By: Steve M. Cohen, Ed. D.

Steps in Corrective Action:

1) "Process" the behavior for yourself. Get it from the "gut reaction state" to the "articulated state".

2) Do your homework.

• Check the employee’s file for any previous documentation of infractions of the work rules.
  
• Check with other supervisors in your department or within the organization regarding their knowledge of the employee’s actions in the past.
  
• Determine if a pattern exists or if the action is an isolated incident.
  

3) Make an appointment with the employee: call the employee in for a private meeting. This sets up the interaction on your time-table, on your terms, and on your turf.

4) During this interview, the process is the following:

• Identify specifically "what went wrong"- what the in faction was.
  
• Identify what the standard is- what a good job looks like.
  
• Set a plan for improvement.
  
• Set a time frame for the plan to be implemented and worked.
  
• Identify consequences if no improvement occurs.
  
• Delegate confidence.
  

The steps in "Due Process":

1) Written documentation of an Oral Warning. (This can be done ex post facto.)

2) Written documentation of a Written Warning.

3) Suspension pending investigation and further action.

4) Termination

Termination Issues and Procedures:

1) Make sure that your actions are defendable! You may be called upon to defend your decision to terminate an employee in the press, in civil court or, in an EEOC hearing (or all three).

2) Your actions should not be perceived as capricious or arbitrary. Could the other side say "you were probably having a bad day?"

3) Your actions should follow an orderly pattern, employing reasonable time intervals.

4) Your actions should be calm, rational, and objective.

Termination Procedure:

Pre-meeting with the employee:

• Do homework--Determine if the documentation is complete and defendable;
  
• Check with the Human Resources Division (for a double check);
  
• Prepare the termination documentation;
  
• Arrange with payroll to calculate accrued salary and benefits and cut final check;
  
• Notify employee that you want to meet with them--set an appointment; and,
  
• Arrange for a witness to be available at the meeting.
  

At the meeting:

• Advise the employee that the witness is only a witness and will play no other role;
  
• Inform the employee that the decision has been made to terminate the person’s employment with the organization. Note: this is not a discussion, the decision is final.
  
• Advise of the reason. Note: do not rehash details;
  
• Obtain any organization property--keys, etc. Provide final payment and an explanation of same;
  
• Advise the person that there is nothing personal in the decision to terminate. (Try to terminate the job not the person.) Show the documentation, and ask them to read and sign that they acknowledge;
  
• Set up an appointment for a formal Exit Interview.

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