Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing

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Our Guide to Chairing a Disciplinary Hearing ensures confident and fair hearings, helping managers navigate disciplinary processes effectively.

Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing
2026 Reviewed

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Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing

Introductions

The person leading the hearing (the chair) will introduce the hearing, and explain its purpose and how it will be conducted. The purpose of the hearing will normally be to establish the facts and determine, on conclusion of the hearing, whether the organisation has proper grounds to take disciplinary action against the employee and, if so, the level of such disciplinary action.

The parties present at the hearing will introduce themselves and confirm their respective roles in the hearing.

The chair will state that the hearing is being conducted as part of the organisation's disciplinary procedure, and confirm that a written record of the hearing will be made.

Witnesses

The chair will state whether any witnesses have been asked to give evidence at the hearing, and if so, who they are.

The right to be accompanied

The employee will be entitled to be accompanied, if he/she wishes, by a fellow worker or trade union official of his/her choice.

Background

The chair will explain fully the organisation's case, i.e. the employee's alleged or suspected misconduct or other circumstance leading to the possibility of disciplinary action being taken against him/her. All the relevant facts will be put to the employee, with specific examples of relevant incidents being given where possible.

Evidence

Where evidence has been obtained from third parties in the form of written statements, either the statements themselves or a summary of their content

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£9.99
Specifications
Access 12 months, with updates
Length 2 pages • 587 words
Jurisdiction England, Wales, Scotland
Based on UK law, ACAS guidance
Last review 01/09/2026
Next review 01/03/2027
Delivery Instant digital delivery
Formats .doc · .pdf · .txt · email

What is a managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing?

Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing preview

This guide provides a framework to help an employer navigate the considerations that must be addressed when chairing a disciplinary hearing.

A competent and well-run disciplinary hearing is essential for any reasonable misconduct dismissal.

As such, anybody tasked with chairing a disciplinary hearing must ensure that the hearing is handled in a fair way.

HR considerations

UK employment law and best practice

This template is designed to support the process, but the document should be used alongside the relevant HR procedure and applied to the circumstances of the individual case.

  • Employment Rights Act 1996: Provides guidelines on conducting fair disciplinary hearings and ensuring employees' right to be heard.

  • Equality Act 2010: Ensures equal treatment during disciplinary processes, preventing discrimination based on protected characteristics.

  • ACAS Code of Practice on Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures: Offers best practices for handling disciplinary hearings and promoting procedural fairness.

  • Data Protection Act 2018: Ensures proper handling and privacy of employee data during disciplinary hearings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this in my small business?

Yes. This template has been designed for organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and growing employers. It follows UK employment law best practice and can be adapted to suit your organisation.

Is it compliant with 2026 UK employment law?

Our templates are developed with UK employment legislation, Acas guidance and HR best practice in mind and are reviewed and updated as relevant requirements change. However, every employment situation is different, so the template should be adapted to the circumstances and checked against the employee's contract and your organisation's procedures before use.

Can I customise it for my organisation?

Yes, we highlight the areas of the document that you need to update with your own details, and where you need to make decisions to suit your situation. This saves you time and ensures that you meet best practice.

Do I get instant access to it?

Yes. Once purchased, you'll be able to download it instantly. Templates are provided in editable format (such as .doc or .xls) so you can customise them easily, and in PDF format for easy sharing.

What if I need more help, not just this template?

If you're looking for broader support, we also offer toolkits and library bundles that include the Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing, along with other HR templates and policies for fully managing your situation. These may be more cost-effective if you need deeper advice.

Why should I use this Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing, and not AI to generate it?

AI can produce a document quickly, but effective HR documentation needs to be more than well-written words. It needs to reflect relevant UK employment law, HR best practice, practical considerations and the circumstances in which it will be used. These resources have been professionally developed around that wider HR context, drawing on extensive practical experience, rather than simply generating a generic document from a prompt.

How this content is developed and reviewed

The Managers guide to chairing a disciplinary hearing is developed using a practical HR methodology that considers current UK employment legislation, ACAS guidance, CIPD good practice and the real-world HR process it supports. Templates and supporting information are regularly reviewed and updated, with additional reviews triggered by significant changes to legislation, guidance or established HR practice, helping ensure each document remains practical, relevant and suitable for UK employers.

About the author

Darryl Horn, Chartered HR Director

Darryl is a Chartered HR professional with over 25 years' experience in senior HR and employee relations roles.

He has extensive practical experience of managing disciplinary HR processes and founded hrdocbox to provide businesses with practical, professionally developed HR resources grounded in UK employment law and best practice.

HRDocBox has been creating practical UK HR documents since 2009.

Executive recommendation

"Darryl provides support and advice with excellent judgement, and has a strong understanding of people, policies and UK employment legislation."

"He is someone I trust; consistent, dependable, and committed to doing things properly."

RB
Ruth Brock Chief Executive Officer The Hygiene Bank
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