Employers Must Have "Just Cause" For Discipline

6. Has the company applied its rules, orders, and penalties without discrimination? Rules must apply consistently to all employees. We usually hear of discrimination only when it applies to race, religion, gender, or ethnicity, but it more often shows up in less obvious forms. For example, if the workers who play on the company softball team often come in late the day after a night game and are not disciplined according to the rule on tardiness, then the company can't expect to enforce that rule on other workers. Likewise, the night shift shouldn't be allowed to break rules that the day shift is required to follow.

7. Was the degree of discipline given in this particular case related to a) the seriousness of the offense, and b) the employee's record of company service? Even if the worker clearly broke a rule or order, the employee may have a grievance if the discipline seems unfairly harsh for the offense. Likewise, a lifelong employee with a good work record deserves to have his or her many years of trouble-free employment taken into consideration when discipline is given.

Asking these seven questions can help stewards determine whether a worker has a legitimate grievance based on a disciplinary action.