Formal Meeting - Witness role - Advice needed!

Hi,

I was asked yesterday by an acquaintance to act as a witness at a formal meeting. He only received the invite yesterday and it gave him less than 24h notice, so he postponed it to start of next week to ensure he has a witness present.

I have nothing to do with his company which is why he asked me to be an independent witness. Now, he was asked twice by his manager today if he has a witness and he needs to know who it is.
The manager was told that the witness (me) is available start of next week so the meeting will take place but he didn't say anything else. He was then asked again who I was and was told "that person is an independent witness and is not working for this company".
When I heard that he was ask twice for details about me I was curious if the manager is entitled to know any exact details about the witness person or if he is just trying to push his weight around. I am a casual friend of the person who got the meeting invite, so no strings attached!! Can anyone give me any info on their experience as a witness, what info the manager can request from the invitee and which ones are none of his business etc.? Any info is much appreciated!

I think they want to make sure you are not a solicitor to be honest. Go in, take plenty of notes, ask clarification questions if needed (not cross examination, clarification!). Basically you are there as a note taker and another pair of eyes and ears, so keep them open!

Your friend is entiled to have a solicitor present (as witness) if he wishes.

I'd agree that the employer is trying to establish whether or not you are one.

I think your friend's choice of witness may be inappropriate. It sounds like a potentially litigious scenario and you are entitled to ask each side what specifically they expect of you in advance, what potential future demands will be placed on your time and what if any legal consequences there might be for you, (court appearances, writs, affidavits sworn, etc.)

I believe your friend needs either a :

• union official
• HR specialist
• solicitor
• professional mediator
• or similar

who has had professional training and experience. If you are any of the above I apologise.

Unless you have an appropriate background, are well prepared and know in detail what's expected, I suggest you withdraw gracefully, for your friend's sake as much as for your own.

BTW, you are not "independent" - you have a prior relationship with the person who asked you to attend,

I believe your friend needs either a :

• union official

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Union read his letter from yesterday and said it's a general letter that they want a meeting even though they use the word "formal" but nothing they would be worried about and even said, he can go into the meeting without a witness as it's technically (by his company handbook) the 1st meeting eg. it should be seen as the "informal" one. They said anything coming out of this meeting eg. further investigations (which they highly doubt given the case), they will step in and represent him.

• HR specialist

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  will be there as the "general" witness

• solicitor

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  shouldn't really be required as there is no case of blaming him of gross misconduct or similar?

• professional mediator

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  I thought that would come at a later stage if no agreements can be reached?

• or similar

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  what's similar?

you are not "independent" - you have a prior relationship with the person who asked you to attend.

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Technically I know this person, yes, but it is very briefly which is why I used acquaintance in my original post. I mean any witness the Manager might bring in - one way or another they will have some sort of "prior relationship", too - right?