Loudermill Meeting Script
What is a Loudermill meeting?
In Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill, (1985), the Supreme Court held that employees with a property interest in their jobs are entitled to certain due process rights prior to termination. These rights include oral or written notice of the charges against them, an explanation of the employer's evidence, and an opportunity to be heard in response to the proposed action. Loudermill rights are applicable in instances when the employee may have a loss of pay, such as suspension, termination, or demotion.
An arbitrator and the courts will require that the Loudermill meeting provide the employee with a true opportunity to be heard. In other words, the meeting is not just a pro forma exercise. Use these guidelines to help ensure that you meet your Loudermill requirements while avoiding practices that can weaken the integrity of the discipline process:
Below is a script we encourage organizations to use when conducting a ‘Loudermill’ meeting.
We often find that organizations often struggle with conducing a ‘Loudermill meeting and often stated as the reason a termination is overturned. We created the following script that is easy to follow, provides consistency, and provides the employee the opportunity to his/her due process, avoiding risk that can weaken the integrity of the process.