Employees and Disciplinary Hearings

A standard employment contract says that an employee can be accompanied to a Disciplinary Hearing by a colleague from work or Trade Union official, but not a lawyer.

Employers should now be very wary of implementing this, and refusing legal representation, especially where a career is at stake.

Doctors who are members of the Medical Protection Society (their Defence Union) may send a legal representative to the hearing, however, therefore it must apply to all doctors.

Any employee faced with disciplinary proceedings should ask for legal representation.

At present employers may well refuse, which could stand the employee in very good stead on a legal challenge.

Faced with such a challenge the employers will probably pay up, as the cheaper option.