Working at McDonald’s can be a fun and rewarding experience, but if you’re working at the restaurant, you might be wondering what the McDonald’s termination policy is and how it works.
We’ll give you a detailed explanation of the McDonald’s termination policy and answer all your questions below, so keep reading!
McDonald’s Termination Policy
McDonald’s termination policy features a 120-day probationary period when you first start the job, and if you have attendance issues or behavioral issues, you can be fired immediately. Additionally, you can be fired for violating company policy if the violation is serious enough, such as threats or illegal activities, or falls under a zero-tolerance policy violation.
There are more details to learn about the McDonald’s termination policy, so read below to find out more important facts!
Does McDonald’s Have a Probation Period?
McDonald’s has a 120-day probationary period which is clearly stated in the employee handbook.
Additionally, during the 120 days, you’re judged on your attendance, whether there are disciplinary actions against you, and how well you’re doing on the job.
If you are successful in that probationary period with no issues, then you’re removed from the probationary period and no longer need to be concerned about losing your job quite as much.
However, during these first 120 days, if your actions and behavior are problematic, you can be terminated immediately.
What is a Probation Period at McDonald’s?
McDonald’s uses a 120-day probationary period to evaluate you in the job position you’ve been hired to work, and it’s a great way to know whether you’re a good match for the job.
Not only is McDonald’s looking at your work ethic and how well you can do your job, but they are also looking at possible behavioral problems that could interfere with your ability to work regularly.
In addition to that, if it appears you’re not a good fit for that particular job, the manager may move you to another station, such as going from cashier to grill, if you want to continue employment.
However, during probationary periods, McDonald’s has the right to terminate you on the spot if severe attendance or behavioral issues are going on that are inexcusable.
What Is McDonald’s Disciplinary Policy?
McDonald’s has a disciplinary policy in place to handle an employee who has violated the policies that the restaurant has in place.
Further, disciplinary action could include suspension without pay up to immediate termination, depending upon the seriousness of the violation and if it’s a repeat offense.
What Are Some McDonald’s Policy Violations That Could Lead to Termination?
Several different situations could lead to someone being terminated, but usually, termination is left for more serious offenses such as:
- Sexual harassment
- Substance abuse or intoxication
- Insubordination
- Theft of cash or supplies
- Gross misbehavior or repeated misbehavior
- Other unlawful acts, such as brandishing a weapon or threatening others with harm
How Does McDonald’s Investigate Violations of Policy?
If a worker is suspected of violating policy, McDonald’s often goes into an investigation period to sort out the situation.
Additionally, during this time, you won’t be able to work your scheduled days and will be taken off the schedule until the investigation has been completed.
Once the investigation has been completed, the appropriate actions will be taken, whether that clears the worker of the violation or is shown the worker did violate policy.
On top of that, McDonald’s will choose the disciplinary action needed for the employee based on the severity of the violation, prior work history, and other factors.
McDonald’s could choose to give a warning for minor policy violations but also could choose to terminate the worker if the violation was severe enough or no remorse is shown for the action.
Does McDonald’s Have Zero-Tolerance Policies?
McDonald’s does have zero-tolerance policies in place that could lead to immediate termination of anyone working for the company if they’re found to violate these policies.
Discriminatory Behavior & Harassment
Two of the zero-tolerance policies that McDonald’s has are zero-tolerance of discrimination of any form and zero-tolerance of harassment, including sexual harassment.
This includes discrimination or harassment of someone based on their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, creed, color, race, religion, and nation of origin.
Additionally, citizenship, mental or physical disabilities, age, and other law-protected characteristics also fall under discrimination and harassment.
Further, if an employee is found in violation of discrimination or harassment laws, it could impact their hiring, training, promotions, compensation, and benefits and could lead to immediate termination.
Zero-Tolerance for Retaliation
McDonald’s also has a zero-tolerance policy in place for retaliation and will not tolerate retaliation from any employee, including acts such as intimidation, discipline, reprisal, and threats of bodily harm.
In addition to that, any manager or higher-up employee who witnesses an act of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and doesn’t report it is also subject to termination for failure to act and report the situation.
Is Your Employment at McDonald’s Considered at Will?
McDonald’s considers all employment opportunities as being at will, which means you can be fired without warning, but you also have the option to leave the company without warning.
What Are the At-Will Employment States?
In the United States, all states and Washington, D.C., are considered at-will employment states, which means an employer can fire you for no reason at all if they choose.
However, you cannot be fired in any state for discriminatory or illegal reasons, such as based on your race, religion, age, nationality, disability, or other circumstances protected by law.
To know more, you can also see our posts on McDonald’s refund policy, transfer policy, and break policy.
