a course of -- meaning?

Question

Example with a context:

Suspension is a common practice in the workplace for being in violation of an organization's policy, or major breaches of policy. Work suspensions occur when a business manager or supervisor deems an action of an employee, whether intentional or unintentional, to be a violation of policy that should result in a course of punishment, and when the employee's absence during the suspension period does not affect the company.

I was just wondering what this expression might really mean and how to correctly understand it. Any ideas?

Answer 1

This sentence is better parsed as

...should result in a course of punishment...

Here, course of punishment is equivalent to a plan for punishment. Course in this context is like a route/plan, as in an obstacle course or a race course.

Answer 2

This is course sense 5a:

5a) a regular manner of procedure ⇒ "the law must take its course"

So something like "an established procedure":

that should result in an established procedure of punishment

which is probably laid out in the company policy.