My friend who works in HR has asked me to ask for advice for following. She has picked up work emails from home and now needs advice for first thing tomorrow morning.See below

We have a problem where we were going to sack someone from our nursery for gross misconduct. (They aren’t actual employees of our school but we agree to help them as they are run by a committee and are not for profit organisation).

Anyway, they held a disciplinary meeting it was the manager that was being disciplined and she was told that she could be offered a less responsible position or face the sack. She declined the other post and accepted the ‘charge’ of gross misconduct. This was all minuted and she was told of her right to appeal etc.

She didn’t appeal within the specified time frame but tried to afterwards even though she admitted the gross misconduct. We didn’t allow the appeal as it was past the designated time frame we’d stipulated. I’ve just picked up my work emails and it appears her husband has gone round to the chair of the committees house with a grievance letter (bearing in mind her employment should be terminated at the end of the month).

I’ve obviously not seen the letter yet but the chair of the committee is coming in to see me for advice first thing in morning.

I basically need to know if she is able to raise a grievance now, after accepting gross misconduct and failing to appeal in the time frame we allowed? If so what do we have to do?

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks

Rachel