Grievance

Objective.

The company aims to foster a supportive and pleasant workplace for all employees. This policy is established to provide a means of addressing any grievance raised by employee in relations to their employment in a fair and consistent manner.

Scope.

This cover all employees of Opulent in Malaysia, where scope of grievance shall cover:

1. Health & Safety

2. Unfair treatment

3. Adverse changes in employment conditions

It is not appropriate to raise trivial matters via the formal grievance procedure – these should be resolved at the informal stage.

Reference.

Weblink, QR Code on RBA Badge and Notice Board.

Term / Definitions.

Grievance is defined as problems, concerns or complaints related to an employee’s work or the work environment.

This can come in the form of any acts, behaviors, omission, situations or decisions impacting an employee that the employee thinks is unfair and unjustified.

Respondent refers to the employee who having complaint(s) made against them.

Responsibilities.

1. All employees are responsible for helping to create a workplace climate at work where communication channels remain open, allowing concerns to be are discussed and resolved at an early stage.

2. Supervisor and department heads shall be responsible for acting as role models; responding positively to complaints to prevent escalation into formal grievances; and addressing or stopping unacceptable behavior in the workplace.

3. HR personnel are responsible for ensuring consistent application at all necessary stages and providing guidance to department heads, employee and any other relevant personnel.

Procedure of Making a Disclosure.

Informal Discussion

1. In the event an employee has a complaint related to their work, they should communicate the problem informally with their direct superior. If the complaint involves the direct superior, the employee should raise the concern with the department head or HR department. The superior is expected to understand the issue raised and provide constructive feedback to the employee within 5 working days.

2. If the employee does not receive a satisfactory response within 5 working days, they may refer their complaint to the department head. Should the employee remain dissatisfied with the outcome, a formal formal grievance may be submitted to the HR department.

Formal Grievance Process

At all times, grievances shall be handled as tactfully as possible and requirement of confidentiality must be strictly observed.

1. Employee should submit his grievances to HR department in writing or through web form.

2. This written statement should set out clearly the nature of the grievance, with supporting evidence where appropriate; what actions the employee has taken to resolve the grievance informally; and the outcome that is sought.

3. HR will acknowledgement receipt of the grievance and invite the employee to meeting in writing, so the grievance can be discussed.

4. The employee will have the opportunity to present their case and explain how they believe it should be resolved. The grievance meeting may be adjourned at any stage if necessary – for example, to investigate any claims made. The minutes of the meeting shall document the nature of the grievance, the decision reached

   and the rationale for the actions to be taken. The employee will be required to verify and acknowledge the summary of the meetings. A copy of the minutes will then be provided to the employee.

5. If, for any unforeseen reason, the employee or the respondent is unable to attend the meeting, it must be rescheduled.

6. Where possible, HR will respond in writing to the employee within 5 working days of the meeting or any subsequent investigation, informing them of the outcome and their right of appeal.

Appeal

1. If the employee believes that their grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved, they have the right to appeal the outcome. The appeal must be sumitted in writing to the Human Resource Manager within 5 working days of receiving the decision letter, clearly stating the grounds of appeal.

2. The employee will be notified in writing of the date and time of the appeal meeting. The appeal will be heard by members of management who were not involved in the original grievance meeting. Where practical, HR personnel will be appointed to record the proceedings of the appeal meeting.

3. The employee shall be informed in writing of the outcome within 7 working days of the appeal meeting. The decision of the appeal shall be final.

   
   

Documentation

1. For informal grievances, a confidential written note outlining the date and nature of the issue and any agreed outcome may be retained by the manager and shared with the employee. No documentation is required to be submitted to HR if the grievance is resolved at the initial stage.

2. A complete record of all the documentation generated at each stage of the formal grievance process must be submitted to the HR department.

3. If disciplinary action is taken as a result of the formal grievance, a record of the disciplinary action shall be filed in the employee's personnel file.

Confidentiality

1. All personnel involved in a grievance case are required to maintain the

   confidentiality of the proceedings to ensure an unobstructed resolution process.

2. Disciplinary action against any individual found to have disclosed any information related to a grievance.