Contents

• Performance, Counselling and Disciplinary Policy.                                                               3

• Our commitment                                                                                                                        3

• Scope.                                                                                                                                           3

• Responsibilities.                                                                                                                          3

• Counselling.                                                                                                                                 3

• Disciplinary Action.                                                                                                                     4

• Disciplinary Steps.                                                                                                                      4

• Verbal Warning.                                                                                                                          4

• Written Warning.                                                                                                                        4

• Final Written Warning.                                                                                                              4

• First and Final Written Warning.                                                                                             4

• Termination of Employment                                                                                                   5

• Alternative Disciplinary Action.                                                                                               5

• Nature of Warnings.                                                                                                                 5

• Support Person.                                                                                                                        5

• Investigation.                                                                                                                             6

• Serious Misconduct                                                                                                                  6

• Implementation and evaluation.                                                                                            6

• Employee Assistance Program...                                                                                            6

Performance, Counselling and Disciplinary Policy

Our commitment

To provide a safe, respectful and flexible work environment for all workers/employees (employee(s)) to work in and attract and retain the best possible employees.  This policy will outline expected behaviours and consequences of failing to meet those obligations.

A critical factor for the success of Sargeant Transport Pty Ltd (“ the company”) is the work performance, conduct and achievements of its employees.

The purpose of this policy is to implement an appropriate and procedurally fair process for managing employee conduct or performance that fails to meet the company's standards or expectations.

This Policy is effective from July 2022 and will be reviewed biennially.

Scope

Except as provided in paragraph 2 below, this policy is applicable to:

• permanent employees of the company; and

• casual employees, employed on a regular and systematic basis, where such employee has a reasonable expectation of continuing employment by the company on a regular and systematic basis.

This policy does not apply to employees with:

• 6 months or less continuous service with the company in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) ("the FW Act").

Responsibilities

All company employees are required to perform their work safely, productively and efficiently in accordance with the company policies, procedures and guidelines.

Where an employee's work performance or conduct is unacceptable, the company may apply counselling and disciplinary action in accordance with this policy.

The company may bypass and not apply one or more of the steps in this policy where an employee's conduct or performance warrants such action or in particular circumstances.  Nothing in this policy prevents the company from terminating an employee summarily for serious misconduct.

Counselling

Counselling about performance or conduct issues will normally take the form of a verbal discussion between the employee and his or her supervisor/manager.

During this discussion, the supervisor/manager will identify the specific areas requiring improvement, and ascertain whether the employee requires any guidance or additional assistance in meeting the company's expectations.

Counselling may be followed by disciplinary action where the manager deems it to be appropriate.  The outcome of the counselling session, including any guidelines for improvement, will be confirmed in writing.

Disciplinary Action

Disciplinary action may be applied by the company where day to day support or counselling has been unsuccessful, or a breach of a standard is considered serious enough to warrant disciplinary action.

Prior to issuing a formal warning, the manager should explain to the employee the manner in which the employee's conduct or performance is not meeting the required standard.

In the first instance, the manager will usually verbally counsel the employee by informing the employee of the area(s) in which he or she is not meeting the required standard of performance or conduct expected by the company.

Depending on the circumstances, the employee will be given an opportunity to respond to the company's concerns and an opportunity to rectify his or her performance or conduct within a reasonable period of time.

Where disciplinary action is deemed appropriate by the company the following steps shall be used as a guide.

Disciplinary Steps

Verbal Warning

A verbal warning may be issued at any time when an employee's performance or conduct justifies the issue of a verbal warning.

Written Warning

A written warning may be issued at any time when an employee's performance is unsatisfactory or the employee has engaged in unsatisfactory conduct and:

• The employee has received an earlier verbal warning for a related issue and has not improved his or her conduct or performance to the satisfaction of the company;

• The employee has previously received a verbal warning for an issue that is not directly related but is of a similar nature, or;

• The nature of the employee's performance or conduct justifies the issue of a written warning.

