Which of the following lists actions toward employees from least acute to most severe?

A) layoff > discipline > transfer > firing > downsizing
B) discipline > transfer > layoff > downsizing > firing
C) downsizing > firing > transfer > layoff > discipline
D) transfer > discipline > layoff > downsizing > firing
E) transfer > layoff > discipline > downsizing > firing

Answer: D
Explanation: D) In a transfer, an employee is shifted into a different job with similar responsibility. In a firing, an employee is permanently dismissed from a job for cause.