How to take effective disciplinary minutes
Got a disciplinary hearing meeting scheduled and worried about how to take minutes? We get it, there’s a lot to consider – what’s being said during the meeting? What question will you ask next? How will you keep an accurate record of everything that is discussed?
Sounds overwhelming doesn’t it? Well, you’ll be pleased to know that we can help. Emma McGrath, one of our Employment Law Team Managers, has taken an in-depth look at what makes a good set of disciplinary hearing minutes in this exclusive webinar.
We’ve also taken some of the key points from the webinar to provide you with a handy reference point for future use. Don’t worry, you can thank us later.
Why do disciplinary hearing minutes matter?
Good-quality disciplinary meeting minutes are vital to the overall outcome. Imagine a scenario where minutes are inaccurate or vague or, even worse, if none were taken at all.
Aside from being ill-prepared, it could also make or break the outcome of a potential appeal or tribunal. Good minutes serve as a key piece of evidence that piece together any case.
Disciplinary meeting minutes give you:
- a clear and accurate record of what happened in the meeting
- good evidence of the discussion
- proof of appropriate treatment of the employee
- detail of what procedures took place
- evidence of the fairness of any decisions
- a good reference point for you and your employee to refer to in any future discussions.
Key disciplinary hearing procedural points
Legally, there are several statutory requirements that you need to consider during the disciplinary meeting. Good minutes will help make sure these points were met, which include:
- The employees’ right to be accompanied.
- The purpose and potential consequences of the meeting were communicated clearly to the employee.
- No advance decision was made by the chair of the hearing.
- Full details of the case brought against the employee.
- Confirmation the employee was allowed to ask questions and explain their version of events.
Choosing a suitable note-taker
Deciding who takes the meeting notes should be totally impartial. Anybody with prior knowledge or involvement in the details of the reasons for disciplinary should be discounted. You don’t want to jeopardise the neutrality of any potential case.
Sometimes, we get clients asking us for our advice on who should take the minutes if they are struggling to find a suitable note-taker. You can choose to record a disciplinary hearing if all parties agree and full consent is given.
Benefit from our HR & Employment Law package
Disciplinary hearing minutes aren’t easy, and it’s important to get them just right. And, with our guidance, you can do just that.
By partnering with Citation, you can benefit from our HR & Employment law package, which gives you access to all of these perks:
- 24/7 HR advice
- Advice guarantee to protect you against any employment tribunal claims
- HR documentation and management all in one handy digital platform – we call it Atlas.
So, speak to us today to discuss all this and more.
For further reading on what to expect in disciplinary hearings, why not take a peek at our helpful articles below?
Common disciplinary procedure mistakes
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