Final Written Warning

A final written warning may be issued at any time when an employee's performance is unsatisfactory or the employee has engaged in unsatisfactory conduct and:

• The employee has received an earlier written warning for a related issue and has not improved his or her conduct or performance to the satisfaction of the company;

• The employee has previously received a written warning for an issue that is not directly related but is of a similar nature, or;

• The nature of the employee's performance or conduct justifies the issue of a final written warning.

First and Final Written Warning

A first and final written warning may be issued at any time when an employee's performance is unsatisfactory or the employee has engaged in unsatisfactory conduct that breaches a specific policy or where it is felt that such a warning is warranted.  Some examples of these policies include:

• The Sargeant Transport Drug and Alcohol Policy, and;

• The Sargeant Transport Speed Management Policy.

Termination of Employment

An employee's employment may be terminated at any time when his or her performance is unsatisfactory or the employee has engaged in unsatisfactory conduct and:

• The employee has received an earlier final written warning for a related issue and has not improved his or her conduct or performance to the satisfaction of the company;

• The employee has previously received a final written warning for an issue that is not directly related but is of a similar nature, or;

• The nature of the employee's performance or conduct justifies the termination of his or her employment.

Any decision to terminate an employee's employment must be approved by the employee's manager.

Alternative Disciplinary Action

Nothing in this policy prevents the company from implementing alternative disciplinary action in addition to, or instead of, the warnings listed above.  Alternative disciplinary action may include (but is not limited to) demotion, loss of supervisory responsibilities and/or withdrawal of benefits such as private use of company vehicle or other assets such as mobile phones.

In most circumstances, it will be appropriate to give an employee a verbal, written and final written warning prior to proceeding to termination of employment.  However as indicated above, the company reserves its right to bypass or not apply prior written warnings in circumstances where the nature of an employee's performance or conduct justifies this approach.

Nature of Warnings

When a warning is issued, the person issuing the warning should outline:

• The nature of the employee's unsatisfactory conduct or performance;

• The improvement required;

• A date on which the employee's performance or conduct will be reviewed;

• Specifics (where relevant) around which policy or procedures have been contravened, and;

• The consequences of not achieving the company's expectations.

If an employee is issued with a verbal warning, a file note of the verbal warning should be completed by the company and placed on the employee's personnel file.

If an employee is issued with a written warning, the employee will be provided with a copy and a copy will be placed on the employee's personnel file.

Support Person

Whenever possible an employee will be offered or may request that an appropriate support person be present during counselling or disciplinary meetings.  The company will not unreasonably refuse such request.  Whenever possible an employee will be given adequate opportunity to prepare for a counselling or disciplinary meeting providing sufficient time to organise a support person.

Investigation

In certain circumstances, it may be appropriate for the company to conduct an investigation into allegations of unacceptable work performance or conduct.

During the investigation process, it is possible that in some circumstances an employee may be suspended with pay. In the event that an employee is suspended he or she is required to be available to assist the company with its investigations and to comply with the company's reasonable directions.

Serious Misconduct

Serious misconduct includes:

• wilful, or deliberate behaviour or conduct by an employee that is inconsistent with the continuation of the contract of employment;

• conduct that causes imminent, and serious risk to;

• the health or safety of a person; or

• the reputation, viability or profitability of the company business.

Serious misconduct may result in summary dismissal.  Summary dismissal means dismissal without notice.

Examples of serious misconduct include, but are not limited to any of the following:

• fraud;

• theft;

• fighting in the workplace, or;

• employee being intoxicated at work.

Implementation and evaluation

Sargeant Transport Services Pty Ltd will ensure this policy is reviewed and evaluated for its effectiveness in delivering policy objectives on an annual basis or earlier in the event of major changes to the legislation or our organisation structure and operations.

Employee Assistance Program

At its discretion Sargeant Transport may offer a worker/employee access to our free employee assistance counselling service.  This may be offered to employees for example when outside influences, such as family issues are impacting the performance and or behaviour of an employee/workers in the workplace. Listed below is the name and telephone number of our current provider.

Converge International

1300 687 327 (Australia)