Grievance Procedures

Introduction & Purpose:

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a means for employees, clients, and third parties to raise concerns on such areas as their terms and conditions of employment and/or third parties dealt with Metropolitan Security, health and safety, new working practices, equal opportunities, and relationships at work and have them dealt  fairly and objectively.

This procedure explains what employees and third parties should do if they have a grievance, including if they feel they are being bullied, harassed or victimized, and how Metropolitan Security will deal with such issues and It provides basic practical guidance to employers, employees and their representatives and sets out principles for handling disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace.

Metropolitan Security takes grievances seriously and will investigate them in an objective and factual manner. This policy applies to employees and third parties such as (contractors, suppliers or any other person who feels she/he has been harmed by our operations) engaged with the MS. We believe that, the opportunity to raise a concern or issue is a key component of effective communication and we encourage external third parties to engage in dialogue on matters of mutual concern, in order to improve understanding and identify solutions to problems. It is expected that the majority of concerns will be resolved informally. Where attempts to resolve the matter informally have been unsuccessful or if the matter is so serious, it may be appropriate for a formal grievance to be raised under this policy

Metropolitan Security aims to deal with all grievances promptly and impartially, and to make all reasonable efforts to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

The policy is designed to ensure that good practice exists in all of departments and processes of Metropolitan Security in handling grievance issues, in accordance with ICoCA, legislation and Company regulations, and ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 18788:2015 requirements. It is necessary for Metropolitan Security to ensure that issues are dealt with fairly and reasonably and to help foster a good relations climate.

Metropolitan Security states their grievance procedure components on a publically accessible website for personnel and third parties.

Procedure & Reporting:

A grievance is a complaint against the Company regarding improper and/or illegal conduct, including such acts or omissions that would violate the principles contained in the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA).

A grievance procedure is one of the tools that set out the ways in which certain actions concerning people should be carried out by the management, employees or other third parties. You may raise grievances either informally or formally. If you raise a grievance informally first, you may still raise the grievance formally subsequently if it is not resolved to your satisfaction. A written and well publicized grievance procedure ensures that everyone knows exactly what steps need to be taken when faced with situations that adversely affect the well-being of individual employees in terms of work relationships and work environment.

Procedures also facilitate the reporting of improper or illegal conduct, or a violation of ICoCA Code, that has occurred or is about to occur. All allegations will be investigated promptly and impartially and with due consideration to confidentiality by the committee at Metropolitan Security.

Metropolitan Security will maintain confidential records will be kept of all appropriate documentation generated during the stages of the formal process about any such allegations, findings or disciplinary measures. Except where prohibited or protected by applicable law, such records should be made available to a Competent Authority on request; Cooperate with official investigations, and not participate in or tolerate from their Personnel, the impeding of witnesses, testimony or investigations.

Take appropriate disciplinary action, which could include termination of employment in case of a finding of such violations or unlawful behavior; and ensure that their Personnel who report wrongdoings in good faith are provided protection against any retaliation for making such reports, such as shielding them from unwarranted or otherwise inappropriate disciplinary measures, and that matters raised are examined and acted upon without undue delay.

Metropolitan Security gives the right for the complainants to appeal against a decision makes by the responsible manager in respect of a grievance raised by a complainer. In these cases, Metropolitan Security will make every effort for the grievance to be dealt with by a different manager to the person who dealt with the grievance initially as Metropolitan Security’s decision at the appeal stage is final and there is no further right of second appeal.

Metropolitan Security aims to deal with all grievances promptly and impartially, and to make all reasonable efforts to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

Informal Procedure

The primary focus of this procedure is to uphold encourage the parties involved to try to resolve the complaint informally, and to maintain good employee relations as well as providing a mechanism whereby workplace issues can be raised and addressed. It is important therefore, that wherever possible, concerns or potential issues or complaints are dealt with as early as possible, adopting early intervention principles. Complainants are encouraged to attempt to resolve any issues between themselves as soon as an issue occurs with a view to amicably settling the matter without recourse to the formal procedure.

Grievances are best resolved informally, if you have any grievance you should discuss this with your manager in the first instance, who will then attempt to resolve the situation on an informal basis. The manager should meet with the employee to facilitate a discussion to explore in confidence how the matter could be resolved informally.

If you feel unable to approach your manager directly, you should approach another manager or a more senior manager, who will discuss with you ways of dealing with the matter.

If the employee is dissatisfied with the outcome of the informal approach, it may be appropriate for you to raise a formal grievance under the following formal procedure. It may be appropriate to consider an alternative resolution method at this stage, for example a facilitated discussion or mediation.

It is advisable for an employee to keep details of all incidents and issues, including any informal discussions.

Formal Procedure -Written Notification of a Grievance

If an employee or third party has not been able to resolve a grievance informally, the complainant should raise the matter formally and promptly under the grievance procedure in writing to the Head of Department.

As Metropolitan Security will make all reasonable efforts to deal with formal grievances in a fair and consistent manner.

