The Incident Log (QIL): how a disciplinary incident works

What this guide covers

The Incident Log (QIL) is the company's one disciplinary record. This guide explains the life of an incident, who decides its outcome, and the rules that keep it fair. The rules follow the QIL close-out policy (POLICY-00276) and the company disciplinary code.

Who can use it: raising an incident needs the incident-create permission. The employee's manager decides most outcomes; HR (the sanction or HR-admin permission) decides the serious ones and can step in at any time. Managers see the incidents they raised and those about their own team; HR sees all. Everything here is confidential: the evidence and photos open only for people who may read the incident.

The lifecycle

Raise, the employee is heard, the Sanction Lock, ready for verdict, the issuing manager or HR decides, closed with reasons, the employee signs for receipt of a warning or refuses, the employee accepts or disagrees, HR decides the appeal

In words

Raise. The manager records the objective facts, the category and any evidence. The form shows the employee's earlier incidents and the next rung on the ladder. Both tracks, Verbal Warning / Counselling and Formal Incident Report, follow the same steps; the track only sets the label and the starting level.
The employee is heard. myWork sends the incident to the employee. They acknowledge receipt and give their statement within 24 hours. The window starts when they are told at work, or at their next clock-in if they are off. The manager or HR can extend it once, by one working day, on request. They may also add documents or photos to their side, at any time.
The Sanction Lock. No verdict, clearing included, can be recorded until the statement is in or the window has lapsed. myWork enforces this; it cannot be bypassed.
Decide. The decider reads the statement and confirms it in myWork, checks the employee's record, and records the outcome with written reasons.
Close. The outcome is Not upheld (the employee is cleared) or a rung on the ladder. A warning shows the date it expires, and HR can print its warning letter, a Verbal Warning included.
The employee signs for receipt. For a warning, the employee e-signs within one working day that they received it, or refuses. A refusal is confirmed by the manager or HR, who can also record a refusal given in person. The warning stands either way.
The employee answers. They accept the outcome, or disagree within 3 working days. Disagreeing is an appeal, and HR decides it.

Who decides

The issuing manager: the manager who raised it, when they manage the employee; otherwise the employee's direct manager. They decide up to a Second Written Warning, within 2 working days of the statement or the lapse.
The next-level manager: may decide from working day 5 if the issuing manager has not. Day 3 brings a reminder.
HR decides the outcomes that put a job at risk, a Final Written Warning or a dismissal hearing, after the manager uses Refer to HR. These must always go to HR: Dishonesty / Theft, Assault / Violence / Threats, Harassment, Under the influence (alcohol / drugs), and any incident about an employee who already holds a valid Final Written Warning.
HR can step in at any time: decide any incident that is ready for a verdict, or use HR takes over before the verdict. After a takeover the managers can no longer decide, refer or withdraw it.
The Managing Director may decide an incident HR has not decided within 3 working days.
Nobody decides an incident about themselves.

The ladder, and how long a warning counts

Verbal Warning (valid 3 months), First Written Warning (6 months), Second Written Warning (6 months), Final Written Warning (12 months), then a referral to a dismissal hearing. HR can set a written warning's validity to 3, 6 or 12 months, with a reason. An expired warning stays on file but does not count toward the next rung. Three verbal warnings in 90 days open a disciplinary escalation for HR.

The principles that make it fair

Heard first. No verdict before the statement or the lapse, on both tracks.
Read, not skimmed. The decider confirms reading the statement before the verdict opens.
Reasons, always. No verdict, referral or appeal decision is saved without written reasons.
Receipt, not guilt or agreement. Acknowledging the incident and signing for a warning only prove the employee received it. The employee keeps every right to dispute.
Cleared on the record. An allegation that does not hold up is closed as Not upheld with a finding; the record stays and shows the person was cleared. Withdrawing is only for an incident raised in error, before the verdict.
Appeals never increase a sanction, and are never heard by whoever decided.
Everything is audited on an append-only timeline, including the time, network address and device of the employee's acknowledgement and statement.

The guides in this section

Raising an incident (formal or verbal): logging an incident and choosing the track.
Deciding an incident: the statement, the verdict, referral and HR: the detail screen, the employee's record, the verdict, Refer to HR, HR taking over, the employee's signature for receipt, and appeals.
My Incidents: if an incident is raised about you: the employee's guide, including signing for receipt.
Incident dashboard (HR): HR's queues and the close-out report.

Disciplinary Report: the whole picture before acting: one employee's history in one place.
Disciplinary Escalations: what three verbal warnings open.