Who can accompany you to a disciplinary meeting

Summary

You don’t have the right to be accompanied to either: * an initial meeting where your employer tries to find out what happened Even though you don’t have a legal right to be accompanied, you can ask your employer to let you bring someone with you - but they don’t have to agree to it. If you’re asked to go to a disciplinary meeting, you have the right to be accompanied by: You don't usually have a right to bring anyone else. You can ask your employer if someone else can accompany you, but they don't have to agree to this. They might have a policy of allowing a wider range of people to come with you. The person who comes with you is called your ‘companion’. You should also check your contract and your employer's procedure on disciplinary meetings, as these say who you're allowed to bring with you. Your employer has to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate your disability. It could be a reasonable adjustment for your employer to allow someone else to accompany you, such as your carer. You don’t need to be a member of a trade union. You can ask an official from any trade union to come with you. The union doesn't have to be recognised by your employer. You must ask your employer.

Key information

• an informal chat with your employer
• an initial meeting where your employer tries to find out what happened
• a trade union representative
• an official employed by a trade union
• talk things over with you during the hearing
• when everyone involved is usually at work and available
• within 5 working days of when the meeting was originally due to take place
• an initial meeting where your employer tries to find out what happened
• Even though you don’t have a legal right to be accompanied, you can ask your employer to let you bring someone with you - but they don’t have to agree to it.
• If you’re asked to go to a disciplinary meeting, you have the right to be accompanied by:
• You don't usually have a right to bring anyone else. You can ask your employer if someone else can accompany you, but they don't have to agree to this. They might have a policy of allowing a wider range of people to come with you.
• You should also check your contract and your employer's procedure on disciplinary meetings, as these say who you're allowed to bring with you.

Practical guidance

• Source: Who can accompany you to a disciplinary meeting

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