The Role of the Companion during the Disciplinary and Grievance Process

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3. Who can be a companion?

The companion may be:

  • a work colleague.
  • an official employed by a trade union.
  • a workplace trade union representative, as long as they have been reasonably certified in writing by their union as having experience of, or having received training in, acting as a worker’s companion at disciplinary or grievance hearings. Certification may take the form of a card or letter.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, only one companion will be allowed at a hearing.

Employees may ask an official from any trade union to accompany them at a disciplinary or grievance hearing, regardless of whether the union is recognised or not.  However, where a union is recognised in a workplace, it is good practice for employees to ask an official from that union to accompany them. 

Work colleagues or trade union officials do not have to accept a request to accompany an employee, and they should not be pressurised to do so.