What does it mean when an employee is suspended?
John Johnson
Updated on March 21, 2026
Suspension is when an employee is sent home from work, usually while receiving full pay. Employers are entitled to suspend an employee pending an investigation of gross misconduct or other serious disciplinary matter.
How long can an employee be suspended from work?
How long can you suspend an employee for? If you are suspending someone on health and safety or medical grounds, because the job they are doing is posing a risk to their health, the suspension period can last up to 26 weeks (as long as your employee has been employed for at least one month).
Can an employer suspend an employee?
Here’s the rule regarding suspensions and non-exempt employees: An employer in California has the legal right to suspend a non-exempt employee without pay for a disciplinary reason or pending an investigation of an employee’s alleged misconduct.
Does suspension from work mean termination?
Key points to clarify in any employee handbook are the differences between suspension and discharge or termination. Suspension means the employee still has a job, and discharge or termination means she does not.
Does suspension lead to dismissal?
If your employer has suspended you without any reasonable grounds to do so, or takes an inordinate amount of time in carrying out an investigation (without explanation) making it untenable for you to go back to work, then you may have a case for constructive dismissal.
Is suspension from work Serious?
While the suspension is a severe step to take, it is often important to investigate a certain matter brought to the attention of the employer. This occurs when the functions between company and worker cease for a short time, but the employee still retains employment.
Who should suspend an employee?
When to suspend an employee? You may need to suspend an employee if you’re carrying out an investigation into an alleged issue of misconduct concerning them and are concerned that the business or individuals within it will be at risk if the employee remains in the workplace.
Do you get paid if you are suspended from work?
Unless there is a clause in your contract that says your employer can suspend you without pay, you should receive full pay while you are suspended. Most suspensions are on full pay, even when part of a disciplinary process.
What happens when an employee is suspended from work?
The employer should remove the risks and if this cannot be done then the employer should look into alternative options. Suspension should be the last resort and should only be applied if the risk cannot be removed. During a period of suspension, employees should receive their full pay and benefits.
What to do if you get a suspension from your employer?
While organizations should be providing employees with information during suspensions, I also believe that sometimes the employee is in shock about what’s going on and they forget to ask. If companies want to get to the truth, then they need to answer employee questions.
What’s the difference between suspension and discharge of employment?
Suspension means the employee still has a job, and discharge or termination means she does not. An employee might be suspended for a number of reasons, one of which could include the employee being merely accused of wrongdoing, according to HG.org Legal Resources.
Can a company deduct pay for a suspended employee?
In some cases however, an employer is entitled to deduct pay during a period of suspension. The starting point is the contract itself, and whether there’s a right to deduct pay for the period of any suspension.