Your role is to listen to the employee and ask clarifying questions in order to get the full story from their perspective. This gives the employee an opportunity to explain things such as: what they did and why; to deny allegations they believe are false or distorted; to raise mitigating…

What is it? A letter notifying the employee that disciplinary action is being taken. The letter states the level and effective date of the discipline being taken. The letter also repeats the charges and facts laid out in the Intent Letter, with any revisions in charges/facts resulting from the oral/written…

What is it? An employee is given the opportunity to reply, either orally, in writing, or both, to the charges made in the Intent Letter. This reply is the employee’s chance to tell his/her “side of the story” before a decision is made regarding the proposed discipline. In the reply…

What is it? This Skelly letter informs the employee of the intent to take a disciplinary action. It sets forth the proposed discipline, the Civil Service Rule(s) that the employee violated, and the facts upon which the charges are based. Please refer to Civil Service Rule XIII, Section 4 at…

Prior to initiating any disciplinary action, the supervisor and/or manager will conduct investigatory interviews with the employee and any witnesses to determine the facts involved. Should the above interviews indicate that discipline is warranted, the Skelly Intent Letter will be written and signed by a manager who has reviewed the…

The Skelly decision (Skelly vs. California Personnel Board) determined that a permanent public employee has a property interest in his/her job, which is protected by “due process,” entitling him/her to a hearing prior to discipline. In this context, discipline includes suspensions, non-punitive suspensions, temporary reduction in step, demotions, and dismissals.…