Initiating a Disciplinary Action. Other than in exceptional situations requiring immediate action, such as, but not necessary limited to, those involving potential injury to persons or property or unreasonable disruption of Center, College or University operations, if a Center Director has caused to believe an incident has occurred or circumstances may exist warranting disciplinary action, the Center Director or his or her designee shall investigate such incident or circumstances prior to taking disciplinary action. As part of the investigation, the Center Director or his or her designee shall make reasonable efforts to interview any employee(s) who may be subjected to disciplinary action. In those exceptional situations requiring immediate action, as described above, an employee may be immediately suspended. Such a suspension without pay pending a decision of the hearing officer may not exceed 30 days except where the charges relate to the alleged commission of a criminal offense relating to employment, in which case the suspension may continue until completion of the Criminal Court proceedings, and in which case the suspension will be reviewed periodically at the request of the employee and/or the Union. An employee who is being interviewed concerning an incident or activity which may subject him or her to disciplinary action shall be notified of his or her right to have a Union representative present upon request. This provision shall be applicable to interviews before, during, or after the filing of a disciplinary charge against an employee. The provisions of this Section shall not be interpreted to prevent a supervisor from questioning an employee in relation to his or her employment nor to preclude the questioning of an employee during or immediately following an incident. In cases involving attempted or actual acts of violence or threats of violence in the workplace, the First Step of the disciplinary procedure shall be bypassed and the disciplinary procedure shall proceed directly to the Third Step.
