Paul Peters is the Chief Editor of Betterteam. He's a former print journalist and small business owner and has written articles for a variety of newspapers, magazines and websites.
Employee warning notices are used to address and confirm an employee's performance or inappropriate conduct at work. A company usually issues an employee warning form after a meeting with him/her to discuss the issue. This gives the employee an opportunity to correct their behavior moving forward.
Download a printable employee write up template in Microsoft Word format.
Remember, you should also establish clear rules for your managers to ensure that all employees are treated equally. To comply with federal laws, all managers must act consistently when carrying out disciplinary actions to avoid being accused of unfair treatment down the line.
Download your free Employee Write Up Form PDF.
Yes. Typically, an employee is asked to sign the warning to record that the employee has been informed about the contents of the form. However, depending on the issue brought up in the warning letter, the employee may refuse to sign the letter.
This depends on your employer's policies regarding disciplinary procedures. Your company's disciplinary policies should include how many verbal or written warnings are given before a final warning or dismissal.
Certain labor laws may require you to provide detailed proof of any disciplinary action taken against an employee. It's imperative to have documented proof of the process in case of employee termination.
The employee can refuse to sign it if he or she disagrees with the content or thinks it's not valid. If this is the case, a manager can write on the form that the “employee refused to sign” and document why the employee disagreed with the notice.