Discipline that is too little or too late permits the worst employees to set the standard for workplace conduct and undermine the productivity of everyone.   On the other hand, discipline that is too rash contributes to employee distrust and morale problems that can damage productivity, attendance, and employee commitment.  This course provides suggestions on how to effectively discipline or terminate an employee with minimal legal risks to the organization and minor damages to employee confidence and performance.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Managers/Supervisors/Risk Management & HR Professionals

TIME TO COMPLETE
75 minutes

PURPOSE
To help managers and supervisors understand how to impose effective discipline and manage employee termination.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After completing this course, the learner will be able to:

• summarize the procedure for establishing general disciplinary guidelines;
• define progressive discipline and outline its five stages;
• identify the components of a discipline memo;
• explain the proper course of action for arranging and conducting a meeting regarding discipline or termination; and
• cite the purposes of exit interviews and describe the proper manner with which they should proceed.

TOPICS COVERED
1. Establishing a Discipline Policy

• General Guidelines
• Progressive Discipline

2. Documenting Employee Behavior

• Discipline Memo
• Termination Document

3. Imposing Discipline

• Before the Disciplinary Meeting
• During the Disciplinary Meeting
• After the Disciplinary Meeting

4. Conducting Exit Interviews

• Purpose
• Format
• Process

FORMS INCLUDED

• Discipline and Termination Preparation Checklist
• Discipline Without Punishment Implementation Program
• Exit Interview Form
• Exit Interview - Internal Policy
• Exit Interview Questionnaire
• Progressive Discipline Employee Record Form
• Sample Employee Warning/Probationary Notice
• Sample Job Abandonment Letter
• Sample Letter of Resignation
• Sample Questions for Exit Interviews
• Sample Progressive Discipline Policy
• Sample Termination Letter (Layoff)
• Sample Termination Letter for At-Will Employees
• Sample Termination Letter for Employees with Contracts
• Supervisor’s and Manager’s Checklist for Employee Separation

ACCREDITATION
HR CERTIFICATION INSTITUTE
This program has been approved for 1.25 recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, and GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.  For more information about certification or recertification, visit the HR Certification Institute homepage at www.hrci.org.

The State Bar of Georgia
The State Bar of Georgia has accredited this course for 1.50 hours of Regular CLE credits. For more information about CLE credits, visit The State Bar of Georgia homepage at www.gabar.org.