HR Policy Template
Docs + Word8 pages
Free
- Type
- Document
- Price
- Free
- Pages
- 8 · US Letter
- Style
- Corporate
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Updated
- October 31, 2026
Every page (8)
Overview
Disciplinary decisions get challenged, and the first question is whether the employer followed its own process. This template sets that process out in plain, numbered language: what counts as misconduct at each level, how a concern is investigated, how a hearing runs, which sanctions apply and how to appeal.
The sample is a policy for Hartwell Services, a US employer with 410 employees, with a 15-business-day investigation, warning periods of 6, 12 and 18 months and a five-day appeal window. Replace the examples, timescales and titles with your own, and have employment counsel check the wording against your state's law before you publish.
Useful for
- An HR team writing or refreshing the disciplinary policy in the employee handbook
- A manager who needs the steps, timescales and records for a conduct case in one place
- A growing employer replacing informal discipline with a consistent, documented process
What's included
- Title-block opener with owner, effective date, scope and three guiding principles
- Misconduct levels table with examples, usual first step, band and key definitions
- Investigation timeline with a 15-business-day plan and follow-up actions
- Numbered hearing clauses with panel, companion and notice rules
- Sanctions page covering warnings, warning periods, factors and pay
- Appeal pages with grounds, timescales and what happens afterward
How to use it
- 1
Click Make a copy in Google Docs, then confirm on the Google page. The copy is saved to your own Google Drive.
- 2
Replace the organization, owner, effective date and scope on the first page, then edit the misconduct examples and definitions to match your handbook.
- 3
Set your own timescales for investigation, hearing notice and appeal, and check that each page uses the same numbers.
- 4
Review the hearing and sanctions wording with employment counsel, then add your version number and review date.
- 5
Delete the Make it yours guide page, then share the policy with employees or present it to managers.
What you need
Requirements
- A Google account with access to Google Drive
Works with
- Google Docs
- Microsoft Word (download the .docx)
Questions
Does this template replace legal advice?
No. It is a starting structure with sample wording. Employment law varies by state, so have counsel check the procedure, timescales and sanctions before you adopt it.
Should every case go to a hearing?
Not always. In the sample, verbal and first written warnings are decided in a manager meeting, while cases that could lead to a final warning or termination go to a hearing with a panel.
Are the organization and figures real?
No. Hartwell Services, its people, email addresses and every figure are fictional sample content. Replace all of it with your own details before you publish the policy.
- #disciplinary-policy
- #employee-discipline
- #hr-policy
- #google-docs
- #misconduct
- #investigation
- #employee-handbook
- #appeal-process
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