Standards of employee conduct and disciplinary procedures
The efficiency and success of the College are related directly to the competence, performance and conduct of its employees. It is, therefore, necessary for the College to support clearly stated expectations for performance and conduct with consistent procedures for review and for discipline. Senior officers, directors and supervisors are responsible for the maintenance of standards of performance and conduct and for the administration of appropriate procedures for review and discipline.
Types of disciplinary action
Disciplinary action may include, but is not limited to, one or more of the following measures, which will not necessarily be applied in any specific sequence. These disciplinary procedures are guidelines and do not affect employment status as defined in this handbook generally.
Verbal warning: The supervisor may meet with the employee and issue a warning verbally.
Written warning: A written record of the offense(s) and the action taken shall be shown and explained to the employee. A copy will be given to the employee and a copy shall be placed in the employee’s personnel file. The employee will be asked to sign this recorded warning as an indication that a copy has been delivered to him/her.
Performance improvement plans: The employee shall be placed on a written performance improvement plan not to exceed 90 days.
Special probationary status or probationary discipline status not to exceed 30 calendar days during which time any failure to meet performance expectations or any violation of College policies or rules may result in immediate discharge.
Suspension without pay: Under certain circumstances, the employee may be suspended without pay for up to three days.
Discharge: The employee’s employment is terminated. This action may be taken for a serious offense or for repeated minor offenses over a short period of time.
Corrective procedures
With the exception of discharge, the purpose of disciplinary action is to improve employee job performance and/or conduct. An employee shall be considered on “disciplinary status” at any stage in the disciplinary procedure. The form of discipline is dependent upon the nature of the problem and what, if any, other forms of discipline have occurred in the past.
Application and limitations
The standards of conduct and disciplinary procedures contained in this directive are not intended to be all inclusive. They do replace and supersede any previous rules published at any time in the past. Though the College wishes to make its standards clear and to impose disciplinary procedures in a progressive manner, certain actions not covered in this directive could result in suspension or immediate discharge. In such a case, the fact that the action has not been specifically covered in this directive or that progressive discipline has not been applied shall not affect the appropriateness of the immediate discharge.
Any employee may be immediately discharged, without notice, for gross misconduct which includes, but is not limited to, such things as theft, insubordination, dishonesty, unacceptable job performance, release of confidential College data or information without proper authority, inappropriate use or possession of alcohol, drugs or weapons on College premises, abusive behavior such as fighting or aggravated harassment in any form, discriminatory practices in any form, and intentional destruction of College property or another employee’s property.
Employees may also be disciplined for other misconduct such as, but not limited to, improper work performance, failure to follow workplace safety rules, reporting to work under the influence of or having used alcohol or a prohibited controlled substance, discourteous behavior, violation of College policy, absenteeism and tardiness.