Can we fire employee for refusing to sign disciplinary documentation? 05-04-2005

Is an employee required to sign a disciplinary documentation regarding performance and can that be considered as insubordination and grounds for termination?

Rita Risser replies:

I wouldn't consider it insubordination exactly, and wouldn't terminate on that basis. The main reason to get them to sign it is to prove they received it. So you might ask them to write on it "received" or "do not agree" or something similar. Or have another manager come in and witness it was given.

The larger issue is whether the person is admitting their mistake, because if they don't admit it then they can't learn and improve. So I would say something like, "You may not agree with this discipline, but if you continue to do the behavior, you will be further disciplined, up to and including termination."

Good luck.

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