Ending the investigation


At the end of the investigation, the investigator should make a recommendation to the employer as to whether or not the facts reveal a “case to answer”. That recommendation should be capable of being justified by the supporting evidence. 


No disciplinary action should be instigated at an investigatory meeting. There should be a clear separation between the two stages. There is a right to be accompanied at the disciplinary hearing (see Chapter 8).


A disciplinary hearing should not automatically follow on from an investigation, but in reality it frequently does.