Associate Handbook 2018

will be notified of this) but will be spent after that time subject to satisfactory conduct and performance.

A copy of the final written warning will be placed on the Associate’s personnel file and removed after the warning has expired.

Stage Four – Dismissal

Dismissal will normally result from Associate’s continuing failure to act upon the provisions made in the previous stages of the warning procedure or in the event of gross misconduct. The Head of HR must approve all dismissals.

Disciplinary Procedure

In the event the Company is proposing to issue a disciplinary sanction including termination of an Associate’s employment, for misconduct or poor performance, the Company will normally (but not as a matter of contractual obligation) apply the following procedure.

Investigations

The purpose of an investigation is for the Company to establish a fair and balanced view of the facts relating to any disciplinary allegations against an Associate, before deciding whether to proceed with a disciplinary hearing. The amount of investigation required will depend on the nature of the allegations and will vary from case to case. It may involve interviewing and taking statements from Associates and any witnesses, and/or reviewing relevant documents. Associates must co-operate fully and promptly in any investigation. This will include informing the Company of the names of any relevant witnesses, disclosing any relevant documents to the Company and attending investigative interviews if required.

Notification of the Hearing

Following any investigation, if the Company considers there are grounds for disciplinary action, Associates will be required to attend a disciplinary hearing. The Company will inform Associates in writing of the allegations against them, the basis for those allegations, and what the likely range of outcome will be if it is decided after the hearing that the allegations are true. The Company will also include the following where appropriate:

 a summary of a relevant information gathered during the investigation (if applicable);

 a copy of any relevant documents which will be used at the disciplinary hearing; and

 a copy of any relevant witness statements, except where a witness's identity is to be kept confidential, in which case the Company will give Associates as much information as possible while maintaining confidentiality.

Disciplinary Hearing

The hearing will be chaired by an appropriate Manager and a member of Human Resources may also be present. Associates may be accompanied by a fellow Associate or member of a recognised Trade Union.