Weingarten Rights

Weingarten Rights provide unionized employees the right to have union representation during any investigatory interview that could lead to disciplinary action. Here’s a summary of the key aspects:

1. Request for Representation: The employee must explicitly ask for a union representative to be present. The employer is not required to inform the employee of this right.

2. Employer’s Choices: Once the request is made, the employer has three options:

   • Grant the request and delay the interview until the representative arrives.

   • Deny the request and end the interview.

   • Offer the employee a choice between continuing without representation or ending the interview.

3. Role of the Representative: The union representative is there to support the employee, clarify questions, and provide advice without disrupting the process.

4. Protection Against Retaliation: The employee cannot be punished for requesting representation.

These rights apply only in unionized workplaces, during interviews that the employee believes could lead to discipline.