Progressive discipline is a process in which an employer may use increasingly higher levels of discipline when an employee's performance fails to improve after the employer gives the employee notice. Progressive discipline typically includes a verbal warning. After the initial warning, the employee is usually given at least one warning before facing termination.
In Department of Human Resources v. International Union of Operating Engineers, the Court of Appeals of California, Fifth Appellate District emphasized that the principles of progressive discipline require that an employer that seeks to discipline an employee for poor work performance must follow a sequence of warnings or lesser disciplinary actions before the dismissal of the employee. Progressive discipline offers employees a chance to learn from prior mistakes and improve their job performance. Therefore, employers should make corrective and/or disciplinary action on a timely basis so that the employee’s performance issues do not accumulate before progressive discipline is initiated.
[Last updated in February of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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