What the employee wants doesn't matter in these circumstances, though, what matters is that the time frame given in the club's manual - after all, it was his choice to leave the country. By the way, I'd want a week as well, but, then I wouldn't have gone on holiday!!
Fair enough, but the document was given four days before the hearing, that's not 'just before the proposed meeting', the only time scale which matters, I guess is how long before the meeting the club's proceedures say it should be given. 500 pages to me sounds like the result of a comprehensive...
If Gus is suspended would the club recognise his right to take annual leave during the suspension? If they don't legal have to, they could dispute that his being away was a reason for him not attending today. I'm not saying this is the case, just asking really.
You're right the hearing couldn't have gone ahead because his rep wasn't available. The point I was making was that by setting the hearing for today it meant it could only be re-arranged five days later. If they had set the hearing for Thursday then Gus could have delayed it on for five days...
The club was also well within its right to call a meeting on the employee's first day back at work. If they had waited and called it for Thursday the date could have been put back another five days