How to take notes in a disciplinary hearing: UK guide

Why the notes matter

The notes are often the main record of what happened at a hearing. They may be read again by the decision maker, at an appeal and, if a claim follows, by an employment tribunal.

Acas advises keeping a written record of each disciplinary case, including notes of any formal meetings. The notes should show what was put to the employee and how they replied.

Who should take the notes

The Acas guide suggests that, where possible, someone not involved in the case takes the note. Avoid using the investigator, a witness or anyone with a stake in the outcome.

The person chairing the hearing should not also take the main notes. Chairing, questioning and writing a full note at the same time is difficult, and gaps are likely.

The employee’s companion may take their own notes, and Acas guidance says they must be allowed to. Those notes are separate from your record.

Before the hearing

Give the note taker:

the invitation letter, with the allegations as written
a list of attendees, with names and roles
the evidence pack, with document references
any names, terms or abbreviations likely to come up

Agree in advance whether the notes will be a summary or closer to verbatim, and when the draft is due.

What to record

A complete set of hearing notes covers:

the date, location or platform, and start and end times
everyone present, with their role
confirmation of the right to be accompanied, and whether the employee brought a companion
any reasonable adjustments agreed
each allegation as it was put to the employee
the evidence referred to, with document references
the employee’s response to each allegation
the questions asked and the answers given, with who said what
points made by the companion
adjournments, with the reason and the times out and back in
any new matters that need further investigation
the summing up
next steps and how the outcome will be communicated

The Acas guide suggests adjourning before deciding whether a penalty is appropriate. The decision therefore often follows in writing. If an outcome is given at the hearing, record it, the reasons given and any right of appeal explained.

Neutrality

Record what was said and done, not your view of it. Words such as "aggressive" or "evasive" are judgments, not observations. If conduct in the room matters, describe it plainly, for example "the employee left the room at 11:05".

Note the questions as well as the answers. An answer often makes sense only alongside the question that prompted it.

Verbatim or summary notes

There is no legal requirement for verbatim notes, and most hearing notes are a summary. A summary should still show the substance of each question and answer, in the order they came.

Some passages are worth noting word for word. Examples include an admission, a denial or the exact wording of an allegation as it was put. Mark these as direct quotes so that a reader can tell them apart from paraphrase.

If you need a fuller record, consider a note taker who can capture speech verbatim, or an agreed recording with a transcript. The guide can you record a disciplinary or grievance meeting covers the points to settle first.

Timestamps

Note the time at the start and end, at each adjournment and whenever anyone joins or leaves. A time at the start of each allegation also helps a reader find their way.

If the hearing is recorded, timestamps let a reader find a passage in the recording quickly.

Typing up and checking

Type up the notes as soon as you can, while memory is fresh. Keep any handwritten originals until the typed version is final.

Ask the chair to check the draft for accuracy. Corrections should fix errors of fact, not change what was said or make it read better.

Agreeing and correcting notes

Practice varies. Acas guidance on grievance meetings suggests asking the employee to confirm the notes are accurate. Some employment lawyers advise against trying to agree a single set of notes, and suggest attaching any points the employee disputes instead.

Whichever approach you take:

give the employee a clear deadline for comments
keep the first version unchanged
record any corrections you accept in a new, dated version
attach points you do not accept rather than deleting them
keep the employee’s comments with the record

If a claim reaches a tribunal, the tribunal will reach its own view of what happened. A clear trail of versions and comments helps it do so.

Sharing the notes with the employee

The Acas guide says copies of meeting records should be given to the employee. It adds that you might withhold some information in certain circumstances, for example to protect a witness. If you withhold anything, record what and why.

Send the notes promptly, so the employee can check them while the hearing is fresh. This also helps if they decide to appeal.

Retention and security

Disciplinary records contain personal data. Acas says they should be kept confidential and for no longer than necessary. The ICO suggests setting retention periods by type of record rather than one period for everything.

Store the notes where only authorised people can reach them. The employee can ask for a copy through a subject access request, which you must normally answer within one month. For requests received since 5 February 2026, the month is paused while you wait for information you reasonably need to answer, such as clarification of what is being asked for.

Using a template

A template helps you capture the same core details at every hearing. The disciplinary hearing notes template is a simple record form: who was present, a numbered line for each contribution, the start and end times, and a signed statement from the note taker.

If you would rather have an independent note taker type the notes live during the hearing, see live note taking.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Check the current Acas Code and your own procedure, and take advice on a specific case.

How to take notes in a disciplinary hearing