D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 6, r. 6-B1601
The policies outlined in this section apply to employees and their supervisors, personnel authorities and agency heads, and form the basis for the standards governing this chapter.
Each supervisor has a duty and responsibility to ensure that employees are aware of the established performance and conduct standards ("standards") applicable to their role and function and the consequences of not meeting those standards. Whenever such standards are not met, supervisors have an affirmative obligation to provide the employee necessary guidance and training to meet these standards and, when appropriate, to take corrective or adverse action pursuant to this chapter.
Each employee has the duty and the responsibility to be aware of and abide by the existing rules and policies. Each employee also has the responsibility to perform his or her duties to the best of his or her ability and to the standards established by management and his or her job description.
The District of Columbia takes a positive approach toward employee management to achieve organizational effectiveness by using a progressive system to address performance and conduct issues.
The District's progressive system typically includes the following:
Strict application of the progressive steps in §§ 1601.5 and 1610 may not be appropriate in every situation. Therefore, management retains the right to evaluate each situation on its own merits and may skip any or all of the progressive steps. However, deviation from the progressive disciplinary system is only appropriate when consistent with §§ 1606 and 1607.
Each agency head and personnel authority has the obligation to and shall ensure that corrective and adverse actions are only taken when an employee does not meet or violates established performance or conduct standards, consistent with this chapter.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 6, r. 6-B1601