At this stage the complainant must put their concerns in writing to an appropriate manager, as we divide complaints into three categories as below:

– Clients’ complaints: For these complaints, we use the form MCC-F-57. Afterwards to ensure our customers’ satisfaction we follow up the complaints using the form IEF-F-08/Version V1.0.

– Employees’ complaints: For these complaints, we use the form ECF-F-58 that ensures our employees’ satisfaction and protects their rights as Metropolitan Security believes that it is achieving its progress and success through its employees.

-Third Party Complaint: For these complaints, we use the form TPC-F-59Version V1.0 and MIR-F-60/VersionV1.0.

The written grievance should be submitted to your manager in the first instance, or to the person identified in your contract of employment. If your grievance is against your manager, you should submit it to another manager or a more senior manager. These forms provide a fair and transparent process to investigate the complaint. It also takes into consideration all the specific conditions and facts to reach a fair outcome.

This document needs to clearly state the nature of the complaint and the grievance. The manager is responsible for investigating the complaint and holding a meeting with the complainant within 3 working days of receiving the grievance.

Grievance Meeting-Investigation

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the complaint with the aim of identifying all relevant issues such that on receiving a written grievance the manager, or an appropriate third party, will make such enquiries as are necessary to gather relevant information to reasonably consider the grievance and any relevant information gathered during this enquiry stage will be considered at any formal grievance meeting, that the Manager is able to make a decision in relation to the grievance either at the end of the meeting or shortly afterwards.

This stage will be completed as quickly as possible and will normally be concluded within 15 working days. Where this is not possible the manager will advise all parties in writing the reason why it is not possible and provide an estimate of the revised timescale to conclude the investigation.

A meeting will be arranged without unreasonable delay for the employee to fully state their case and how they think it should be resolved. This meeting will form part of the investigation and will normally take place within ten working days of receiving the grievance.

Metropolitan Security will then, normally, inform you in writing of its decision regarding the raised grievance without unreasonable delay. The letter will also explain your right to appeal against any decision taken.

• Manager Responsibilities:

Appeals Procedure

Employees have the right to formally appeal against the outcome of the grievance within ten working days of being notified of the decision if they are dissatisfied with it. Any appeal must be made in writing, stating the grounds for the appeal, such as ( New evidence coming to light which was not previously available at the time the decision was made or which was unreasonably withheld (other than by the employee) and which could have materially affected the outcome).

The Appealer must take all reasonable steps to attend this meeting. If he/she feel that has a legitimate reason as to why he/she cannot attend the meeting on the proposed date, must contact the person named on the invitation letter to inform them of this fact immediately. The meeting may then be delayed to facilitate his/her attendance, if this is considered reasonable.

Metropolitan Security will arrange and hold an Appeal Meeting as quickly as possible. As the appealer will be entitled to attend the appeal meeting and will be given an opportunity to state his/her case.

The appeal manager would be a manager upper level of the grievance manager and who has not previously been involved in the case will be appointed to hear the appeal and will be given all of the material considered by the grievance manager, along with the outcome and appeal.

The appeal manager will then be heard within a reasonable timeframe, normally within ten working days from the date of receipt of the appeal.

At the appeal hearing, the employee will be given the opportunity to state their appeal as the grievance manager will have an opportunity to explain their reasons for their decision. The appeal manager may delay the meeting to hear any new evidence, provide an independent view of the situation ,to review the original decision and  to make further investigations or seek advice/further information if necessary ensuring that they inform the employee of any additional information that is considered.

The appeal manager will make a final decision and will notify the employee of their decision in writing within five working days of the appeal hearing, unless otherwise notified.

There is no further internal appeal after the appeal panel has reached and notified a decision.

Records

Managers are responsible for maintaining records of any action taken in response to the informal grievance procedure. However, it is mandatory for a copy of these records to be kept for five years.

Ways to register / make a Grievance / Complaint

1. Who can complaints?

Anyone of the employees and/or third parties such as contractors, suppliers or any other person who feels she/he has been harmed by our operations, which engaged with the Metropolitan Security.

2- In which cases can you make a complaint?

• In case of improper and/or illegal conduct, including such acts or omissions that would violate the principles contained in the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA).

• In case of, you feel you are being harmed bullied, harassed or victimized by our operations.

• Third parties may be affected by Metropolitan Security’s actions in the following ways, In case of:

• Verbal abuse, personal injury and death.
• Violation of human rights.
• Damage to property and material or financial loss.
• Excessive use of force.
• Environmental damage.

3- Process to follow for submitting a complaint

• Those wishing to register a complaint should send an email to complaints@metropolitansecurity.com, giving as much information as possible of the circumstances surrounding Metropolitan Security’s alleged malpractice.

• Or by making a call on the hotline number: +961 1 702000 to contact MS team member to explain your complaint. MS team member will provide you with a reference number of your complaint and then will contact you back for more information and inform you by the process which will be taken to resolve the complaint.

• Or by visiting http:// metropolitansecurity.com.lb – go to contacts and register the issue with Metropolitan Security.

4- Contact details:

Hotline: +961 1 999966

Website: www.metropolitansecurity.com.lb

Email Address: Complaints@metropolitansecurity.com.lb