Progressive Corrective Action Procedure

(effective 1/1/07)

You are expected to perform your job duties competently and to meet the performance expectations established for your position. If your performance is considered to be unacceptable by your supervisor, s/he may decide to initiate progressive corrective action.

The University maintains a Progressive Corrective Action Program that is designed to identify and correct issues that may affect your work performance and the overall performance of your department. This procedure provides you and your supervisor with an opportunity to talk about specific problems, to determine when and how these problems can be corrected, and to set goals and time frames for improvement. Each case is considered on an individual basis by the department with input from Human Resources.

This Procedure provides guidelines for management and staff in handling various performance or misconduct problems that are considered correctable. It is designed to ensure that all employees are treated consistently and equitably with respect to work-related problems.

This Procedure does not create substantive rights for, or change, the employment-at-will status of any employee. Therefore, depending on the seriousness of the issue, any of the steps may be bypassed.

Human Resources should be consulted whenever there are issues about corrective action.

• Step One: Verbal Warning:
  A verbal warning is given for minor first offenses or unsatisfactory performance and remains in effect for six months.

• Step Two: Written Warning:
  A written warning addresses a subsequent offense or continued unsatisfactory performance by the employee and is retained in the employee's personnel file.

• Step Three: Suspension or Final Warning:
  A suspension or final warning indicates the seriousness of the infraction and is intended to alert the employee that the next step is termination. The length of the suspension is based on the seriousness of the misconduct and is normally without pay. If an investigation is necessary, the employee may be placed on administrative leave with or without pay, pending the results of the investigation.

• Step Four: Termination of Employment:
  This is the final step in the process or the penalty for a serious offense. Dismissal may be used prior to any formal disciplinary action in the event of very serious misconduct such as, but not limited to theft, dishonesty, or willful and deliberate insubordination, or action that causes damage to a Lesley Community member, or to the University, itself.
  You will be given the opportunity to articulate the facts of your situation before any disciplinary action is taken. If you disagree with the supervisor's decision and feel that the disciplinary action was too severe or unwarranted, you have the right to appeal the decision through the PROBLEM SOLVING PROCEDURE.

Certain conduct, however, is so serious and inconsistent with Lesley's standards that the first three steps in the progressive corrective action process may be eliminated and may justify immediate discharge. This list includes some examples of major misconduct offenses but is not all-inclusive.

• Violation of law or regulation
• Extreme unprofessional behavior
• Verbal or physical abuse
• Harassment of any nature
• The use, sale, transfer or possession of drugs that are illegal or illegal use, sale, transfer or possession of drugs classified as controlled substances under the law
• Insubordination
• Violation of safety or security regulations
• The possession of firearms or dangerous weapons on company premises or while engaged in university business.
• Clear instance of fraud or theft from the University.