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”.

No disciplinary action should be instigated at an investigatory meeting. There should be a clear separation between the two stages. Although there is no right to be accompanied to an investigation meeting, the employer’s own procedure may provide for this right. 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.