As an employment solicitor advising employers, I have seen a noticeable shift in the way workplace grievances are being raised. Increasingly, employees are using AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot to draft grievances, appeal letters and Employment Tribunal claims. While these tools can help employees articulate concerns more clearly, they are also creating new challenges for employers, HR teams and workplace investigators.   

The issue is not the use of AI itself. Most employers are already embracing AI within their businesses and recognise the benefits it can bring. The challenge is that AI is often transforming relatively straightforward workplace concerns into lengthy, legalistic and highly contentious disputes.   

Grievances aren’t a new concept but generally a ‘standard’ grievance might have centred on a disagreement with a manager, concerns about workload or dissatisfaction with a workplace decision. Today, employers are increasingly receiving grievances containing references to discrimination, victimisation, harassment, constructive dismissal, psychological safety and breaches of trust and confidence. These grievances can resemble legal arguments rather than workplace concerns requiring practical resolution.  

One of the most significant risks is what I would describe as “issue expansion”. An employee may input a relatively simple concern into an AI platform and ask whether they have been treated unfairly. The AI tool may then suggest a range of potential legal arguments or causes of action. As a result, a disagreement about management style or communication can quickly develop into allegations of bullying, discrimination or whistleblowing detriment. In many cases, the scope of the grievance becomes considerably broader than the issue that originally arose.   

This can create difficulties for employers attempting to resolve issues at an early stage. AI generated complaints frequently contain a mixture of factual concerns, legal terminology and speculative allegations. Whilst an employer may ultimately find that many of the allegations are unsupported, each material concern still requires proper consideration. The result is often longer investigations, increased management time and higher legal costs.   

Another concern is that AI can unintentionally make disputes more adversarial. Many workplace issues are capable of being resolved through discussion, mediation or informal intervention. However, where an employee has relied heavily on AI-generated content, they may approach the process believing they have identified multiple legal breaches. This can lead to entrenched positions, unrealistic expectations and reduced willingness to engage in compromise or early resolution. Sadly, this can often distract from other people related matters as resourcing is tricky.  

The impact is also being felt within the Employment Tribunal system. Employees are increasingly using AI to assist in preparing ET1 claims, witness statements and legal submissions. Whilst this undoubtedly improves access to information, it can also result in claims becoming longer, more complicated and more time-consuming to manage. Peers are reporting an increase in AI assisted claims that require significant time to narrow down to the core issues in dispute.   

This comes against the backdrop of an already overloaded Employment Tribunal system. Recent statistics show increasing Employment Tribunal caseloads and significant backlogs. The Law Society reported that open single Employment Tribunal cases increased from approximately 45,000 in March 2025 to 64,000 in March 2026, representing a 42% increase. Whilst AI is not solely responsible for these pressures, it is contributing to the growing complexity of workplace disputes entering the system.   

So what should employers be doing when faced with an AI generated grievance? 

• Focus on identifying the core workplace issue as early as possible. 

• Meet with employees to clarify the specific concerns requiring investigation. 

• Distinguish factual allegations from legal arguments and AI-generated commentary. 

• Train managers and HR teams to recognise how AI can widen and escalate disputes. 

• Maintain a strong focus on informal resolution wherever appropriate. 

• Recognise that AI generated grievances can be a good tool for employees who have struggled to put into words their concerns. 

• Keep investigations proportionate and evidence based. 

• Ensure comprehensive records are maintained throughout the grievance process. 

• Review grievance procedures to ensure they remain fit for purpose in an era of AI-assisted complaints. 

• Seek early legal advice where allegations become unnecessarily broad or raise multiple areas of legal risk. 

• Offer mediation as an alternative to the formal grievance process.  

AI is here to stay and can be a useful tool when used appropriately. However, employers should be aware that it is increasingly driving more complex, expansive and contentious workplace grievances. The most successful organisations will be those that remain focused on the facts, encourage constructive dialogue and avoid being drawn into responding to every piece of AI-generated legal rhetoric. By taking a pragmatic and proportionate approach, employers can continue to resolve genuine workplace concerns whilst managing the growing challenges that AI is creating in the employment relations landscape.