Some disciplinary actions arise from allegations of misconduct, such as theft, misuse of company property or disclosing confidential information. Before taking disciplinary action, conduct a thorough and reasonable investigation to verify that the allegation is true.
Promptly investigate all reasonable sources of information. Give the employee notice of the allegation and an opportunity to respond. If you act reasonably based on adequate information, courts will generally uphold your action even if they disagree with the result. Let the full extent of the investigation be determined by the seriousness of the incident and extent of the potential penalty. Disciplinary action is often based on the type of violation. Depending on the seriousness of the violation, employees may be given the opportunity to correct negative behavior.
