Quick update from my previous post http://www.hrzone.co.uk/anyanswers/potential-gross-misconduct
 
I am helping my sister (N) with a situation she has with her employer. 
 
N will have been suspended from duty for 21 days on Wednesday 11 August.
 
N received a letter from employer dated 30 July (Friday) requesting her attendance at a disciplinary hearing on 2 August Monday. Letter was posted 2nd class and was therefore received on Monday. 
 
Advised N to contact employer and explain. She tried but General Manager was unavailable and didn’t return her call. 
 
N then received a letter on Tuesday 3rd August inviting her to a rearranged hearing due to her non attendance at the first.
 
We put a letter together explaining that non attendance was due to delays in receiving the letter and that the rearranged date was not convenient. It was for a day N doesn’t normally work and she had other commitments. We suggested any day during this week (w/com 9 August).
 
We also asked for various pieces of information to be sent to enable N to adequately prepare for her hearing. We requested that this be received by Friday 6 August to allow her time to prepare.
 
We have received no response to these requests.
 
The letter was sent by email to the General Manager and HR where copied in.
 
I am inclined to tell her to wait until Wednesday and then contact them again, by email, to ask them to confirm their intentions.
 
Does anyone have any further suggestions?