Administrative Manual - 212 Voluntary & Involuntary Separations
212.02 Involuntary Separations
- POLICY
JSA's involuntary termination policy is based on a process of progressive discipline.
The progressive discipline policy applies to all regular and term employees, and with some flexibility, to probationary employees, casual employees, student interns, Undergraduate Student Research Assistants (USRAs) and Graduate Student Research Assistants (GSRAs). The process may be abbreviated with probationary, and casual employees and with students, USRAs and GSRAs.
The progressive discipline process begins with informal feedback and coaching when an employee's job performance or behavior is not meeting JSA standards and progresses through oral and written warnings to a written notice of termination. (See Policy 208.02 Corrective Actions.) The objective of this process is to ensure the employee has been informed of performance or behavior problems and given sufficient opportunity to improve to standard prior to the separation action. However, exceptions to the progressive discipline process include cases of serious misconduct, job abandonment, or where continued employment is considered detrimental to the maintenance of normal good order and proper working conditions. In such cases a decision can be made to terminate employment without having followed the progressive discipline process.
An employee who is involuntarily separated shall be given at least a two week (10 working days) notice of separation, except in cases of job abandonment, serious misconduct, or where continued employment is considered detrimental to JSA reserves the right to give two weeks (10 working days) pay in lieu of notice. No benefits are paid or accrued during the pay in lieu of notice period.
Only the Lab Director or designee has authority to terminate employment. The Lab Director or designee will make all decisions in consultation with HR, Legal, the supervisor and the manager(s) recommending termination.
- PROCEDURE
A supervisor wishing to terminate an employee shall write a memo to his/her manager summarizing the performance and/or behavior issues leading to the action, and referencing discussions about these issues with the employee, including oral and written warnings. Supporting documentation should be attached to the memo.
Human Resources shall be consulted for assistance throughout the disciplinary process and in reviewing this package.
The completed package will be presented to the Lab Director or designee by the Human Resources Manager for review and consultation with Legal and the manager(s) recommending termination. The Lab Director or designee must approve all requests for termination.