Phase 3 of 3 · Hard Conversations
Progressive discipline
A written ladder of warnings that escalates with each repeat, so a later firing rests on a documented pattern rather than one bad afternoon.
The ladder is optional. Using it unevenly is the expensive part.
In plain English
Progressive discipline is a written ladder, usually a verbal note, then a warning, then a final warning, then separation, applied the same way to everyone.
- What it looks like in business
- Three documented warnings over four months make a firing look like the last rung. One undocumented firing after four quiet months looks like something else.
- Why it matters
- Texas requires no ladder at all, and skipping it for one person while using it for another is how a fair decision starts looking selective.
Reading it once is not the same as knowing it. Put this term in the daily rotation and let the quiz come back for it.
Study this termWhere this comes from
This is HR guidance, not legal advice, and rules change. Check the current text and your own facts before you act on it. When a situation needs a lawyer, Jennifer will say so.
Where it sits
Phase 3: Hard Conversations
A fair process for performance, complaints, accommodations, and exits so the owner is not both the boss and the only adult in the room.