Complaint About Manager Favoritism

When and how to use this letter

File this complaint when you can describe a repeated pattern with concrete examples, not just a feeling of being overlooked. Favoritism complaints are persuasive when they compare outcomes: who got the project, the promotion, or the bonus, and what the performance data says. Gather your reviews, targets, and any written criteria for the decisions in question.

Send the complaint to HR, not to the manager you are complaining about. Keep it factual and avoid accusing your manager of personal motives you cannot prove; describe the pattern and its impact, and ask for a review of the process. Request confidentiality in writing.

HR may audit recent decisions or speak with team members. Cooperate fully and keep your own notes of every meeting. Be prepared for the possibility that some decisions had legitimate reasons you were unaware of; a fair process is the goal, not necessarily a reversed decision.

One non-obvious tip: ask HR whether promotion and allocation criteria are documented and published. If they are not, your complaint can push the company to create transparent criteria, which protects you and your colleagues permanently. Vague, undocumented criteria are where favoritism thrives, so making the process visible is often the most valuable outcome you can win.

Frequently asked questions

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