A conciliation conference occurs when parties to a dispute meet to try and settle the issues they are in disagreement about. It can also be referred to as a mediation.
A conciliation conference is usually run by an independent person, often known as a conciliator or mediator. This person will run the conciliation conference and assist the parties in their attempt to reach an agreement.
The conciliator does not decide who is right or wrong and does not tell either side what they must do. Conciliation conferences can take place face to face or over the telephone.
If you find yourself in the position of having to be involved in a conciliation conference, here are 5 things you should do to prepare:
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1. Know your case. Review what happened and be clear about what you want. You could perhaps prepare a summary of the key events and dates that relate to the issue in dispute.
2. Get a preliminary assessment of the merits of your legal position. This can be achieved by consulting with your own in-house experts or external advisors, such as employment lawyers or industry associations.
3. Arrange for someone to take notes of everything that is said at conciliation. This should ideally be taken by someone who is not speaking at the conference.
4. Ensure that you bring any relevant documents with you. These may include medical certificates, prior warnings, company policies or any material that sets out the terms of employment.
5. If you are being externally represented, get the best possible estimate of the costs this will incur. Make sure you find out how much representation will cost if the matter ends up proceeding to a hearing.
Stay tuned for Friday’s article…
I’ll go over what you should aim to achieve at conciliation – and give you some handy tips on how you should go about doing so.
Tags: conciliation conference
