If the Board finds the charges against an employee insufficient after a disciplinary hearing, what is the likely outcome?

The correct choice reflects the flexibility afforded to the Board in making a determination after a disciplinary hearing. If the Board finds the charges insufficient, it indicates that there wasn't enough evidence or justification to uphold the penalty associated with the charges. In this context, the Board has the discretion to either sustain or reject the proposed penalty based on the findings of the hearing.

This means it could potentially find the penalty sustained if there are mitigating factors beyond the initial charges that still warrant some form of disciplinary action. Conversely, if the circumstances indicate that no penalty should be imposed, the Board can choose not to sustain the penalty at all. The latter demonstrates the Board’s role in evaluating not just the evidentiary basis for a charge but also the broader implications of employee conduct and punishment.

Other choices limit the Board’s authority or suggest a specific outcome, which does not accurately capture the range of possible decisions available to the Board in such scenarios. The correct answer aligns with the principles of administrative discretion and accountability in a management context.