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G. Following Disciplinary Procedures

As a supervisor, you are required to understand all of the standards of conduct required of staff described in this manual. Please consult the manual whenever you believe an employee has violated the standards and contact the Human Resources department with questions.

Supervisors must discipline staff consistently, addressing all violations of university policy, procedure, or standards. Your disciplinary action should be reasonable, timely, and related in severity to the seriousness of the offense. Although the university generally follows a system of progressive discipline, each situation must be handled based on its individual facts. If a problem merits disciplinary action beyond an oral reprimand, you must consult with the associate vice president for human resources. Likewise, if you become aware of a situation that may result in suspension or termination, you should discuss the incident with Human Resources as soon as possible after it occurs and before disciplinary action is taken.

The role of the Human Resources department is to facilitate discussion and resolution of problems in a consistent and legal manner. Critical to avoiding wrongful termination claims is consistent, evenhanded adherence to both the substance and the procedure of university employment policies. Although the university is an at-will employer and is able to discharge employees with or without cause, employees who have been disciplined and who subjectively feel that they have benefited from due process are far
less inclined to resort to litigation.

Supervisors are not authorized to discharge or threaten to discharge employees without the approval of the Vice President in charge of their department and the associate vice president for human resources.

If you suspect that a staff member’s work is being affected adversely by personal problems, you can obtain additional assistance through the Human Resources department.