1. Purpose
This policy sets out Murzo Group's approach to disciplinary action, dismissal decisions, misconduct, conduct concerns, and related workplace standards.
It is intended to support fair, consistent, proportionate, and legally aware handling of conduct issues while protecting Murzo Group, its people, clients, suppliers, assets, premises, information, food and farming operations, security-sensitive work, and reputation.
2. Scope
This policy applies to Murzo Group employees, workers, directors where appropriate, agency workers, contractors, consultants, interns, temporary staff, secondees, and other people working for or with Murzo Group where disciplinary standards or site conduct rules apply.
For non-employees, Murzo Group may use contract action, removal from site, access restriction, supplier escalation, or termination of engagement instead of employee disciplinary sanctions.
3. Principles
Murzo Group will seek to handle disciplinary and dismissal matters fairly, without unlawful discrimination, and in line with the ACAS Code of Practice where it applies.
- Concerns should be assessed before action is taken
- Employees should normally be told the concern and given a reasonable opportunity to respond
- Decisions should be proportionate to the facts, seriousness, role, risk, history, contract terms, and legal requirements
- Conflicts of interest should be avoided where practicable
- People must not be victimised for raising genuine concerns, acting as a witness, or exercising legal rights
4. Informal Action
Minor concerns may be addressed informally through management guidance, coaching, retraining, clarification of expectations, supervision, or a documented reminder where appropriate.
Murzo Group may move directly to a formal process where the concern is serious, repeated, safety-related, security-sensitive, regulatory, discriminatory, dishonest, violent, abusive, unlawful, or otherwise unsuitable for informal handling.
5. Investigation
Before formal disciplinary action is decided, Murzo Group should consider what investigation is reasonable in the circumstances. This may include speaking to relevant people, reviewing documents, checking system access, examining site or product information, considering CCTV where lawful, or obtaining specialist advice.
The level of investigation should reflect the seriousness and complexity of the concern. Investigations must be handled with appropriate confidentiality and respect for data protection, legal privilege, safety, and witness welfare.
6. Suspension or Temporary Restrictions
Suspension, site exclusion, access restriction, account suspension, change of duties, or temporary removal from sensitive work may be used where proportionate to protect people, evidence, premises, clients, information, products, animals, food safety, cultural property, high-value goods, or operations.
Suspension is not a disciplinary sanction by itself. Employment suspension should normally be on pay unless the contract, law, or specific circumstances allow otherwise.
7. Formal Disciplinary Meeting
Where a formal disciplinary meeting is required, the employee should normally be told the allegations, given relevant information where appropriate, and given reasonable notice of the meeting.
The employee should have the opportunity to respond, explain mitigation, identify relevant witnesses or information, and be accompanied where the legal right to be accompanied applies.
8. Possible Outcomes
Possible outcomes may include no action, informal guidance, training, written warning, final written warning, change of duties, loss of access, repayment or recovery action where lawful, contract action, dismissal with notice, summary dismissal for gross misconduct, or another proportionate outcome.
Dismissal should only be considered where there is a potentially fair reason, a fair process has been followed as far as reasonable, and dismissal is within the range of reasonable responses.
9. Gross Misconduct
Gross misconduct may justify dismissal without notice or pay in lieu of notice where permitted by law and contract after a fair process. Examples may include theft, fraud, violence, serious dishonesty, serious harassment, discrimination, serious safety breach, deliberate data misuse, unauthorised weapons, deliberate product tampering, serious confidentiality breach, unauthorised system access, or serious conduct that places Murzo Group or others at risk.
This list is not exhaustive. The facts, role, risk, legal duties, and surrounding circumstances must be considered before any decision is made.
10. Dismissal
Where dismissal is being considered, Murzo Group should consider the reason, evidence, alternatives, employee response, mitigation, length of service, consistency, legal protections, contractual rights, notice, final pay, property return, confidentiality, handover, and access removal.
Dismissal must not be used for an automatically unfair, discriminatory, retaliatory, whistleblowing-related, health and safety, family leave, working time, trade union, or other prohibited reason.
11. Appeals
An employee should normally be told of any right of appeal, how to appeal, the appeal deadline, and who the appeal should be sent to. Appeals should be made in writing and should explain the grounds of appeal.
Where practicable, an appeal should be heard by someone not previously involved in the decision. The appeal outcome should be confirmed in writing and will normally be final.
12. Confidentiality, Data and Communications
Disciplinary and dismissal matters must be handled confidentially. Information should only be shared with people who need it for investigation, decision-making, legal advice, payroll, security, client requirements, regulatory duties, insurance, or operational protection.
Unauthorised discussion, social media posting, retaliation, witness interference, evidence destruction, or pressure on participants may itself be treated as misconduct.
13. Interaction With Other Policies
This policy should be read alongside Murzo Group's Equality, Diversity, Anti-Harassment & Dignity at Work Policy, Whistleblowing & Speak Up Policy, Recruitment, Right to Work & Vetting Policy, Insider Threat, Enhanced Vetting & Sensitive Roles Policy, Health, Safety & Wellbeing Policy, Cybersecurity & Data Breach Policy, and relevant contract terms.
14. Review and Responsibility
Managers and authorised representatives are responsible for applying this policy fairly and escalating serious concerns. Murzo Group may keep proportionate notes, letters, evidence, and outcome information where needed for legal, HR, security, safety, payroll, insurance, or business reasons.
This policy should be reviewed periodically and when employment law, ACAS guidance, working arrangements, contracts, or Murzo Group operations change.
