Bringing someone to a meeting

When the right applies

Employees and workers have a legal right to be accompanied at formal disciplinary hearings, formal grievance hearings, and appeal hearings, if they make a reasonable request.

A grievance hearing counts when the complaint is about your employer’s duty to you under the law or your contract. Informal chats and investigation meetings are not covered, though employers often allow it.

Who you can bring

• A colleague.
• A trade union official employed by the union.
• A workplace union rep certified by the union as trained or experienced in accompanying workers.

Your employer can allow someone else, such as a family member, but does not have to. Nobody has to agree to come with you.

What your companion can do

They can put your case, sum it up, respond to any view expressed at the meeting, and talk with you privately during it. They do not have the right to answer questions for you.

If your companion cannot make the date

You can suggest another time. If it is reasonable and within five working days of the date your employer proposed, your employer must move the meeting to it.

Read next

• Disciplinary and investigation meetings
• Raising a grievance