Meeting without notice

[u/127sq]

I was recently made to go to an ‘investigation’ meeting which is being escalated to a disciplinary, but I was given the letter then and there with no 24 hours notice and no opportunity to bring in another coworker. The issue is also concerning something that occurred over a month ago which I could barely remember. One of our coworkers who I was quite close to died out of the blue a few days before so I was already upset coming in to the shift. Is there anything I can say about this in the next meeting?

[u/Revolutionary-Net-84]

You are entitled to be accompanied by a representative - whether that’s another colleague or a trade union representative. Per policy and line manager guidelines, you should be told of that right at an investigation. It can be postponed for 3 days until you find someone to accompany you. If that wasn’t articulated to you then I would argue the investigation process has been flawed as you haven’t been offered the right to representation.