Formal disciplinary meetings - opening the meeting

.  Opening the meeting

Key learning points:

Present at the meeting will be:

• the manager
• a note taker
• the investigating manager
• the employee
• the employee's representative (if they choose to be accompanied)

• It is important that everyone knows their role at the meeting. 
• The manager needs to be clear that his/her role is to decide whether disciplinary action should be taken and, if so, what sanction is appropriate.
• Balance of probability - are allegations substantiated?
• The manager should check that the employee has received all the relevant paperwork and understands the allegations being made.  If the employee has additional paperwork or they haven't seen all the paperwork that the manager wishes to rely on, the meeting should be adjourned for a short while to allow everyone to get up to speed.
• It is a good idea to clarify at the outset the confidential nature of the meeting to all present.
• The manager should also check that the employee is aware that they are allowed to be accompanied.

[steeldriver]

I had one of these. I temporarily lost sight of the sane world, turned into a cubicle-a-saurus, hopped up on my desk and began screaming like a raptor.

[Davidpm]

This is a typical setting when they want you out. Nobody in that room is there to support the employee. HR is never there for you, they represent the company. Good luck Peter on your new adventures.

[ucheucheuche]

Peter should have corrected minutes at the end. They say Peter did not want to be accompanied. Peter should've corrected he wanted to be accompanied by his wife, but that isn't permitted.

[tommythelonelyboy]

it should be noted that employee statements should be on the table for all to view during discussion

[zephyrthewoderdog]

He wanted his wife present because she is the CEO of the company.

[dimelett]

Yup and he is alone in the meeting!!!
Never make this mistake people.
The dictated terms are also wrong. The representative can in multiple circumstances, answer questions on the employees behalf and even adjourn the meeting.
Infact if the company reps were to not recognise me as the employees representative I would immediately adjourn the meeting until such a time as they did.
If you go to any investigative or disciplinary meeting without representation, expect a very confrontational approach from the company, unlike anything you would experience when having representation with you.
Seriously, sometimes just having good representation with you can see the company reps piss themselves right then and there.
Never go in to these meetings alone. EVER!

[cheddercharles]

Excellent display of administering a reprimand!

[carmenandreetti]

Always go with a Union representative. Unite the union are the best and they can help you a lot in this hiring disciplinary. They know a lot about the law and they know your right and so they can defend you and actually put the company in silent, btw never trust HR, managers that work in the company, do not thing they are there to help you, they will always trying to talk to you in a nice way and ask you a lot of question to fishing for information, be really careful to do not increamenate yourself that why the best advise if to go in any kind of meeting accompanied with one Union representative, I done it and they had helped me a lot. Please don’t trust the company hr or managers that will be in this meetings cause they are employed by the company so they will only care about the company and not of you.

[sammyboogoeslive]

That man said he wanted his wife and then the man told the HR to write he did not want anyone!!! So bad hearings and contradictory, law needs to change or something to alllow a member of family to be present not everyone has a rep and a worker is too frightened to say any or do anyting its all for the employer and not the employee three against one man in that room disgusting

[munaasd]

I have been accused of certain allegations for which i have been suspended for until further notice. Given that i am on probationaty period i think they probably will dismiss me. However they haven't given me the exact allegations in writing but they did say it could be classed as harrassment and potentially gross misconduct. But i have completely denied the allegations and i have been in touch with my well being team, my GP and support officer. I haven't joined any union so the company will probably be rubbing their hands because i am an easy target for dismissal. However I have spoken to Acas so that I can get lawyers involved. Im just shocked, angry and upset that somebody can just openly accuse somebody of harrassment even though you keep everything professional. What will most likely happen to me, what are the steps and what should I do in this situation. Thanks.

[bensmusicworld]

What if the employee fails to attend the disciplinary hearing without a good reason?

[KimPhilby]

There is no legal obligation to keep proceedings confidential..

[Thahid]

Inhumane and degrading treatment. This is the old way of doing things. Old with the old, in with the new.

[Debtwarrior]

I love the way that even in this onstructionalvideo HR and the chair twist things.
He says 'i wanted to bringy wife but hr said no' which is factual.
Hr jump in 'we exaplained you could have.. Etc.
So.. He has explained he did wamt to be accompanied, but wasnt allowes to bring the persom he wamted.
Hes asked if hes happy go proceed without accompayment he says yes.
What dies the chair dictate is put in the notes is not 'he is happy to proceed without accompanymemt because hes not allowed to brimg the psrson he wanted.
Whats put in the notes is' he wished npt tobe accompamied.
Which is not a true statement.

Why are HR peiple obsessed with lying?

.

[Literallyarealhuman]

They are happy about it because it makes it harder for others to compete when they were just facing competition

[felixG]

This isn't how it went down when I got fired at Target 🤔

[gregorturner]

stupid comment. HR roles is to let the manager know what they legally can and cannot do not sit there silently. Because each country has different laws for the workplace and if management don't listen to HR it can cost the company. America might be stupidly lax in HR but here in australia for example we have fair work australia a federal agency who's role is determining and enforcing workplace rules, workers and employers rights and they have a very VERY big stick. because any court case involving business are held by them not by local, state or federal judge. big companies like 7-11 have been brought to heel a couple of times for underpaying staff and the fair work ombudsman is a help line that staff can call if they feel their company is not doing anything. other countries have similar laws so before meetings like this, learn your rights as an employee, always have a neutral observer and get written documentation of everything if there is a dispute.