Discipline and grievance issues

1. Do we have to have a written disciplinary procedure?
2. What should we include in our disciplinary procedure?
3. How should we categorise disciplinary offences?
4. How do we go about drawing up a disciplinary procedure?
5. How many warnings do we need to give an employee?
6. How do we ensure that our disciplinary procedure does not lead to any legal problems?
7. What offences justify immediate dismissal?
8. Do we need a formal grievance procedure?
9. What kind of problems are likely to be raised as grievances?
10. What are the key elements of an effective grievance procedure?
11. Should we make adherence to the disciplinary rules a condition of employment, and include them in the contract of employment?
12. How do we introduce new disciplinary rules?
13. What do we do if an employee claims a rule is unreasonable?
14. What do we do if an employee claims not to have known the rules?
15. Do we have to apply the same rules consistently to all employees?
16. What do we do if an employee breaks a rule - but claims that 'everyone does it'?
17. What do we do if there are extenuating circumstances for a disciplinary offence?
18. What should we do if an ex-employee claims to have been unfairly dismissed?
19. What do we do if an employee continually finds excuses to avoid disciplinary hearings?
20. What do we do if we think that an employee is guilty of gross misconduct, but we cannot prove it?