Associate Handbook 2018

The Company will give Associates written notice of the date, time and place of the appeal hearing. This will normally be two to seven days after Associates receive the written notice or as soon as reasonably practicable thereafter depending on the availability of an appropriate Manager to hear the appeal. The appeal hearing may be a complete re-hearing of the matter or it may be a review of the fairness of the original decision in light of the procedure that was followed and any new information that may have come to light. This will be at the Company’s discretion depending on the circumstances of the Associate’s case. In any event the appeal will be dealt with as impartially as possible.

Where possible, the hearing will be conducted impartially by a Manager who was not previously involved in the case. A member of Human Resources may also be present.

The Company may adjourn the appeal hearing if further investigations need to take place in light of any new points the Associate raises at the hearing. Associates will be given a reasonable opportunity to consider any new information obtained before the hearing is reconvened.

Following the appeal hearing The Company may:

confirm the original decision; or



revoke the original decision; or



Substitute a different penalty



The Company will inform Associates in writing of its final decision as soon as possible, usually within one week of the appeal hearing. There will be no further right of appeal.

7.6

Suspension

Suspension of an Associate does not form part of formal disciplinary proceedings but may precede disciplinary action. Suspension, on full pay, may be appropriate in the following circumstances:  Where, in cases of gross misconduct, the Head of the business unit and/or the Head of HR are unavailable to take immediate action under the formal disciplinary procedure. In these circumstances a member of the Human Resource Division may authorise a suspension  Where it is desirable to remove an Associate from their place of work in order that a full investigation of an incident can take place. Such suspensions will be carried out by the Manager with prior agreement from the Human Resource Division The suspension will be no longer than is necessary to investigate the allegations and the Company will confirm the arrangements to Associates in writing. While suspended Associates should not visit the Company's premises or contact any clients, customers, suppliers, contractors or other Associates of the Company, unless they have been authorised to do so.