February 27
Red Alert – Employees be prepared
Relevant employment documents to keep in a folder
Create a file with the following documents in it. Review it on a regular basis to make sure you know your and your employer’s responsibilities and boundaries. You never know when you may need it to defend your position in the workplace.
9 Examples of important employment documents to keep
- The advertisement regarding the position you are now holding, if you still have it. Keep a printout of the online advertising and if you can’t copy it make a screen print of it.
- Your cover letter and CV. Make sure you have a copy on a secure storage location (e.g. cloud server) or a hard copy.
- The offer of employment.
- The contract between you and your employer.
- Policy and procedure documents.
- Code of conduct.
- Stress policy, if there is one.
- Document of your employer referring to the level of service to customers and clients.
- Document explaining how your performance assessment will be conducted.
What is evidence?
The definition of evidence as a noun is: “proof, confirmation, verification, substantiation, corroboration, affirmation, authentication, attestation, documentation or as a verb it is testify to, attest to, verify, confirm, prove, substantiate, endorse, back up, support, bear out, give credence to.”In my opinion it is anything that can back-up your story or your side of events.
Be well prepared for an employment relationship confrontation
My advice is to prepare as if you are going to court as it is the highest standard. 
The evidence rules are more relaxed in mediation and at the Employment Authority. Make sure if you make an allegation that you have some proof of it. If you prepare like this, questions from the other side should not rattle you. It is also showing your integrity, that you are not making wild, unsubstantiated allegations. You cannot be over-prepared. It will be a stressful time when you face your employer, the independent investigator or the court or mediator. Make sure you don’t falter on things that you could have prepared in advance. Not only will it count in your favour, but you will also speak with more authority knowing that you are well prepared.