We all encounter difficult situation and difficult people, and sometimes we aren’t sure of the best way to deal with the challenge. More often than not, we get frustrated and walk away without resolving it towards our own benefit. We may have spoken up but it wasn’t enough. Whether its our workplace, our children’s school, a landlord, a state agency or an organization, our concerns matter.
There are alternatives to staying silent and putting up with the problem or screaming at the problem and then walking away. Many problems are miraculously resolved with fairness when the concern or complaint is formalized. That means putting it in writing. One of the best pieces of advice I received from a supervisor early in my career was, “If it’s not in writing, it didn’t happen.” Those are wise words. Documentation, documentation, documentation! I have aided family and friends, more times than I can remember, with putting their complaints and grievances in writing and assisting them with following their organization’s internal complaint procedures. These complaints were filed with schools, workplaces, property management companies, police departments, social services agencies and even sports leagues. These days, “the pen is mightier than the sword”. If you want to increase the possibility of getting a fair and just resolution, put it in writing.
ELLA can help you with the process of formalizing a complaint or grievance. We understand organizational systems and how they work, including their hierarchies, policies and procedures. In fact, many of us have created these organizational systems for many non-profits and businesses. We also understand when it’s necessary to involve outside assistance from investigative agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, the Human Rights Commission, consumer protection agencies, and/or an attorney.
Complaint/Grievances we have assisted with include:
- Workplace racial and sexual harassment
- Workplace discrimination
- Police racial profiling and harassment
- School bullying
- Sports leagues coach bullying
- Landlord violation of tenant rights
- Consumer lemon law complaints
- State agency non-compliance with federal communication laws
Contact ELLA to set an appointment for a consultation. As a disclaimer, we are not attorneys and cannot guarantee a specific outcome to your formal complaint.