Termination of employment in Cyprus is a matter of significant concern for both employers and employees in the business sector. Instances arise where legal disputes ensue, often involving allegations of unlawful or improper termination. The Cyprus Termination of Employment Law of 1967 establishes provisions safeguarding employees in the event of dismissal. Under this legislation, any termination is inherently deemed illegal until the employer substantiates its legitimacy through evidence.
Components, Objectives and Customization of Disciplinary Codes
The adoption of a disciplinary code equips management with a valuable tool for embedding and enforcing discipline in the business. A complete code has both informative and procedural characteristics. The informative part concerns the training of the employees on the basic duties, responsibilities, the framework of acceptable behavior, as well as the consequences that will be caused in case that they act outside of this framework. Accordingly, the procedural part concerns the way in which the company handles any disciplinary offenses in the context of the performance of duties and acceptable behavior.
Each Code is an internal process that varies from business to business as it adapts to its size and needs. In any case, a code should include procedures that are objective and impartial and enjoy the trust of the employees.
It must be clear that the imposition of discipline in the business does not constitute the strict imposition of rules and directives that lead to punishments or are based on the fear of employees, as such practices lead to labor relations that have no evolution and perspective. The main objective of a disciplinary code is to give the company the opportunity to take disciplinary measures to correct a situation before proceeding with the only right provided by the law on termination of employment, which is dismissal.
Written Documentation and Effective Execution
In a business, nothing is taken for granted unless it is given to employees in writing. A correct and comprehensive disciplinary code gives the possibility of effective execution of the directives of the management of the company, saving time and money, limits and discipline that promote the order of the company and flexibility in the daily work of the employee and includes the following parts:
- The duties of the staff as well as their responsibilities
- The general reasons for disciplinary action
- The penalties that can be imposed by the company in case of misconduct
- Disciplinary procedure
In conclusion, it is important to know that the disciplinary code is not imposed by legislation in Cyprus, but it is a good practice. Its establishment is based on mutual trust and respect for the mutually accepted principles of a business. It enables employers to provide employees with a clear framework of work rules and proper investigation of incidents before termination of employment and for employees, the motivation to develop skills as discipline and respect in their workplace and anything that deviates from acceptable behavior is subject to consequences.
Should you need further guidance, do not hesitate to contact Eurofast office in Cyprus at nicosia@eurofast.eu
Yianna Papademetriou
Payroll Specialist
Eurofast Nicosia
nicosia@eurofast.eu