If you have been asked to go to a disciplinary or dismissal meeting, there are a few things you should do beforehand to make sure you are as well prepared for it as you can be.
Tip one:
Make sure that you have your bundle of documents ready. This means whatever evidence that you intend to lead at your disciplinary hearing. Emails, screenshots of WhatsApp messages, any kind of documentary evidence. You need to make sure that you have a bundle for yourself, a bundle for the employer and a bundle for the chairperson and maybe even a bundle for the witness. These bundles of documents must be paginated – meaning you write a chronological number from one on the first page until the last page.
If your disciplinary hearing is being held electronically then you scan these bundles of documents and make sure that it’s available to be presented when you are leading your case.
Tip Two:
Prepare your opening statement. Make sure that your case is summarized. You know your defences and you know the essence of your case.
An opening statement should include :
- A brief summary of the case
- Reference to any facts that are not in dispute
- The issues that are in dispute
- What must be decided by the Chairman
- How you intend to demonstrate your case through your evidence
- What result you are seeking
Tip Three:
If you have any witnesses make sure that they are ready to testify.
How do you get witnesses to testify to discipline the hearing?
You make a request to the employer before the disciplinary hearing. You advise your superior or HR or the owner of the company that your hearing is scheduled for a particular date and you require the following witnesses to come and testify. Provide the names of the witnesses.
Oftentimes, only during the disciplinary hearing when evidence is led by the company, then only would you know which witnesses to call, and not beforehand. At this point, make a formal request for your postponement and tell the chairperson that you cannot proceed because you require the following witnesses and state your reasons why.
Tip Four:
Make sure you arrive at the disciplinary hearing early. This is important because it will calm your nerves and you’ll be much more centred and focused. If you’re going to go late because you don’t want to be around the employer, you’re going to end up being late for the hearing. That’s going to make you flustered and you’re not going to be in the right frame of mind.
Tip Five:
When you walk into the room or if you are having the hearing digitally, it is important to greet all the parties with a smile and confidence. This is important because you want to be unprofessional. You want to show that you are a professional person for how the process is being held.
Tip Six:
Make sure that you make detailed written notes about the disciplinary hearing. You must know exactly what the witnesses are testifying against you and the best way to do this is to write down notes in detail. These notes will be very valuable if you do take your case to the CCMA. You or your lawyer can use those notes to cross-examine the witnesses if their story changes. Record the disciplinary hearing on your cell phone. This is important so that you can hear the witness testimony, and this will be very valuable when you meet your lawyer for the CCMA.
When you are invited to a disciplinary hearing, it can feel like the whole world is against you. But you are not powerless. These tips can help you prepare for your disciplinary hearing
