QOne of our employees has raised a grievance. Do they have the right to be accompanied during a meeting where it will be discussed?

AAll employees have the statutory right to be accompanied at a formal grievance meeting by either a workplace colleague or trade union representative. So when going down this route, you will need to inform them of their rights. But if it is on an informal footing they have not instigated a formal grievance procedure yet you could decline such a request. But consider carefully: if the employee has a disability, any refusal could result in a claim for discrimination. The same can apply if the employee’s first language isn’t English.