Progressive Discipline Law and Legal Definition
Progressive discipline is a system of increasingly harsh penalties for each time an employee is disciplined for work-rule violations. Typically the progression is from oral warnings to written warnings to suspension and, finally, to termination. The aim of a progressive discipline system is to work with the employee to try to retain him or her as a productive worker without having to resort to termination immediately.
Even if taken appropriately, disciplinary/discharge actions can still lead to:
- Employment discrimination complaints.
- Unemployment compensation hearings.
- Wrongful discharge and other related lawsuits.
