Disciplinary and Grievance Procedure 

Minor disagreements       

Minor disagreements amongst playgroup staff and committee members can usually be resolved at the regular staff management supervision meetings or informally by discussion            

Disciplinary Procedures

A more serious situation arises when a dispute cannot be resolved or when the committee are dissatisfied with the conduct or activities of an employee.

Any disciplinary matter will normally be dealt with using the following procedure. At every stage the employee should be given reasonable notice (5 days) that the disciplinary hearing is due to take place. This enables them the opportunity to prepare their case and he/she should be offered the opportunity to be accompanied by a colleague if they wish.

The disciplinary panel of our committee run group will consist of the chairperson and a nominated chair colleague/or the manager, who should ensure that confidentiality is maintained within the panel.

1. Oral warning

·        The employee should be interviewed by the disciplinary panel who will explain the complaint.

·        The employee will be given the full opportunity to state their case

·        After careful consideration by the committee panel and if

·        After careful consideration by the committee panel and if a warning is considered to be appropriate, the employee needs to be told.

·        What action should be taken to correct the conduct

·        The employee will be given full opportunity to state their case

·        When training needs to be identified, with timescales for implementation.

·        What mitigating circumstances have been taken into account in reaching the decision.

·        That they fail to improve then further actions will be taken

·        That a record of a warning will be kept

·        That they may appeal against the decision within a limited time period of 5 days

2 Formal Written Warning

If the employee fails to correct their conduct and further action is necessary. Or if the original offence is considered too serious to warrant an initial oral warning.

·        An employee will be interviewed and given the opportunity to state their case (reasonable time will be give for them to prepare their case)

·        If a final warning is considered to be appropriate this will be explained to the employee and a letter confirming this decision will be sent to the employee

·        The letter will;

             1.  Contain a clear reprimand and the reason for it.

             2.  Explain what corrective action is required and what reasonable time is given for improvement.

             3.  State what training needs have been identified with the time scales for implementation

              4.  Make clear what mitigating circumstances have been taken into account in reaching the decision.

              5.  Warn that failure to improve will result in further disciplinary action which could result in a final written warning and if unheeded will ultimately lead to dismissal with appropriate notice.

               6.  Explain that they have the right to appeal against the decision.

2. Final Written Warning

If the employee fails to correct their conduct and further action is necessary or the original offence is considered too serious to warrant any initial warnings.

·        The employee will be interviewed and given the opportunity to state their case

·        If a further warning is considered to be appropriate this will be explained to the employee and a letter confirming this decision will be sent to the employee

·        This letter will;

1. Contain a clear reprimand and the reason for it

2. Explain what corrective action is required and what reasonable time is given for improvement.

3. State what training needs have been identified, with time scales for implementation

4. Make clear what mitigationg circumstances have been taken into account in reaching the decision.

5. Warn that failure to improve will result in further disciplinary action which could result in dismissal.

6. Explain that they have the right to appeal against the decision.

4. Dismissal

If the employee still fails to correct their conduct, then;

·        The employee will be interviewed as before

·        If the decision is to dismiss, the employee will be given notice of dismissal. Stating the reason for dismissal and giving details of the right to appeal.

If progress is satisfactory within the timescales given to rectify matters, the record of warnings in the staff individual file will be destroyed

Suspensions

If the circumstance appears to warrant instant dismissal, an employee may be suspended with pay while investigations are being made. These should consist of obtaining written statements from all witnesses to the disciplinary incident and from the employee who is being disciplined. These investigations should be carried out within as short a time as possible.

INSTANT DISMISSAL is possible only in the extreme circumstances of gross misconduct.

Examples of such are;

·        Theft and fraud

·        Ill treatment of children

·        Assault

·        Malicious damage

·        Gross carelessness which threatens the health and safety of others

·        Being unfit through use of drugs and/or alcohol

·        Breach of confidentiality

Otherwise, an employee should not be dismissed without warnings.

Appeals

At this stage of the disciplinary procedure the employee must be told they have the right to appeal against any disciplinary action and that the appeal must be made in writing to the chairperson withing 5 days of a disciplinary interview.

The appeal hearing should be heard, if possible, within 10 days of receipt of the appeal. This will be with 2 or 3 committee members who are not involved (if possible) in the initial disciplinary procedure. If this is not possible the appeal group may consist of the same people as the original panel and they must take every effort to hear the appeal as impartially as possible.

·        The employee will explain why they are dissatisfied and may be asked questions.

The chairperson playgroup this would be the chairperson or committee. If the grievance persists a management panel should be set up for the purpose of further discussions at which the employee may if they wish be accompanied by a colleague.

There must be a right of appeal to the playgroup committee. At this level also the employees’ colleague may be present

The aim of the above procedure is to settle the grievance fairly and as near as possible to the point of origin. It is intended to be simple and rapid in operation.

·        will be asked to pt their point of view and may be asked questions

·   Witnesses may be heard and may be questioned by the appeals committee and by the employee and the chairperson

·   The committee will consider the matter and make known the decision

Grievance Procedure

If an employee is dissatisfied, they must have the opportunity for prompt discussion with their manager. For the manager of the