procedures.
- Grievance Procedures.
- Data Protection Policies.
- AI Usage Policies.
The aim should not be to prevent employees using AI altogether, but to establish clear expectations regarding confidentiality, accuracy and responsible use.
Common Mistakes Employers Make
As AI becomes more common in the workplace, employers are increasingly receiving AI-assisted grievances, appeals and workplace complaints. Responding appropriately requires managers to focus on the issues being raised rather than the technology used to produce the document. Common mistakes include:
- Assuming AI makes a grievance or appeal invalid. Employees are free to use AI as a drafting tool. The complaint should still be considered fairly and in accordance with the employer’s normal procedures.
- Becoming distracted by legal terminology. Lengthy legal arguments or references to employment law should not take attention away from the underlying workplace concerns.
- Focusing on the length of the document rather than the issues. A well-written or lengthy submission is not necessarily more serious than a short complaint. Managers should identify the key concerns and investigate those appropriately.
- Failing to clarify what the employee actually wants. Grievance and appeal meetings should be used to establish the employee’s concerns, the evidence supporting them and the outcome they are seeking.
- Accepting AI-generated legal assertions without verification. Legal references, tribunal decisions and statutory provisions should always be checked independently before being relied upon.
- Using AI to draft decisions without proper review. AI can assist with preparing letters, but the final decision, reasoning and wording should always be reviewed and approved by the employer.
By following a fair procedure, concentrating on the facts and exercising human judgement throughout the process, employers can manage AI-assisted grievances and appeals confidently whilst maintaining compliance with the ACAS Code of Practice and good HR practice.
Final Thoughts
AI is changing the way workplace concerns are communicated. Whilst AI-generated grievances and appeals can create additional challenges, employers should remain focused on the substance of the issues being raised rather than the technology used to prepare the document.
By taking a balanced approach, verifying legal claims, protecting confidential information and concentrating on the employee’s genuine concerns, employers can continue to manage grievances and appeals fairly, effectively and in accordance with good employment relations practice.
How Kea HR Can Help
AI is changing the way employees communicate workplace concerns, but the principles of good employee relations remain the same. Kea HR helps employers manage AI-written grievances, appeals and workplace complaints fairly, consistently and in accordance with the ACAS Code of Practice.
Whether an employee has used AI to improve the presentation of their concerns or submitted a lengthy document containing complex legal arguments, we can help you focus on the issues that matter and ensure your procedures remain fair and legally compliant.
We can help you:
- Assess and manage AI-written grievances, appeals and workplace complaints.
- Identify the key issues within lengthy or complex submissions.
- Plan and conduct fair workplace investigations.
- Advise managers on grievance and appeal procedures.
- Review AI-generated legal arguments and identify potential inaccuracies.
- Draft grievance outcome and appeal decision letters.
- Develop AI Policies and guidance for employees and managers.
- Train managers on the appropriate use of AI in employee relations matters.
As AI continues to evolve, employers need practical HR advice that balances innovation with good employment practices. Kea HR provides pragmatic support to help SMEs embrace AI responsibly whilst ensuring workplace concerns are handled fairly, consistently and with confidence.
Related Resources
You may also find the following resources helpful:
- AI Toolkit For Employers
- Designing An AI Policy For Your Business
- Using AI In The Workplace
- Conducting Workplace Investigations
- Managing Employee Grievances
- Conducting A Fair Disciplinary Hearing
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