Terminating Offenses

edisto

We're doing some work on our corrective action procedure and are interested in what others consider "terminating offenses" that you have zero tolerance for.

In other words - what things do you investigate to determine that they truly happened and don't care whether any mitigating circumstances exist?

For example - bringing a firearm on to company property. Is that automatic dismissal regardless of the reason/circumstances? In the situation of an individual put a handgun in a work ditty bag over the weekend to keep it away from grandchildren and forgot it was in the bag until it was detected at work - would those circumstances lead to some level of corrective action or to termination?

We are interested in the things that are automatic dismissals for other companies.

Tks!

Don D

Striking another employee, positive drug screen, theft from the company or from coworkers (even a soft drink can), failure to cooperate in an ongoing company investigation, impeding an investigation, display of genetalia, use of alcohol on company property.

marc

All of Don's examples, plus - dating or having a sexual relationship with a client.

TN HR

All of the above plus failing to report an accident/incident. Acts involving moral turpitude such as, but not limited to, peeping under the stall in the women's restroom or exposing themselves to the cleaning lady.

pork1

All of the above and "the refusal of providing a urine sample for testing. The falsification of an application with the intent to cover up something of value to our decision to hire or pass on to another more highly qualified candidate.

PORK

Good post for recheck purposes.

HRinFL

Adding to The Don and Marc's list, releasing confidential or proprietary innformation without the proper authorization, substantiation of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, etc., and forgetting my birthday! x:D

safety

Most of the above, some I didn't think of, and at our establishment a lock out tag out violation.

hhaynal

Workplace violence, sexual harassment, severe violation of safety policy, weapons on the campus, reporting to work under the influence, and there might be one or two others.

lorrie

I would generally agree that bringing a firearm to work is cause for termination, and I can think of very few circumstances that would change this.
-Was the weapon loaded?
-How was it discovered?
-How long has this employee worked there?
-Has this employee been disciplined in the past?
-Was any other employee ever in danger? (Or did any other employee percieve they were in danger?)
-How did the employee react when it was found?

Depending on the business, and details of this incident, I can possibly picture a very long term employee with a spotless record getting off with a week-long unpaid suspension, or something like that. But otherwise, I say terminate. The employee used extremely poor judgement putting a weapon anywhere other than its secure location at home, and it may be a tough lesson, but they need to learn it.

Crout

Yup and if the weapon was not secured it could also have been a violation of State and/or local law.