Grievances
HR Is Ignoring My Complaint: What Should I Do?
HR not responding to your complaint? Follow up clearly, confirm the grievance route, request a timetable and check legal deadlines independently.
Follow up clearly and check the formal route
If HR is ignoring your complaint, send a concise follow-up identifying your original message, what you reported and the response you need. Check whether it was submitted as a formal grievance and to the correct contact. Ask for acknowledgement, the person responsible and a timetable. If silence continues, use the policy’s escalation route and seek advice about any external deadlines.
A lack of response is frustrating, particularly when you are still working with the person involved. Keep two issues separate: the original workplace problem and the employer’s delay in dealing with it. This helps you explain both without losing the substance of your concern in repeated chasing messages.
Check what was actually submitted
Review your first message. Was it a request for a chat, an informal concern or an explicit formal grievance? Did it identify the incidents and what you wanted to happen? You do not need perfect legal wording, but the employer needs enough information to understand that action is being requested.
Check the policy for the correct address and any alternative where the normal handler is involved. If the message may have gone to an absent manager or shared inbox, resend it through the stated route and keep the original submission date. Do not change the history to make it look as though the later version was sent earlier.
Send one focused follow-up
Quote or attach the original complaint and state that you have not received acknowledgement or an update. Ask whether it has been logged, who is handling it and when you can expect the next step. Identify any immediate issue, such as ongoing contact, an approaching meeting or evidence that may be deleted.
For example, your follow-up could explain that a formal grievance was sent on a specified date, request confirmation of receipt and ask how work arrangements will be managed in the meantime. Choose a reasonable response date for the situation. Your requested date is not automatically a legal deadline for the employer.
- Include the original subject and submission date.
- Keep the summary of the concern short and factual.
- Ask clear questions that can be answered individually.
- Preserve delivery acknowledgements and replies without assuming a read receipt proves the complaint was investigated.
Distinguish delay from a justified update
An investigation can take time, particularly where several people or records are involved. A delay with a clear explanation and revised timetable is different from unexplained silence. Ask what stage the matter has reached and when you will hear again, rather than demanding an outcome before the facts have been checked.
Acas guidance expects grievance matters to be handled without unreasonable delay. There is no single universal number of days in which every grievance must be fully resolved. Your employer’s policy may set timescales, but those also need to be read in context. Refer to the actual policy rather than inventing a statutory response period.
Escalate the process problem
If follow-up does not work, write to the senior contact, director or alternative handler named in the policy. Explain the original concern, the attempts to obtain a response and the action now requested. Ask for someone appropriate to manage the matter and address any conflict of interest.
In a small organisation there may be no separate HR department. That does not mean you cannot raise a complaint, but the available internal routes may be limited. Ask for a clear process and take independent advice if the person responsible for the alleged conduct also controls the response.
Avoid copying the complaint to a large group to force attention. That can unnecessarily expose sensitive information and make the discussion harder to manage. Use the appropriate escalation route and keep a separate record of who received what.
Protect evidence and immediate working arrangements
If the underlying behaviour continues, record the new incidents and notify the handler. Ask the employer to preserve specifically identified records, such as a dated message thread or CCTV covering a particular location and time. Do not wait until the eventual hearing to mention material that may disappear.
Think about the support you need while waiting. This could include a named manager for contact, a different meeting arrangement or clarification of instructions. Explain the reason for your request and ask for a written response. If the delay is affecting your health, seek appropriate support and describe the impact accurately.
Do not let silence make you miss a deadline
A grievance or an unanswered email does not pause tribunal time limits. If you may want to bring a claim, check the position independently with Acas or a suitable adviser. You can continue seeking an internal resolution while protecting your understanding of external deadlines.
Prepare a short chronology of submissions, acknowledgements, chasers and any promises. Include the original incidents rather than only the lack of replies. This lets an adviser assess both the substantive complaint and the employer’s handling. Do not assume that an ignored grievance automatically means compensation is due or that resignation is the right next step.
Frequently asked questions
How many days does HR legally have to reply? There is no universal deadline for every grievance outcome. Check your employer’s policy and the Acas requirement to avoid unreasonable delay; request a clear timetable.
Should I submit the same complaint every day? Repeated identical messages can obscure the record. Send focused follow-ups, identify new urgent facts and escalate through the appropriate route when needed.
Can I contact Acas while HR is still investigating? Yes. You can seek procedural guidance and check deadlines while an internal process continues. Acas does not decide your grievance or act as your legal representative.
Sources and scope
Guidance checked on 25 October 2026. This article covers England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland has different employment laws and procedures; check the Labour Relations Agency guidance. Examples are fictional. Laws and procedures can change, so check the linked guidance and get advice about your circumstances.
Dealing with something similar at work?
EviDiary helps you organise workplace incidents, notes and supporting evidence into a dated timeline. You can prepare a report using the features available on your plan. Start with the facts you remember and label any uncertainty; a diary does not independently verify an allegation or guarantee a legal outcome. EviDiary helps you document what happened and does not replace independent legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. Consider advice relevant to your own circumstances before making decisions.
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