Investigation meeting?

stripeyzebra19

Hi a friend of mine is going through the stressful time of being suspending from work after a false allegation and i just have a quick question about what happens next.

He has already attended an "investigation meeting" is this different to a disciplinary hearing or the same thing? Just trying to find out what the next stage is and what to expect next.

Many thanks

oldernonethewiser

An investigation meeting is meeting where investigation is done into the alleged issue.

After the investigation the company then decide how to proceed.

stripeyzebra19

So just to clarify a disciplinary hearing is a separate meeting and could yet be to follow?

TELLIT01

Investigation meeting is purely to gather information pertaining to the alleged incident. Any disciplinary meeting would be as a result of what is discovered during the 'evidence gather'.

nicechap

stripeyzebra19 wrote: »

Hi a friend of mine is going through the stressful time of being suspending from work after a false allegation and i just have a quick question about what happens next.

He has already attended an "investigation meeting" is this different to a disciplinary hearing or the same thing? Just trying to find out what the next stage is and what to expect next.

Many thanks

Your friend should get hold of a copy of the company disciplinary policy and become very acquainted with it.

Investigation meeting(s) are just that, to investigate whether there is any evidence to substantiate the allegation.

The investigator can interview as many people as they deem appropriate and look at any documents. email, video, social media as appropriate.

If there is no evidence, the investigation stops there.

If there is, a disciplinary meeting is held where the evidence is put to your friend and they have the opportunity to respond/ explain. Generally, they also get forewarned of the range of sanctions that are open to the company for the allegation, and their right to be accompanied by a union rep/ colleague. Its also common for the person being investigated to be told not to discuss the allegation or investigation with anyone (such as yourself).

TELLIT01

Many years ago I got caught up in a situation like that and didn't even realise I had supposedly been suspended. I was supposed to be working a night shift and got a call about 4pm simply saying don't come in tonight, we need to have a meeting tomorrow morning. Happy to escape a night shift I readily agreed and wandered in the next morning for the meeting. At this stage I simply thought it was a staff meeting of some sort where everybody needed to be told something at the same time. It was only when I walked into the room occupied by an HR manager, my own manager and another person I didn't even recognise, that I started to wonder what was going on.
What was 'going on' was a very serious allegation against me! It must have been very clear from my reaction that I didn't know anything about it. The person who had made the allegation, and I have no idea to this day why they would say what they had, was never seen on the premises again.

stripeyzebra19

Thank you for sharing your experience TELLIT. I am very glad the person who made the allegation against you was dismissed. My friend has received a letter today which has invited him for "a further meeting to discuss the outcome of the company's investigation". Letter entitled outcome meeting. Does anyone know if this means this will be a disciplinary hearing or something less formal?

Savvy_Sue

If it's a disciplinary, the letter should also say what action might be taken, eg verbal warning, written warning, dismissal. And if it's a disciplinary, the letter should state that they have the right to be accompanied by a colleague or union rep.

antonic

I have been through this and this is how it went for me
1) Received allegation letter of complaint of gross misconduct
2) 2 months later full tape recorded interview (like you see in police TV shows) with 2 interviewers and my Trade Union rep to conduct an investigation meeting
3) 2 months later told there was a case to answer and had been referred to a decision make
4) 3 months later told that complaint was not upheld but the complainant then exercised their right to appeal and have the case reviewed independently
5) 5 months later told that complainant had accepted a financial settlement and withdrawn their appeal and there was no case for me to answer.
All in all a stressful 12 months for me as I could have been sacked for Gross Misconduct.
As for the person who made the complaint ? - not bothered about them as I still had a job !