A4100.65 Corrective Action

 

1.0 Statement

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Shawnee Community College is committed to maintaining a workplace rooted in respect, fairness, and accountability.  Corrective action is designed to help employees align their behavior and performance with the College’s values, policies, and expectations. This standard promotes consistency, transparency, and equitable treatment while upholding the integrity of the institution and the dignity of every employee.

 

2.0 Purpose & Scope

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• Purpose:  To outline a consistent, fair, and progressive process for addressing employee performance and unprofessional behavior.
• Scope:  This standard applies to all Shawnee Community College employees. Faculty covered by collective-bargaining agreements may follow procedures defined by their contract; however, the College’s principles of fairness and due process remain applicable.

 

3.0 Definitions

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• Corrective Action: A structured process used to address and resolve performance or conduct deficiencies through documentation, communication, and opportunity for improvement.

• Performance Improvement Plan (PIP): A structured, time-bound plan developed collaboratively between the supervisor and employee to address ongoing or complex performance concerns and support improvement efforts.

• Progressive Discipline: A step-by-step approach that increases in severity if performance or behavior does not improve, up to and including termination.
• Verbal Warning: The initial step that clearly identifies the concern and expected improvement.
• Written Warning: A formal document summarizing prior discussions and specifying the continued concern and required improvement plan.
• Final Written Warning: A last opportunity for the employee to correct issues before further disciplinary action or termination.  
• Termination: Separation from employment resulting from failure to correct behavior or from serious misconduct.

 

4.0 Roles & Responsibilities

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• Employees:  Participate in corrective-action discussions in good faith.  Demonstrate a commitment to improvement and follow the established plan. Request clarification, feedback, or support if you have any questions or concerns about unclear expectations.
• Supervisors:  Identify and communicate performance or unprofessional behavior promptly and objectively.  Document all discussions and actions while maintaining confidentiality and respect in all interactions with the employee. Provide the employee with clear expectations, timelines, and support resources.
• Human Resources: Partner with supervisors on the appropriate level of corrective action and help the supervisor in the development of a Performance Improvement Plan as needed.  Provide guidance or training to prevent recurring issues.  Maintain official records of corrective-action documentation.

 

5.0 Procedures

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Corrective action is intended to encourage improvement and accountability. All corrective action should be in consultation with Human Resources. Documentation must include an accurate account of the action or behavior, reference the violated policy or performance expectation, and the expected corrective actions and timelines.

A first offense for certain serious misconduct could result in immediate dismissal without prior warning. For less severe types of misconduct, the supervisor is expected to use progressive disciplinary action to allow the employee to correct the behavior.

Progressive Steps

1. Verbal Warning – The Supervisor consults with Human Resources before meeting privately with the employee. The warning identifies unprofessional actions and behaviors, along with the required corrective action.
2. Written Warning – If improvement is not sustained, the supervisor consults with Human Resources to issue a written notice.  The warning identifies the failure to demonstrate improvement and the required corrective action.  
3. Final Written Warning – If deficiencies continue, the supervisor consults with Human Resources to issue a final written warning. The warning identifies the required corrective action and the consequences, should corrective action not occur, including termination.
4. Termination – Human Resources reviews the documentation before termination is finalized.

 

6.0 Guidelines

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• Consistency & Discretion: Maintain consistency but allow flexibility to consider unique circumstances before taking corrective action steps.
• Timeliness:  Address issues promptly, as delays can undermine both fairness and effectiveness.
• Employee Development:  Provide growth opportunities through professional development or retraining.
• Performance Management: Use coaching and communication to guide improvement rather than relying solely on corrective measures.

 

7.0 SCCES Connections

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This Operating Standard supports the Employee Engagement Element within the SCCES framework, particularly the Workplace Climate, Contribution & Voice, and Employee Retention Key Performance Areas.

The corrective action process serves as a structured mechanism for addressing performance and conduct concerns, reinforcing expectations, and ensuring accountability. As a progressive and documented process, it supports consistent application of institutional standards while promoting fairness and transparency.

Through consistent application, this standard contributes to:

• A fair and respectful workplace environment (Workplace Climate)
• Clear expectations and accountability for employee behavior (Contribution & Voice)
• A stable and consistent work environment that supports workforce continuity (Employee Retention)

The practices defined in this standard serve as key process inputs that influence employee accountability, supervisory effectiveness, and organizational culture across the College.

 

8.0 Monitoring Report Connections

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This Operating Standard supports the College’s annual Human Resources Monitoring Report by generating evidence related to employee accountability, disciplinary practices, and organizational consistency.

Evidence generated through this standard contributes to the evaluation of Board policies, including:

• B3000 – General Executive Limitations
• B3001 – Employee Relationships
• B3003 – Organizational Culture
• B3004 – Employment, Compensation, and Benefits

Evidence generated may include:

• Frequency and types of corrective actions issued
• Distribution of corrective actions across departments or employee groups
• Progression through disciplinary steps (verbal, written, final, termination)
• Timeliness and consistency of corrective action processes

These indicators provide insight into supervisory practices, employee accountability, and the College’s ability to apply standards consistently and equitably. Collectively, they support Board evaluation of workplace climate, organizational culture, and compliance with Executive Limitations.

The following alignment illustrates how operational practices defined in this standard contribute to key Monitoring Report measures:

 

Operational Area	Evidence Generated	Monitoring Alignment
Corrective Action Utilization	Frequency and types of disciplinary actions	Accountability Culture
Disciplinary Progression	Movement through progressive discipline steps	Consistency & Fairness
Supervisory Application	Timeliness and consistency of actions	Supervisory Effectiveness
Severe Actions (Termination)	Termination frequency and circumstances	Workforce Stability

 

Collectively, these indicators provide insight into disciplinary practices and organizational consistency, supporting continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

 

9.0 Data Collection & Review

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This Operating Standard supports ongoing evaluation of disciplinary practices through structured data collection and review.

Data Collection:  Human Resources will maintain and review data related to:

• Frequency and types of corrective actions
• Progression through disciplinary steps
• Department-level distribution of corrective actions
• Termination outcomes related to performance or conduct

Review and Analysis: Human Resources will evaluate compiled data for patterns, trends, and areas of concern, including inconsistencies in disciplinary application, recurring behavioral issues, and indicators of workplace climate. Findings will be used to inform training, policy refinement, and leadership development, and to support development of the annual Human Resources Monitoring Report.

Review Cycle:  Data will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, with formal review conducted at least annually or as needed based on emerging trends, legal requirements, or institutional priorities.

Coordination:  Human Resources will coordinate with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, as appropriate, to support alignment with SCCES and Monitoring Report development.

 

10.0 Oversight & Review

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This Operating Standard will be reviewed at least every three (3) years or sooner as required based on legal, regulatory, accreditation, or institutional needs.  Oversight of this standard is coordinated by Human Resources, with support from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to ensure alignment with SCCES and Monitoring Report development.  Revisions will follow the College’s Shared Governance processes and will be documented in the Change Log.

 

Change Log	Governance Unit: Human Resources Council
Date	Description of Change
04.23.26	Initial Adoption