Employee grievance redressal is the process through which an employee raises a work-related complaint and gets it heard, investigated and answered. Under Section 4 of the Industrial Relations Code, 2020, an industrial establishment with 20 or more workers must have at least one Grievance Redressal Committee. Smaller employers still need a working route.

What the IR Code requires

Section 4 of the Code sets these points:

• The committee has an equal number of employer and worker representatives, and no more than ten members in all.
• Women’s representation must be at least their proportion among the workers in the establishment.
• The chair rotates every year between the employer side and the worker side.
• A worker can apply within one year of the cause of action. The committee may complete its proceedings within 30 days.
• A decision needs a majority in which more than half of the worker representatives agree; otherwise it is treated as no decision.
• If the worker is unhappy with the decision, or the 30 days lapse, they have 60 days to apply for conciliation to the conciliation officer through their trade union.

The Code has applied since 21 November 2025, and the Central Rules (notified 8 May 2026) and state rules cover how members are chosen and how applications are filed. State rules were still uneven at last check, so confirm your state’s position. The statutory committee is for “workers”, which excludes managerial staff and supervisors above the wage ceiling in the Code’s definition, so managers need an internal policy route instead.

Designing the internal procedure

Whether or not the committee is mandatory for you, a sensible service standard looks like this (a suggested design, not a legal requirement): acknowledge in writing within 2 working days, assign an owner within 5, hear both sides, and give a written outcome inside 30 days, matching the statutory timeline. Provide an escalation level above the first handler and a skip-level option when the grievance is about the manager. Log every case in HR case management or the HR helpdesk with dates, evidence and outcome. Put the anti-retaliation promise in the policy and in the standing orders where they apply.

Three kinds of complaint need separate tracks. Sexual harassment goes to the Internal Committee under the POSH Act, never the grievance committee. A complaint that alleges misconduct by a colleague moves into disciplinary action.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Grievance Redressal Committee compulsory for a 15-person company?

Not under Section 4, which starts at 20 workers. A small employer should still publish a named contact and a time limit for replies.

Can the committee handle a POSH complaint?

No. The Internal Committee has its own constitution and inquiry rules, and mixing the two puts the process at risk. See the POSH compliance guide.

What happens if the committee cannot decide within 30 days?

The worker can take the matter to the conciliation officer through a trade union within 60 days from the date the 30 days expire. The Code also lets the worker go straight to the Tribunal 45 days after applying for conciliation, so keep the case file complete.

How do we protect the employee who complains?

Restrict case access, tell the manager in writing that retaliation is itself a disciplinary matter, and watch the employee’s rating, transfers and pay actions for a few months.

For complaints that turn into a termination, the misconduct and domestic inquiry process explains the next steps.