Management will make reasonable efforts to explore with an employee the source of any difficulty and suggest constructive ways to overcome such difficulty. Counseling of an employee is a private matter between the supervisor and the employee. Counseling is a friendly, business like exchange of information between employees and their supervisor. It is guided by the supervisor. The employee is not entitled to union representation during counseling sessions.
Disciplinary action is personal to the employee receiving the action.
Neither the Employer nor the Union will publicize actions taken to correct an employee's conduct or performance. Disclosure of information concerning disciplinary actions taken against an employee is prohibited, except the information is available to the employee, Management and Union officials who have a need to know, or other individuals who have the written consent of the employee who received the disciplinary action. The employee may request to have a Union representative present at investigation discussions. Decide to propose or not propose disciplinary action using as a guide the Table of Penalties contained in NOAA Personnel Handbook, Chapter 13. Adverse actions shall remain a matter of record in accordance with NOAA regulations.