Employment Rights Act 1996: Primary legislation setting out basic employment rights, fair disciplinary procedures, and employee's right to be accompanied at disciplinary meetings
ACAS Code of Practice: Practical guidance for handling disciplinary situations, following natural justice principles. Non-compliance may lead to increased tribunal compensation
Equality Act 2010: Ensures disciplinary actions are non-discriminatory, considers protected characteristics, and requires reasonable adjustments for disabled employees
Human Rights Act 1998: Protects fundamental rights including fair treatment, privacy, and dignity at work in disciplinary contexts
GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018: Governs handling of personal data, record keeping requirements, and data privacy considerations in disciplinary procedures
Company Policies and Procedures: Internal workplace rules and established disciplinary procedures that must be followed to ensure consistency in warning letters
Proportionality Principle: Ensures the warning and proposed sanctions are proportionate to the level of misconduct
Evidence Requirements: Need for clear statement of issues backed by evidence and documentation
Appeal Rights: Employee's right to appeal against disciplinary decisions must be clearly stated and process explained
Improvement Framework: Clear timeframes for expected improvement and potential consequences of further misconduct must be outlined
