What to do if…
you are asked to be a witness in an internal workplace investigation

What to do now

1. Get the basics in writing before the meeting if you can. Ask briefly:

   • whether you are being interviewed as a witness, or whether you are the subject of the investigation
   • whether this is an investigation meeting, a disciplinary meeting, or a grievance meeting
   • who the investigator is, and the broad topic or time period they want to cover

2. Check your employer’s investigation, disciplinary, or grievance policy. Look on the staff handbook or intranet for who conducts interviews, how notes or statements are handled, confidentiality expectations, and what usually happens next.

3. Make a short facts-only timeline before the interview. Use your calendar, work emails or messages you already have proper access to, and your memory. Keep it to:

   • dates and approximate times
   • who was present
   • what you directly saw, heard, said, or did
   • anything you did not witness first-hand, clearly labelled as not witnessed

4. Ask about support or a companion before the meeting.

   • If you are in a union, contact your rep and say you may be interviewed as a witness in an internal investigation.
   • In a disciplinary investigation meeting, there is usually no legal right to be accompanied, but employers can allow it and it may be good practice.
   • There is a legal right to be accompanied at certain disciplinary and grievance meetings, so ask what stage this is and whether a companion is allowed.

5. Set confidentiality boundaries. Ask what you should avoid sharing and whether you can speak confidentially with a union rep, permitted companion, or adviser.

6. In the interview, keep it slow and factual.

   • Ask them to repeat or rephrase questions you do not understand.
   • Separate what you know from what you think or heard from someone else.
   • If you need to check a date, say so rather than guessing.
   • Say if you only saw part of an incident or arrived after something happened.

7. Check the notes or statement carefully. A witness statement is often based on signed meeting notes. Read it before signing, ask for corrections to anything inaccurate or unclear, and ask for a copy or a chance to check the final version.

8. After the meeting, make a private record while it is fresh. Note the date and time, who attended, what you were asked about, what documents were mentioned, and any actions you agreed. If there is a simple factual correction, send a short neutral message to the investigator or HR.