Corrective Action
Progressive corrective action is used for regular full-time and part-time employees who are not in their
introductory/probationary period, and may include verbal warning, written warning, suspension, and
ultimately discharge. It is expected that conversations occur before any warnings have been issued
outlining the basic expectations, job performance duties, and other guidelines that need to be followed.
Supervisors should refer to the Human Resources (HR) website for all policies
http://www.webster.edu/human-resources/policies/
.
The purpose of corrective action is to inform the employee of inadequacies in performance or instances
of improper behavior, clarify what constitutes satisfactory performance or behavior, instruct the
employee on what action must be taken to correct the performance or behavior problem, and notify the
employee of what action will be taken in the future if the expectations are not met. It is our goal to give
employees every opportunity to succeed.
There are several levels of corrective action, each progressively more serious, which may be used to
correct employee performance and behavior. However, Webster University reserves the right to skip
one or more steps depending upon the severity of the situation. In all cases, the department head and
Human Resources should be consulted prior to taking any corrective action. These steps include:
Verbal Warning - An employee may be issued a verbal warning for a performance or behavior problem.
Verbal warnings are typically issued during a private conference between the supervisor and the
employee where the supervisor explains the problem and what the employee must do to return to
satisfactory status. The supervisor should document the conversation by making notes on the attached
Verbal Warning template. The employee should be informed that the conference is being conducted for
the purpose of issuing a verbal warning. This ensures that the employee is aware that corrective action
is taking place. The verbal warning may also specify a review period, if appropriate, in which the
employee's behavior or performance will be reviewed. A verbal warning template is attached to this
policy.
Written Warning - Employees may be issued a written warning which contains the following
information: a description of the specific problem or offense, the most recent incident and when it
occurred, previous actions taken to correct the problem (if applicable), expectations and acceptable
standards of performance, and warning that further unsatisfactory behavior or performance may result
in further disciplinary action. Typically, the written warning is issued and discussed with the employee in
private conference with the supervisor. A copy of the written warning should be given to the employee
and a copy placed in the employee's official personnel record in Human Resources. The written warning
may also specify a review period, if appropriate, in which the employee's behavior or performance will
be reviewed. A written warning template is attached to this policy.
Final Written Warning - A final written warning notice should be issued to the employee who has
officially been advised repeatedly of the nature of their performance or behavior misconduct. This
warning will serve as a notification that any future violations may result in termination.
Suspension – If warranted, employees may be suspended without pay for incidents that are serious
enough to warrant summary suspension, or after less severe disciplinary actions have been taken. This
suspension without pay will be in accordance with Federal, State, and local wage-and-hour laws. The