Disciplinary Procedure Policy
Updated 17 October 2025
This document outlines a company's disciplinary procedure policy, detailing the process for investigating claims of policy violations, insubordination, harassment, discrimination, and other behavioral issues. It describes a graduated system of citations, from verbal warnings to termination, and specifies employee rights during the disciplinary process.
Disciplinary Procedure Policy
Investigating Claims
All investigations into allegations of policy violation, insubordination, harassment, discrimination, behavioral issues and work-related citations will be investigated in a fair and objective manner.
The employee under investigation will be free to advise on witnesses, make a statement and appeal decisions.
Citation Degrees
Verbal Warning: The employee will have a meeting with his or her supervisor and discuss the problem, how to fix it and how to prevent it from happening again.
Written Warning: If the behavior continues without improvement, the employee will receive an official, written citation and will be required to attend a meeting with all managerial staff to whom he or she reports.
Final Warning: The employee will be notified that any further incidents regarding the prohibited behavior will result in suspension or termination. If the supervisor feels that the safety or well-being of other employees is in jeopardy at this point, he or she may suspend the misbehaving employee pending investigation.
Suspension: The employee will be suspended without pay while a thorough investigation takes place concerning whether or not he or she is fit to hold the position
Termination: If the problem cannot be solved, the manager or HR representatives may recommend termination.
Employers retain the right to terminate employees with no written notice and without previous disciplinary actions. Disciplinary procedure does not apply to illegal behavior, which is grounds for immediate termination and legal action.
Employee Rights
During the disciplinary procedure, the employee must receive every step in writing to prove that he or she has been notified of the problem.
All documented copies will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.
The employee has the right to visit a company-provided counselor.
The employee has the right to appeal any decision within [number] days.
For more information, please contact:
[name, title, department, room, phone, fax, email]
About this template
What is this template?
Disciplinary Procedure Policy is a free, ready-to-use Employment template you can open, customize, and download on GitLaw. It gives you a professionally structured starting point, so you never have to draft from a blank page. The wording is plain and modern, organized into clear sections that are easy to read, edit, and adapt to your own situation before you share or sign it.
When should you use it?
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What's typically included?
A well-drafted Employment usually sets out the parties involved, the scope of the agreement, and each side's rights and responsibilities. Expect sections covering key terms and definitions, how long the agreement lasts, how it can be ended, and what happens if something goes wrong. This template brings those building blocks together in a sensible order, so you can focus on the specifics rather than worrying about what to include. Open it to read the full document, then sign up to edit, negotiate, and e-sign it directly in GitLaw.