Discipline, Grievances and Dismissal
*** Please note that this course will take place in London but the exact venue will not be confirmed until 4 weeks prior to the course start date. ***
In brief:
Poor management of grievances, discipline and dismissal can be very costly in time, money and damage to employee relations. A thorough understanding of the legal environment, including how to apply the law correctly, is essential for good management. This 2-day course covers all key aspects of this fundamental area of employment law and offers participants the opportunity to evaluate, assess and review disciplinary, grievance and dismissal procedures in the context of the latest statutory rules and developing case law.
Designed for:
HR and personnel professionals, employee relations managers, line managers, anyone responsible for dealing with or advising on disciplinary, grievance or dismissal matters
Training highlights:
- Understand key law and practice relating to discipline, grievances and dismissal
- Assess the day-to-day practical management aspects and be confident in advising line managers
- Improve employee relations and avoid unnecessary tribunal action
- Know how to handle difficult situations effectively
This event is CPD accredited.
The Programme
Day One
09:30 Introduction and background to grievances, discipline
-The employment law environment
-Contractual and statutory contexts
10:00 Quiz
10:45 CASE STUDY : A focus on grievance procedures - the law
-What is a grievance?
-Handling grievances quickly and fairly
-Examining the ACAS Code of Practice on grievances
-Standard and modified statutory grievance procedures
-Conducting grievance interviews and the right to be accompanied
12:30 Lunch
13:30 CASE STUDY : A focus on disciplinary procedures - the law
-When does a disciplinary situation arise?
-Examining the disciplinary process and procedures: a best practice overview
-Standard and modified statutory discipline procedures
-The investigation: a comprehensive, structured approach
-Formal disciplinary hearings: an overview
-Using documentation: effective warning letters
14:45 A focus on disciplinary procedures - continued
Participants will again be given the opportunity to apply the law and procedures in an interactive case study discussion.
16:30 End of day one
Day two
09:30 Key aspects of dismissal law
-The basics of dismissal: 'wrongful', 'unfair' and 'constructive'
-Statutory reasons for dismissal
-Considering essential elements of unfair dismissals
-What are fair reasons for dismissal?
-Fairness: the essence of 'reasonableness'
-Examining automatically unfair dismissals and group dismissals
-Handling redundancies: key components of the process
10:45 Key aspects of dismissal law - continued
-Payments in lieu of notice
-Settling and compromise agreements
-Remedies for unfair dismissal
-Managing short-term persistent absence and long-term continuous absence
-Stress and stress-related absence: guidelines for best practice
-Dealing with poor performance, misconduct outside the workplace and email/internet abuse
-Case law update
12:45 Lunch
13:30 A disciplinary meeting and appeal
This session enhances knowledge through applied learning. Participants will be given the opportunity to put key stages of the disciplinary meeting into practice with the objective of learning a comprehensive step-by-step approach. Feedback will be given by our expert trainer.
Key areas of learning:
-Handling a disciplinary matter
-Establishing facts, fairness and consistency
-What is the role of counseling?
-Arranging and preparing interviews
-Listening, questioning and discussion
-Dealing with witnesses: evidence, statements, confidentiality and bias
-Deciding on and implementing disciplinary action
16:00 Employment tribunal claims: outline of the new scene
-What are the current tribunal rules?
-An overview of terminology and forms
-The cost regime
16:30 End of day two