Disciplinary and Grievance hearings: should they be independently transcribed?

Although it is not a legal requirement for an employer to make an audio recording of disciplinary and grievance hearings it seems more and more businesses are proactively choosing to take this route.

With the agreement of all parties disciplinary and grievance proceedings are being recorded so that the recording can then be sent to an independent professional transcription services provider for transcription.

The foreword to the Acas Code of Practice (PDF) advises employers to keep a written record of any disciplinary or grievance cases they deal with including notes of any formal meetings.

However, making an audio recording of disciplinary and grievance hearings and any formal meetings for transcription by an independent transcription services provider is advantageous because it provides a full, complete and impartial record, both by way of the recording and a full transcript, of everything that is said.

This independently transcribed transcript can then be shared with the employee, so both the employer and the employee have a full and complete record of the proceedings.

By choosing an independent transcription services provider to transcribe the disciplinary and grievance proceedings rather than doing the transcription in house ensures that there is no question of a conflict of interest.

It seems that employers are now seeing the benefits of making audio recordings of their disciplinary and grievance cases for transcription by an independent transcription services provider, as producing full and independent transcripts of all proceedings to be shared with employees also promotes a greater degree of fairness and transparency within organisations.

Benefits of recording disciplinary and grievance hearings and using an independent transcription services provider :

• a full and complete record of all proceedings

• an independently transcribed transcript ensures no conflict of interest

• promotes a greater degree of fairness and transparency within organisations

• employers and employees know exactly what was or wasn’t said  

KATTS professional transcription services provides a fully independent, confidential and impartial transcription of disciplinary and grievance hearings, investigatory meetings and appeal hearings at reasonable rates. Contact KATTS for a quotation and then send your audio recording to KATTS here for transcription. The completed transcript will be sent to you via email attachment.

Here are some useful links which provide information relating to disciplinary and grievance cases: 

Business Link: Holding a formal disciplinary hearing 

Discipline and grievances at work: The Acas guide

Do you think disciplinary and grievance hearings should be independently transcribed? Please leave your comments.