All employees have the statutory right to be accompanied to a disciplinary hearing. But what if someone selects a companion who has behaved badly at a previous hearing? Can you refuse their choice?
Published 15.01.2016
An employee who’s facing disciplinary proceedings has selected a colleague to be their workplace companion at the forthcoming disciplinary hearing. The trouble is this person is known to be a gossip.
How can you protect everyone’s confidentiality?
Published 10.02.2020
An employee has informed you that they’ve asked a friend who is a trade union rep to accompany them to a disciplinary hearing. However, you don’t recognise trade unions in your workplace. Must you
accept their choice of companion?
Published 01.07.2021
Let’s suppose that an employee has elected to bring a workplace companion with them into a disciplinary hearing. Can you object if you think their choice is unreasonable? What’s the latest ruling on
this issue?
Published 09.10.2013
An employee is the subject of disciplinary proceedings and wants to bring a companion to the hearing. You don’t recognise any trade unions, yet they’ve chosen a trade union rep to accompany them. Can
you object to this?
Published 27.04.2012
An employee has the right to be accompanied by a workplace companion to a disciplinary hearing. But what’s the situation if their companion can’t make the hearing date that you’ve set. Must you
reschedule?
Published 14.06.2022
You need to discipline a younger member of staff and have notified them about the hearing. Trouble is, their mum also works for you and they’ve nominated her as their workplace representative! Can
you object to their choice?
Published 28.09.2009
You need to hold an investigatory meeting with an employee to determine whether formal disciplinary proceedings are appropriate. Does the employee have the right to be accompanied during this
investigatory meeting?
Published 10.03.2016
An employer must pay an employee over £1,500 in compensation after it barred his chosen workplace companion from two meetings. This was despite the fact the companion had been rude and aggressive.
What do you need to know?
Published 15.05.2023
You have concerns about an employee and believe the situation requires a disciplinary investigation. If you begin this process, must you inform the employee or can it be concealed from them?
Published 03.07.2017