I have a disciplinary meeting - what do I need to know before I attend?
- Anne-Marie Dolan
- Aug 25
- 5 min read
Facing a disciplinary meeting can feel daunting, especially as it can feel like your career could be on the line. Understanding the ins and outs of disciplinary meetings and being prepared for the questions and processes you will face can help ease your concerns. An advocate can help to explain what happens, and put you in the right frame of mind for a successful outcome. With the right tools and insights, and an advocate on your side, you can approach your disciplinary meeting with confidence and clarity.
What Is a Disciplinary Meeting?
A Disciplinary Meeting is a formal meeting at your workplace where concerns or complaints about your conduct or performance are raised. The employer will discuss what went wrong and you’ll have a chance to explain your side of the story. A disciplinary meeting can impact your job with this employer and future employment opportunities. It might lead to warnings, training, or serious consequences such as dismissal. So understanding your rights and preparing well can make a big difference.
There are a number of key steps to setting your self up for a successful outcome from your disciplinary meeting.
Check Your Employment Agreement & Workplace Policies
One of the first things to do before the meeting is to gather together your employment contract, your workplace’s disciplinary policy or staff handbook if these exist, and any communications about the issue (emails, texts, letters). Important things to look out for include:
How much notice must they give you before the meeting? In many workplaces, they need to give you “reasonable notice” and tell you what the meeting is about.
Who will attend the meeting? Often, it’s a manager and someone from HR.
Your rights during the process: can you bring someone along? Is there a stated right to representation?
If there’s no clear policy, your employer still must act “fairly and reasonably.”
Understand Your Rights
It's also good to get an understanding of what you are entitled to under New Zealand employment law. This includes:
Knowing what the allegations are before the meeting and any evidence that has been collected.
Being given a fair chance to respond - both time and opportunity.
Being allowed to bring a support person - this could be a union rep, a friend, family member, or even a lawyer or employment advocate.
Access to records - you have the right to request copies of notes or materials used in the meeting.
Prepare Your Case
You should begin by writing down your version of events in clear, simple language - what happened, when, and why. Include details of who was there and witnessed what is being alleged. Also provide details of any misunderstandings or context that matters.
The next step is to collect materials supporting your version of events including emails, messages, time sheets, work records and anything else that shows your viewpoint fairly.
Plan what you want to say at the meeting. Prepare yourself to be calm and factual, acknowledging any mistakes you may have made honestly and explain their context. Come up with and propose potential positive solutions and outcomes i.e. the opportunity for training, extra support, or clearer expectations to prevent the situation recurring. You might like to put together some questions to ask such as:
“Can you show me the evidence supporting the allegations?”
“What remedies or solutions are you considering?”
“What is the timeline for a decision after the meeting?”
Invite a Support Person
You are allowed to bring someone with you to a Disciplinary Meeting. That might be a union representative (if applicable), an employment advocate (who can help prepare your case ahead of the meeting), or a friend or family member who can help keep you calm and support you during the meeting.
If you choose to engage an employment advocate, their role is to:
knows your rights under NZ employment law,
help you prepare what to say and review evidence,
attend the meeting with you as your representative, and
follow up afterwards making sure any written record or outcome is fair.
Our advocates believe having a caring and considerate representative allows you to ensure your message is heard but the emotion is removed. They can present things with knowledge and passion but not in an overly personal style, helping keep focus on what’s important.
If you choose to engage an advocate, contact them early - as soon as you are aware of the meeting and, where possible, at least a few days before the meeting. You can then share any documents and other evidence with them so they can help you prepare.
Attend the Meeting
A common structure for a disciplinary meeting is as follows:
Opening - an outline of the purpose of the meeting.
Presenting the concerns - details of what the allegations or what’s gone wrong.
Your chance to respond - your opportunity to present your side of the story.
Closing - what will happen next and when i.e. time to consider the information or further investigation.
During the meeting you should stay calm and respectful, listen closely to what is being said, take notes or ask if you can record with permission, speak clearly and truthfully when explaining your side and ask questions if anything is unclear.
One of our advocates recalled attending a recent disciplinary meeting with a client who wanted to talk at length about how they felt. By being there as an advocate they were somewhat removed from the emotion of the allegations and were able to help the client focus on what was important to share.
Follow up after the Meeting
Once the meeting is over, make notes of how it went, who said what, and what the next steps are. Ask for a copy of any written documentation or record of the meeting. Request a timeline of when a decision or response will be made? Follow up promptly with anything you have been asked to provide.
If you believe the process wasn’t fair, use your workplace’s internal process first to appeal or raise a grievance. Your advocate will be able to help you with these processes.
A disciplinary meeting doesn’t have to feel threatening. If you prepare, understand your rights, and, when needed, get help from an employment advocate, you can face it with confidence. To discuss your disciplinary meeting with an expert, call for a free consultation. mathewswalker.co.nz | 0800 612 355
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. While we strive to keep the information accurate and up to date, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the blog or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the blog for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. For specific legal advice tailored to your situation, please contact a qualified legal professional.
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