Answer for Can an employer suspend without pay as a discipline?

[Conner Lantz]

#88185

Every situation is different. But let me outline an approach you can use to judge the fairness of the penalty:
Do you have a progressive discipline policy? If not, does your harassment policy specifically provide for discipline and include suspensions? If so, you should be able to suspend the employee if he/she committed a clear violation and the penalty is consistent with your policy. If you don’t have a policy, do you have documentation of discipline imposed on other employees for committing similar violations? If so, is 2-days suspension consistent with those previous incidents?
You also need to keep in mind other aggravating and mitigating factors in determining the appropriate discipline such as whether this is a first or repeat offence, the employee’s position–the higher the position, the more you’re entitled to expect from him/her, his/her remorse and willingness to accept responsibility, whether the conduct was provoked, etc.
Hope that helps. Glenn