Dear HR

The duty to act in good faith goes both ways—employees are expected to communicate openly and honestly, just like employers. If someone refuses to attend a disciplinary meeting, your responsibility is to make sure they’ve had a fair chance to respond. That means offering them the opportunity to attend a meeting or, if they prefer, to provide their response in writing. If they still choose not to engage, you’re within your rights to make a decision based on the information available. We recommend putting this in writing—let them know the process will continue and give them a final chance to participate. If they don’t, you can move forward and reach an outcome with confidence that you’ve acted fairly and reasonably.

Not necessarily—but it’s always a good idea to start by checking whether your company has any recruitment policies in place that guide how roles should be filled. If there’s no set process, then yes—you can absolutely choose who you appoint and how you go about it. That said, it’s worth taking a moment to consider whether others on your team might be interested in the opportunity. Even if you’re leaning toward someone specific, having a fair and open process helps build trust and shows your team that everyone has a shot. It’s not just about ticking legal boxes—it’s about fostering a positive, transparent culture where people feel valued and included.

If your Employment Agreement includes a clause stating that you can require them to work on public holidays—and it’s a normal workday for them—then wanting the day off would be treated like any other leave request. They should apply for annual leave, and you have the right to approve or decline it based on business needs. If approved, they’d be paid their usual annual leave entitlement. If it’s not a regular workday for them, or if there’s no clause about working public holidays, then the rules might differ—so it’s always worth double-checking the agreement and any relevant legislation.

You don’t have to give her the promotion—but be very careful. Your decision must be based purely on merit, not her pregnancy. Discrimination laws, particularly under the Human Rights Act, carry significant penalties—often more serious than breaches of employment law. The key is to focus on the candidate’s skills, experience, and suitability for the role. If she’s the best person for the job, pregnancy shouldn’t come into it. Planning for parental leave may be a short-term challenge, but making a fair, lawful decision is essential—for both your team culture and your legal protection.

This situation can be tricky to handle. On one hand, natural justice means that if someone is accused, they have the right to know the details of the complaint and who made it, so they can respond fairly. On the other hand, it’s completely normal for employees to feel worried about possible backlash or how making a complaint might affect them. You’ll need to consider whether you have enough information to investigate without the employee’s formal complaint or identity. If that’s not possible, you might suggest informal mediation or run a team session to refresh everyone on expected behaviors and respect at work. The key is to balance fairness with creating a safe environment—showing you take concerns seriously, even if they’re not formally documented.

Raising concerns based on secondhand information can be tricky and often unhelpful. Conversations that start with “I’ve heard” tend to get lost in where the information came from rather than focusing on the real issue. A good first step is for you to attend some of these meetings yourself and observe the behavior firsthand. That way, you can address any concerns with specific examples. Alternatively, you could take this opportunity to reset meeting expectations with the whole team—highlighting behaviors to avoid and promoting a positive culture. This approach encourages team members to hold each other accountable and can help shift attitudes before small issues grow into bigger problems.

Change in management is always a challenge for any team since every manager brings their own style. We recommend working closely with the new manager to approach this as a change management opportunity. We suggest working with the new manager to approach this with a change management perspective. If you can identify whats different, communicate the reasons for this and build team commitment to the new performance expectations, the manager will be far more successful.