The council recognises that discipline is necessary to assist in the effective delivery of services. Disciplinary rules and procedures are intended to promote fairness and consistency in the treatment of employees and in the conduct of employee relations. Rules set standards of conduct at work; procedures help to ensure that these standards are adhered to and provide a fair method of dealing with alleged failures to observe them. The disciplinary procedure should not be regarded primarily as a means to impose sanctions. Its principal aim is to encourage improvement in conduct.
In operating this procedure, the following principles will be observed:
- Before any disciplinary action is taken, the manager responsible must be satisfied that the circumstances of the alleged misconduct have been adequately investigated and that they are in possession of sufficient information to make a fair decision;
- The recording of meetings on electronic devices is expressly prohibited;
- No disciplinary action will be taken without a disciplinary hearing having been held. You will be given at least seven calendar days’ written notice of the hearing, outlining the details of the allegation(s), of the right to be accompanied, and of the procedure which will be followed during the hearing. The hearing will normally be held no later than four weeks from the date of the letter;
- You have the right to be accompanied at a disciplinary hearing by a work colleague, a trade union representative or a trade union official. It is your responsibility to arrange any such representation;
- At a disciplinary hearing both you and the investigating officer/manager presenting the management case will have the right to call a witness or witnesses and to produce documentary evidence. Either party may request an adjournment to consider any documentary evidence produced;
- The confirmed hearing outcome will be issued to you in writing within ten working days of the date of the hearing;
- You have the right to appeal against any disciplinary action and this will be explained in the written confirmation of the hearing outcome;
- If you are alleged to have committed misconduct, you may be suspended. Such a suspension will be termed precautionary, will be on full pay and will not itself constitute disciplinary action. A precautionary suspension will be for as short a time as possible. Should it last longer than originally anticipated, you will be advised of the reason(s).
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