Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings Training

Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings Training

Master Professional Chairing of Disciplinary Hearings Under Current Labour Frameworks

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Platform:
Online
In-class
Date Venue Duration
28 - 30 September 2026 Sandton, Gauteng 3 Days
11 - 13 November 2026 Sandton, Gauteng 3 Days

Course Introduction

The Chairing Disciplinary Hearings course equips participants with the practical knowledge and procedural skills required to effectively participate in and chair disciplinary inquiries.

 

Upon completion, delegates will have a clear understanding of the South African labour legislative framework governing employee discipline, including the current Code of Good Practice: Dismissal. Participants will be able to interpret and apply relevant labour legislation, regulations, and case law to ensure that disciplinary processes are conducted lawfully, fairly, and consistently. 

 

The Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings programme strengthens participants’ ability to manage hearings with confidence, procedural fairness, and impartiality while ensuring decisions are legally sound and properly documented. 

Course Duration Options

This course is available in two formats, so you can choose the depth that fits your time and needs:

1-Day Essentials Core Foundations

Conducting and managing the hearing, hearing pleadings and making decisions on sanctions, and communicating and recording decisions, including current legislative and case law awareness throughout.

Ideal for: Professionals who need practical, current disciplinary hearing capability without an extended time commitment.

Course Objectives

By the end of this Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings Training programme, learners will be able to:
  • Conduct and manage disciplinary hearings professionally and efficiently
  • Apply fair procedures when handling non-dismissible offences
  • Hear and assess pleadings objectively
  • Evaluate evidence and determine appropriate sanctions
  • Communicate outcomes clearly and professionally
  • Record proceedings and decisions accurately and comprehensively
  • Apply relevant South African labour legislation and case law correctly, including the current Code of Good Practice: Dismissal
  • Ensure procedural and substantive fairness throughout the process

Who should attend?

  • HR Managers and HR Practitioners
  • Employee Relations Officers
  • Labour Relations Practitioners
  • Line Managers and Supervisors
  • Departmental Heads
  • Operations Managers
  • Compliance and Risk Officers
  • Union Representatives
  • Shop Stewards
  • Legal and Governance Practitioners
  • Public Sector Managers and Officials
Finance Courses

Training Methodology

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.
– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.
– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.
– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.
– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.
– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Training Outline

1-Day Essentials — Training Outline

Conducting and Managing the Hearing
  • Informing the employee clearly of allegations and procedural rights
  • Conducting hearings in a firm, structured, and procedurally fair manner, applying the current Code of Good Practice: Dismissal (effective September 2025, which replaced the previous Schedule 8 framework)
  • Maintaining neutrality and avoiding bias
Hearing Pleadings and Making Decisions on Sanctions
  • Allowing parties adequate opportunity to present mitigation or aggravation
  • Weighing evidence based on probability and relevance, aware of current CCMA case law such as De Wet v CCMA on the fairness of disciplinary delays
  • Applying consistency and fairness in decisions
Communicating and Recording Decisions
  • Communicating decisions clearly and professionally, with well-reasoned and substantiated outcomes
  • Proper documentation of procedures, evidence, findings, and deliberations

3-Day Comprehensive — Training Outline

Chapter 1: Conduct and Manage the Hearing
  • Informing the employee clearly of allegations and procedural rights
  • Verifying that proper procedures were followed prior to the hearing
  • Conducting hearings in a firm, structured, and procedurally fair manner, applying the current Code of Good Practice: Dismissal (effective September 2025, which replaced the previous Schedule 8 framework)
  • Asking relevant and objective questions for clarification
  • Maintaining neutrality and avoiding bias
  • Ensuring professional conduct throughout proceedings
Chapter 2: Procedures for Handling Non-Dismissible Offences
  • Applying progressive discipline principles
  • Considering alternatives to dismissal
  • Ensuring procedural fairness in corrective actions
  • Aligning actions with organisational policies and labour legislation
Chapter 3: Hearing Pleadings
  • Allowing parties adequate opportunity to present mitigation or aggravation
  • Managing representations professionally
  • Eliciting relevant mitigating and aggravating circumstances where necessary
Chapter 4: Making Decisions on Sanctions
  • Weighing evidence based on probability and relevance, aware of current CCMA case law such as De Wet v CCMA, which confirmed that delays in taking disciplinary action are not automatically unfair and that fairness depends on context, the nature of the allegations, and employer justifications
  • Applying consistency and fairness in decisions
  • Considering all relevant factors before determining sanctions
  • Aligning sanctions with legal and organisational standards
Chapter 5: Communicating and Recording Decisions
  • Communicating decisions clearly and professionally
  • Providing well-reasoned and substantiated outcomes
  • Informing employees of their rights and next steps
Chapter 6: Recording Proceedings and Outcomes
  • Proper documentation of procedures and deliberations
  • Accurate recording of evidence and findings
  • Maintaining compliant and auditable disciplinary records

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Success Stories

Discover how our courses enhance professionals’ effectiveness in their workplaces.

ELIDZ

Thrive as an Intern: Managing Anxiety, Building Resilience & Handling Rejection

The training was very insightful, contents shared are relatable, and the facilitator is amazing in such a way that he is able to reference practical examples to make concepts understandable and relatable to all. Listening and interacting with him is easy because he opens the platform for everyone, even when he is speaking, you are able to listen attentively with understanding because he is well informed, passionate, and well prepared. He knows his story. Lastly, the session is very interactive and interesting, you constantly looking forward to hear more and say more as well.

East London IDZ

Managing Anxiety, Building Resilience & Handling Rejection

The training was very insightful, and I learnt a lot about Resilience & Handling Rejection. I am glad I was part of the training

Central Bank of Lesotho

Unlock HR's Strategic Power with Modern HRIS

The programme was fascinating and informative.

FAQs –Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings Training

Master disciplinary charge drafting, procedural fairness standards, evidence evaluation techniques, and sanction determination protocols to conduct legally defensible workplace disciplinary hearings.

What topics are covered in the Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings Training?
The course covers the legal foundations of workplace discipline under the Labour Relations Act (LRA), role responsibilities of initiating officers and hearing chairpersons, evaluating evidence, assessing credibility, applying progressive sanctioning principles, and procedural fairness.
Who should attend this disciplinary hearing chairperson training?
This practical workshop is tailored for HR professionals, Employee Relations (ER) officers, department heads, line managers, supervisors, and legal compliance officers who are appointed to initiate or chair internal workplace disciplinary hearings.
What are the key learning objectives of this practical training?
Delegates learn to lead unbiased hearing proceedings, properly apply the balance of probabilities, handle tricky hearing objections, weigh mitigating and aggravating factors, and draft legally sound, CCMA-defensible hearing outcome reports.
How long is the Conducting Effective Disciplinary Hearings course?
The course is delivered as an intensive 2-day practical workshop, complete with mock hearing role-plays, evidence evaluation exercises, case law analysis, and charge formulation practice.
What practical skills will delegates gain from this workshop?
Participants gain hands-on skills in opening and controlling hearing proceedings, examining and cross-examining witnesses, issuing formal findings, writing detailed sanctions, and avoiding common procedural pitfalls that lead to CCMA awards.
Can Prospen Africa deliver this course as customized in-house training?
Yes. Prospen Africa can customize the course content to integrate directly with your company's internal disciplinary policy, code of conduct, industry-specific bargaining council rules, and grievance workflows.

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