🕵️ Fact-Finding Meeting Prep

The investigatory meeting is where cases are won or lost — it happens before any discipline, and what you say becomes the investigation record. Walk in prepared, never alone.

First move, always: the moment you're told about a fact-finding, contact your union rep — before the meeting, not after. You are entitled to representation, and management must tell you in advance if a meeting could result in discipline.

📱 Pocket rights card

Screenshot this. Read the first line out loud in the meeting if you don't have a rep yet.

MY RIGHTS IN AN INVESTIGATORY MEETING

"If this discussion could in any way lead to my being
disciplined, I request that my union representative
be present before we continue."

• I have the right to know in advance if this meeting
  could result in discipline. (Kaiser NorCal CNA ¶4122)
• I may pause the meeting to confer privately
  with my representative.
• I will answer honestly and briefly — facts,
  not speculation.
• My signature on any document is proof of
  receipt only, not agreement. (¶4126)
• If placed on investigatory leave, it must be
  PAID administrative leave. (¶4121)

Union rep phone: ______________________
— nursecontract.org

Before the meeting

Ask in writing what the meeting concerns — you prepare better, and the request itself is documented. Contact your rep and prep together. Write your own timeline of the events while memory is fresh. Gather your schedules, assignment sheets, and messages. Get a full night's sleep if you can — fact-findings scheduled after night shifts can be rescheduled; ask.

In the room

Answer what is asked — honestly, briefly, factually. "I don't recall" is a legitimate answer; guessing is not. Ask for questions to be repeated or rephrased. Pause to confer with your rep whenever you need. Take your own notes (or have your rep take them): every question, your answers, who attended, start and end times. Don't characterize coworkers' motives, don't volunteer unrelated history, and don't apologize your way into admitting conduct you dispute.

The same day, after

Write down everything from memory: each question, each answer, exact phrases that struck you. Email a summary to your rep — that timestamps your account. Preserve evidence (schedules, texts, charting timestamps). Nothing may happen for days or weeks; that's normal. If discipline follows, your rebuttal and grievance clocks start — see the Grievance Toolkit.

🤖 Get a prep brief for your specific meeting

Describe what you know — the allegation, the incident, who was involved — and get likely questions, suggested honest framing, and your contract rights with citations.