30 Dec From the HR Support Center: Do you recommend reducing hours as a disciplinary measure?
No, we don’t recommend reducing hours as a disciplinary measure.
Discipline is most effective when it directly addresses the performance or behavioral issue the employee is having. The aim is to improve performance or correct behavior. Reducing hours, however, doesn’t accomplish either of those objectives or deal with the problem directly. And if reducing hours isn’t a common practice in your workplace, an employee could challenge your decision as inconsistent with your policy or discriminatory.
Instead, we would recommend that you follow a progressive discipline process, possibly with a performance improvement plan. Meet with the employee to discuss the performance or behavioral problems, and document your expectations going forward.
Treating the employee consistent with your policy and documenting the steps of the process will be useful if any of your decisions are later challenged. And using discipline that directly addresses the problems at hand will give the employee an opportunity to improve and better contribute to your organization’s success. If the performance or behavior doesn’t improve, you could then look at further discipline or termination.
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Legal Disclaimer: Payroll Partners and/or the HR Support Center are not engaged in the practice of law. The content in this email should not be construed as legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. If you have legal questions concerning your situation or the information you have obtained, you should consult with a licensed attorney. Payroll Partners and/or the HR Support Center cannot be held legally accountable for actions related to this article.