Sentencing Guidelines
HR Policies
The big idea in 30 seconds: Incidents are processed by rule, not mood. Every offense lands in a severity class with a published debit range on the [Employee Credits & Accountability System](/points-accountability) ledger. Before anyone is charged, three tests run — including one against the business itself. If the company's own system was the gap, the company takes the charge and fixes the system. Concealment always makes it worse; self-reporting always makes it better. Every decision becomes written precedent, so the next identical case gets the same answer.
Quick Reference
- Class A: 15–20 debits, up to termination
- Class B: 4–8 debits
- Class C: 1–3 debits
- Concealment: Raises class by one
- Self-report: −3 debits, always
Severity Classes
Class A — the serious ones. Safety violations (leaving a trainee alone on operating equipment), site abandonment without notification, dishonesty or concealment, refusal to remedy your own work. Range: 15–20 debits. Maximum sentence: termination.
Class B — real failures. Workmanship failures requiring a redo, missed return timelines, unreported equipment damage, skipping a signed maintenance item later tied to an equipment failure. Range: 4–8 debits.
Class C — process misses. Late photos, incomplete checklists, minor documentation gaps. Range: 1–3 debits.
Severity Classes & Standard Sentences
| Class | Example offenses | Debits | Tier consequence | Maximum sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Safety violation; site abandonment; dishonesty/concealment; refusal to remedy own work | 15–20 | Demotion + vesting reset; route-claiming lockout up to 14 days | Termination |
| B | Workmanship failure requiring redo; missed redo timeline; unreported equipment damage; skipped signed maintenance item tied to failure | 4–8 | Vesting delay on repeat within 90 days | Demotion |
| C | Late photos; incomplete checklist; minor documentation gap | 1–3 | None on first offense | Vesting delay |
The Culpability Test — Run Before Anyone Is Charged
Three tests, in order, applied per person — including the business as a chargeable layer:
1. System test. Did the company make the right way unambiguous — written standard, checklist, clear assignment? If not, the charge (or the part the gap explains) goes to the business, and the sentence is a documentation or system fix with a deadline. The business charges itself first.
2. Substitution test. Would another competent person in the same role, with the same information and conditions, plausibly have done the same thing? If yes, the remedy is training or a system change — not punishment.
3. Concealment test. Was it hidden, or self-reported? Concealment raises the class by one (a concealed Class B is sentenced as Class A). Self-reporting is a standing mitigator worth 3 debits off the sentence. Self-reporting always beats getting caught — that is a permanent rule of this company, not a slogan.
Aggravators & Mitigators
Applied after the class is set:
Aggravators & Mitigators
| Aggravators (raise within class, or raise class) | Mitigators (lower within class) |
|---|---|
| Priority/commercial site involved | Self-report before discovery (−3 debits, standing) |
| Trainee involved or endangered | First offense of this type |
| Repeat of same class within 90 days | Documented system ambiguity (partial business charge) |
| Concealment (raises class by one) | Crew fixed it before any client impact |
New Scenarios — How Anything Not in This Handbook Gets Decided
When something happens that no rule covers:
1. Record the facts and evidence — photos, GPS, portal records, statements. 2. Run the three culpability tests for every person involved, including the business layer. 3. Assign a severity class by closest analogy and search the precedent register for the nearest prior case. 4. Apply aggravators and mitigators. Any deviation from the matched precedent requires a written reason. 5. Deliver the sentence individually. Findings-of-record are posted to the team where appropriate — the facts and the rule, not a public shaming. 6. Log the incident as new precedent. If the root cause was a system gap, the business owns a handbook or checklist amendment with a 14-day deadline.
The owner issues written decisions within 5 business days. Appeals follow the process on the [Employee Credits & Accountability System](/points-accountability) page.
- Every adjudicated incident is logged: facts, charges by layer (business / lead / member / trainee), test outcomes, class, aggravators/mitigators, sentence, and reasoning.
- Identical facts get identical sentences. If yours didn't, point at the precedent — that is exactly what the register is for.