How to Make a Complaint Against a Coworker

If you've been harrassed, file a complaint.

If you feel you have been discriminated against, harassed or otherwise wronged by a coworker, you have the option of making a complaint. However, at most offices, simply walking into your boss's office with a sad look on your face will not suffice. Because of the serious nature of complaints against coworkers, most workplaces require you to follow some formal channel to file a complaint.

Instructions

1. Ask your immediate supervisor who is responsible for handling employee complaints. Ask whether it is an individual or a committee to which you musrt submit your complaint, since some companies have committees for these things while others do not. If your supervisor asks you for the name of the person you are filing a complaint on, do not tell them unless company policy requires it; this can interfere with the complaint process.

2. Speak with the manager responsible for handling complaints. State your intent to file a complaint and tell the manager the name of the person the complaint is directed toward if they ask you.

3. Open a word processor on your computer and write your name, address, position and telephone number on the right side of the top of the document. Use a separate line for each piece of information, but do not double space the document. Use 12 pt font, black lettering, and Arial or Times New Roman Style Font.

4. Write the name of the manager, committee, and business beneath your own name. Write this two spaces down from your own information, to create a clear separation.

5. Write the content of the complaint letter. Start with the formality of "dear" followed by the committee head's name. In the first paragraph, state that you are filing a complaint against a coworker. In the second paragraph, describe what the other coworker did to you. In the third paragraph, mention how the employee's actions violated either the law or company policy. If you aren't sure what part of company policy the employee's actions violated, ask your manager to provide you with the company's policy book, and look through the section on complaints. This section will tell you which types of behaviors warrant complaint.

6. Put your letter into an envelope, and hand it in to the manager responsible for complaints. If it is a discrimination or harrassment charge, make sure your manager receives this letter within 300 days, since this is the minimum number of days that can pass before a complaint can be filed.

References

• Chicago Lawyers' Committee: Discrimination and Harrassment at Work