Factors to consider when disciplining employees

Employee disciplining often gives rise to employment litigation. The disciplinary procedure should follow four rules:

• The employee must know the nature of the problem.
• The employee must know what he or she must do to fix the problem.
• The employee must have a reasonable period of time in which to fix the problem.
• The employee must understand the consequences of inaction.

The challenge for the employer is to create a disciplinary policy that provides consistency, yet takes into consideration the specific facts that tend to make each incident unique. Such factors as the severity of the offense, the employee’s past performance record, the employee’s length of service with the organization, and the organization’s past practice in dealing with such a situation, all need to be taken into consideration. For more tips on handling employee disciplinary issues--and possibly avoiding an employment related law suit--call the program administrator for GlassInsure, NGA’s sponsored insurance program, at 800/640-7601.