The Employer’s Legal Advisor

Testifying at the Hearing

You will be asked to state your reasons for dismissing the employee and to present your testimonial and documentary evidence. Because hearings are usually scheduled for a very short period of time, frequently only thirty to forty-five minutes, prepare to go straight to the ultimate issue. You usually have the opportunity to say, “We fired John Doe because. . . .” The hearing officer will ask you (or your witness) to state facts that you should present in a simple but organized fashion. Approaching the issue chronologically works where the record is accrued over a period of time. If, however, a single event caused the discharge, that event may be a starting point for your presentation. Keep in mind that the only issue ...