Disciplinary ? Advice please.

[Wookiee]

My future SIL has a meeting with her line manager and HR and has asked future wife to go along for support.

Future wife has asked if she is able to input or does she just have to sit there?

Cheers

Can't input but I think can ask for a break if she feels it's going the wrong way.

I was elected as a witness in a disciplinary for a colleague last year and had no verbal input, although I was allowed to take notes on their behalf. (They ended up leaving a few days later anyway as it was the straw that broke the camel's back for them!)

They have no obligation to allow her to attend unless she also works for the same employer.

They should clarify her role at the start but the usual approach is that she is there for support and cannot answer questions on his behalf.

In my organisation anyone can support but input can only come from person involved or union rep not sure that's true every where I think it's more to be witness as to what was said so the story can't be change.

HR person here.

If it's a formal meeting, an employee can be accompanied by a colleague or TU Rep.

If it's an informal meeting an employee has no right to be accompanied (although some employers would allow a colleague or TU Rep to attend provided it doesn't unduly delay the meeting).

I would never consider anyone but a colleague or TU Rep to attend a work meeting unless it is as a 'reasonable adjustment' to support a disabled employee e.g. I once met with an employee and her sister as employee had had a stroke and found it hard to remember things and had difficulty communicating, sister advocated for her.

Is your SIL sure she is allowed to take her future wife? What did the letter inviting her to attend the meeting specify?

She cannot input or speak on your SILs behalf, but she can confer with her.

In other words, if a question is directed at your SIL, she can confer/chat briefly with her to formulate the answer. Your SIL would be the person to give the response

Assuming the employer has ok'd this, and is allowing the future wife to have the same role as a TU rep/colleague in the hearing, she is allowed to make a statement on the employee's behalf, respond to a view expressed in the meeting, sum up on her behalf. But she cannot respond to a question directed at the employee.

But make sure she is being allowed to attend, as this would be very unusual.