make your free disciplinary procedure
what we'll cover
what is a disciplinary procedure?
a disciplinary procedure outlines the steps that will be taken to deal with disciplinary issues at work. by adopting disciplinary procedures, employers show their staff members that they are responsible employers with clear and fair procedures for dealing with disciplinary issues at work.
this document is gdpr compliant.
when should i use a disciplinary procedure?
use this disciplinary procedure:
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to inform employees about standards of conduct
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to tell employees how disciplinary matters will be dealt with
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to help managers understand how disciplinary matters will be dealt with
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only for employees based in england, wales or scotland
sample disciplinary procedure
the terms in your document will update based on the information you provide
about disciplinary procedures
learn more about making your disciplinary procedure
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how to make a disciplinary procedure
making a disciplinary procedure online is simple. just answer a few questions and 2022世界杯32强抽签时间 will build your document for you. when you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
to make your disciplinary procedure you will need the following information:
employer details
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what is the employer's name?
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what is the job title of the person whom employees should contact about disciplinary matters?
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who is required to authorise the dismissal of an employee?
benefits
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what benefits will an employee be unable to access during a period of suspension?
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what aspects of pay may be directly or indirectly reduced by an employee's suspension?
jurisdiction
which country's law do you want to apply to this procedure?
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common terms in a disciplinary procedure
disciplinary procedures outline the steps employers must follow when handling disciplinary matters. typically, provisions of a disciplinary procedure include:
purpose and scope
this section provides a brief overview of the disciplinary procedure and why it is being adopted. it also highlights the fact that the disciplinary procedure is a non-contractual policy which can be changed by the employer at their discretion.
primary principles
this section outlines the main principles of the disciplinary procedure and how disciplinary matters are handled in the workplace, including the right to appeal. it also details what may happen during any period of suspension (including which workplace benefits and performance-based payments will be available to employees during a suspension).
it also highlights that the employer handles any personal data in accordance with data protection laws and their data protection documents (eg their data protection and security policy).
informal discussions
this section sets out that the employer, as a first point of call, will attempt to resolve disciplinary matters informally (eg by speaking to the employee’s line manager). formal disciplinary action will only be taken if the matter cannot adequately be dealt with informally.
formal procedure
this section sets out the different stages involved in the formal grievance process. these include:
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stage 1 - formal meeting - detailing the steps involved in the formal disciplinary meeting (eg the amount of notice an employee must be given and how the results of the meeting will be communicated)
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stage 2 - second formal meeting - detailing when a second disciplinary meeting may be necessary (eg if there is serious misconduct, further misconduct or a failure to improve performance while under a prior warning) and what this will entail
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stage 3 - final formal meeting - detailing when a final disciplinary meeting may be necessary (eg if there is sufficiently serious misconduct or still further misconduct or failure to improve performance) and what this will entail
gross misconduct
this section deals with gross misconduct in the workplace. due to the severity of gross misconduct, more stringent steps will be taken by the employer (including potentially suspension) while they investigate the matter. to help staff understand what exactly gross misconduct is, this section also includes a non-exhaustive list of the types of offences that constitute gross misconduct in the employer’s eyes.
appeals
this section details the employee’s right to appeal the employer’s disciplinary decision.
if you want your disciplinary procedure to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. however, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the disciplinary procedure for you, to make sure it complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. ask a lawyer for assistance.
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legal tips for making a disciplinary procedure
bear in mind your data protection obligations
under data protection laws (eg the uk general data protection regulation (gdpr) and data protection act 2018), employers need to ensure that they adequately protect their staff’s personal data (eg their names or addresses). this is especially relevant in relation to any data collected as part of the investigation stage and any subsequent stages of disciplinary action. any such data must be held securely and accessed by, and disclosed to, individuals only for the purposes of completing the disciplinary process. any inappropriate access to or disclosure of employee data constitutes a data breach and should be reported in accordance with the employer’s data protection and security policy.
for more information, read data protection and employees and complying with the gdpr.
consider what other policies to adopt
adopting and implementing a clear disciplinary procedure is important in ensuring you treat your workforce fairly and transparently. other policies you may consider adopting include:
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an equal opportunities policy setting out how you comply with the rules on equal opportunities and prevent and eliminate workplace discrimination
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an anti-bullying and harassment policy setting out the business’ approach towards workplace bullying and harassment
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a grievance procedure setting out how any employee grievances will be handled
for more information on the different types of policies you may wish to adopt, read hr policies and procedures.
understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
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if this document doesn’t meet your specific needs
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for advice on employees based outside england, wales and scotland
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disciplinary procedure faqs
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what is included in a disciplinary procedure?
this disciplinary procedure template covers:
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examples of misconduct and gross misconduct
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procedural safeguards to ensure disciplinary decisions are fair
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disciplinary sanctions
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why do i need a disciplinary procedure?
the acas code of practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures requires employers to comply with basic principles for handling disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace. implementing a disciplinary procedure demonstrates that an employer is compliant with this code.
implementing a disciplinary procedure shows a commitment to a fair and transparent process and leaves employees with no doubt about what is acceptable conduct and what is not. all good employers know that trust and confidence are a two-way street and that maintaining this is helped by having a proper process in place for handling unsatisfactory behaviour, performance or attendance.
for more information, read disciplinary process and use our dismissal checklist to make sure you’re ticking off all the steps in the disciplinary process.
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what are the steps in the disciplinary process?
an employer must comply with the basic requirements of the acas code before dismissing an employee. this disciplinary procedure sets out a fair and lawful procedure that must be followed before dismissing an employee, to help meet these basic requirements. it requires the employer to:
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meet formally with the employee, who can choose to be accompanied by a colleague of their choice
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give an employee a warning and set out the consequences of failure to improve performance
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serve the employee a final warning confirming that further failure to improve may lead to a dismissal where the misconduct is sufficiently serious
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to keep a record of any warnings given to an employee
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appoint the person responsible for making decisions with regard to the disciplinary procedure
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suspend an employee for 5 days if they are accused of an act of gross misconduct, to enable them to investigate the matter
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dismiss an employee summarily once an investigation into misconduct is completed and confirms gross misconduct
consider any appeals submitted by the employee, subject to the disciplinary procedure, within 5 working days
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can i simply dismiss an employee in cases of gross misconduct?
you cannot simply dismiss an employee in cases of gross misconduct. an employer is required to investigate the misconduct. in this document, you are allowed to suspend an employee for no more than 5 working days from work on full pay while the alleged offence is being investigated. this procedure defines the scope of what usually amounts to gross misconduct, such as:
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dishonesty
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theft
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physical violence
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damage to property
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breaking any law
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can an employee appeal any decision made under this procedure?
all employees have the right to appeal any disciplinary decision made under this procedure. appeals must be in writing and must be reviewed by the employer within 5 working days. for more information, read disciplinary appeals.
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