PURPOSE

Employees must follow company and legislative standards to maintain a safe, healthy, collegial and productive work environment. Normally, supervisors offer training and counselling to help improve poor performance and correct inappropriate behaviour. However, disciplinary actions may be necessary to deal with significant non-compliance.

PROCEDURE

The progress discipline policy of HPZ is as follows:

First instance of an offence:

VERBAL WARNING

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  1. The worker will be given a Verbal Warning. The worker will continue to work at their current rank and wage rate.

  2. The worker will be advised that the next infraction will result in a Written Warning.

  3. The Verbal Warning is to be documented using the HPZ Progressive Disciplinary Action Form and kept in the employee’s personnel file.

If there are no further infractions of this nature in the following 3 months, this offence will be considered Resolved.

Second instance of an offence of a similar nature:

WRITTEN WARNING

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  1. The worker will be given a Written Warning.

  2. Evidence about the infraction and a Performance Improvement Plan for the Written Warning is to be documented using the HPZ Progressive Disciplinary Action Form by the supervisor and the worker. A copy of the Written Warning will be sent to the Chief of Operations and kept in the employee’s personnel file.

  3. Depending on the nature of the offence, the Written Warning may be accompanied by a letter from the Chief of Operations. A copy of the letter will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.

  4. The Written Warning will include notification that

    1. the worker will continue to work at their current rank and wage rate

    2. the worker will not be eligible for wage increases until the Performance Improvement Plan has been completed to the satisfaction of the Chief of Operations

    3. the next infraction will result in a three-day suspension from work without pay.

If there are no further infractions of this nature in the following 3 months of active employment and the Performance Improvement Plan has been completed satisfactorily, this offence will be considered Resolved and the worker returns to regular status.

Third instance of an offence:

SUSPENSION

  1. The worker will told verbally that they have repeated the offence and are being dismissed for the remainder of the day and an additional two-day Suspension without pay.

  2. The Chief of Operations is notified immediately by phone.

  3. Evidence about the infraction for the Suspension is to be documented using the HPZ Progressive Disciplinary Action Form by the supervisor and sent to the Chief of Operations for consultation and kept in the employee’s personnel file.

  4. The Suspension will be confirmed in a letter from the Chief of Operations. The letter will

    1. describe the evidence and circumstances of the infraction

    2. describe the consequences for the worker

    3. include a Performance Improvement Plan with a timeline of benchmarks to be fulfilled

    4. include notification that the next infraction will result in immediate and permanent termination. A copy of the letter will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.

  5. Following the Suspension days,

    1. the worker will meet with their supervisor and the Chief of Operations to discuss the Performance Improvement Plan.

    2. the worker will be placed on a 3-month Probation Period, at their current rank and wage rate. The worker will not be eligible for any wage increases during the Probation Period.

  6. As deemed appropriate by the supervisor and the Chief of Operations, the Performance Improvement Plan may include, but is not limited to,
        - increased supervision of the worker’s workplace behaviour and/or actions associated with the offence
        - job performance improvement training or re-training
        - counselling by a third-party professional

  7. At the end of the 3-month Probation Period, the worker’s supervisor will conduct an Employee Assessment.

    1. If the worker has satisfactorily completed the Performance Improvement Plan and the worker earns an Overall Assessment rating of 3 out of 5 or higher, this offence will be considered Resolved and the worker returns regular status.

    2. If the worker does not satisfactorily complete the Performance Improvement or earns an Overall Assessment rating of 1 or 2 out of 5, the worker’s employment with HPZ will be terminated.

Fourth instance of an offence:

TERMINATION

  1. The worker will be told verbally that they have repeated the offence and are being dismissed for the remainder of the day and the Chief of Operations notified immediately.

  2. Evidence about the infraction for the Termination is to be documented using the HPZ Progressive Disciplinary Action Form by the supervisor and sent to the Chief of Operations for consultation and kept in the employee’s personnel file.

  3. The worker will be notified of their Termination in writing (via mail) by a letter from the Chief of Operations.

  4. A copy of the Termination letter will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.

All records of Disciplinary Action will be kept in the worker’s personnel file for 2 years from the date of the last related Action.

Progressive Disciplinary Action Form
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