Student Worker Training: Disciplinary Action and Dismissal

Guide for training of Library student workers

Disciplinary Action

MSSU Spiva Library believes that reasonable rules regarding employee conduct are necessary for a safe and efficient workplace. Supervisors are responsible for educating employees about our workplace rules and policies, and employees are given all possible chances to correct their behavior. 

Absenteeism and Tardiness

Absenteeism and tardiness have a detrimental effect in the workplace. They place an unfair work burden on those employees with good attendance records and disrupt the continuity of the work day. All planned absences must be scheduled in coordination with the employee’s supervisor. Prior notice is required whenever possible to ensure that all shifts are covered. 

Tardiness indicates a lack of commitment to the job and lack of respect for colleagues. All missed work time must either be worked at another time or documented on timesheets. Repeated instances of absenteeism and/or tardiness may result in disciplinary action or termination of employment. 

Disciplinary Progression

Disciplinary action typically follows the subsequent progression:

  1. Verbal warning
  2. Written warning
  3. Reduction of weekly work hours
  4. Termination 

There is no set number of times a less severe action must be taken before the disciplinary action progresses to a more severe action, and a step may be skipped at any time as deemed necessary. Disciplinary action will be at the discretion of the supervisor. A meeting will be held with the employee, the employee’s immediate supervisor, and a third party to discuss disciplinary action taken. At each step, the employee will be warned of the consequences should he/she continue to repeat the offense. If no further problems occur, no further disciplinary actions will be taken. If the action of reducing an employee’s hours is taken, the employee will have the opportunity to earn those hours back. Two weeks after the disciplinary action is taken, another evaluation will be conducted to determine if the employee earned back work hours and, if so, how many hours the employee earned

Determinants of Disciplinary Action

Spiva Library looks at four main factors when determining an employee’s disciplinary action:

  1. Seriousness of offense
  2. Repetition or duration of offense
  3. Existence of any prior documented offenses and disciplinary actions
  4. Employee response to previous disciplinary action and current impending disciplinary action 

Serious offenses that may result in immediate termination include, but are not limited to, sexual harassment and drug and/or alcohol possession or use in the workplace. Other serious offenses include absenteeism and tardiness. 

Credit

Style and content http://stmary.libguides.com/c.php?g=148291&p=2355029

This site is maintained by the librarians of George A. Spiva Library.
If you have a question or comment about the Library's LibGuides, please contact the site administrator.