1. Human Resources
  2. Employee Relations

Employee Warning Notice

A guide to writing an employee warning notice with a downloadable template.
By Paul Peters, Updated Feb 20, 2024
Person handing a form to another person

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.

Special Offer
Try Betterteam

Try Betterteam

Post your jobs to 100+ job boards

Post a Job
  • Reach over 250 million candidates.
  • Get candidates in hours, not days.
Employee warning notice

Employee Write Up Form - Microsoft Word Format:

Download a printable employee write up template in Microsoft Word format.

Download Form

Make Your Employment Policies Clear:

It's important to be upfront and clear about your company's employment policies. You should ensure that all employees are aware of these policies and have access to your employee handbook.

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.

Employee Warning Notice PDF Format:

Download your free Employee Write Up Form PDF.

Download Form

Final Thoughts:

It's easy to terminate an employee for sub-par work, but this can also be a costly exercise for your business. Instead of bearing down on an employee, you might want to try a more rehabilitative approach like issuing a performance improvement plan to help them meet their goals.

Employee Retention Strategies

Employee Retention Strategies

Six employee retention strategies to help create a sustainable work environment.

FAQs:

How do you write a warning letter to an employee?

  1. Identify the problem. Make sure you consider the various performance issues and how long it has existed.
  2. Meet with the employee and clarify the issue.
  3. Create your warning letter and include all the performance issues you've considered.
  4. Give the employee the warning notice and make sure you receive a signature to confirm receipt.

When should you write up an employee?

  • Absenteeism.
  • Tardiness.
  • Consistent Sub-Standard Work.
  • Inappropriate Behavior toward Customers or Clients.
  • Illegal Behavior.
  • Insubordination.
  • Company Policy Violation.

Do you have to sign a warning at work?

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.

Can you skip a verbal warning?

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.

Why should you use an Employee Written Warning Form?

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.

What should an Employee Warning Notice Form contain?

An employee warning notice, or disciplinary write-up form, details what the issue is, how the employee should correct their behavior, and what actions will be taken if they don't. Employee warning letters should be signed by the employee, the manager, and a witness, and a copy should be kept in your employee's personnel file.

What happens if an employee refuses to sign a warning letter?

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.

Related Articles:

Employee Write-Up Form

Free employee write-up form downloads in PDF and MS Word formats.

Professional Code of Conduct

How to create a code of conduct with a free downloadable template.

Grievance Procedure Policy

Grievance procedure policy overview & free template.

Employee Termination Letter

Employee termination letter made easy with four samples and a free template download.

Employee Handbook

Free template download and answers to frequently asked questions.