What is an employee write-up?

A work write-up is formal documentation regarding an employee breaking a rule. The manager typically fills out a standard employee write-up form that describes the employee misconduct, including which policies the employee broke and what the employee needs to do to improve. An employee write-up typically goes into the person’s file and becomes part of their permanent work record.

Purpose of a work write-up form

Work write-ups happen when an employee breaks a policy or repeatedly does something they shouldn’t. Examples include misusing company software, showing up late to work regularly, ignoring safety procedures and performing below expectations. Regardless of the action that causes the write-up, this form of discipline has a purpose in the workplace. Some important reasons to use an employee write-up form include:

• Formal documentation: Completing the form creates a record that follows the employee while they work for your company. It helps you spot patterns. If the employee switches to a different department and has the same issue there, the new manager can see the previous documentation and handle the situation appropriately.
• Evidence for additional action: If an employee is a repeat offender, you might decide to terminate their employment or take other disciplinary actions. Having written documentation can be important if the employee tries to sue you for wrongful termination.
• Corrective action: A write-up can be a wake-up call to an employee who isn’t performing up to your standards. A well-written write-up like the employee write-up sample below should include expectations for improvement. This can help the employee figure out what to do to improve and keep their job.
• Consistency: When you use a standard write-up form along with your written warning policy, you establish standard procedures to handle employees consistently. This can reduce unfair treatment and avoid complaints from employees who claim you don’t reprimand workers consistently.

Where to begin with employee write-ups

When the time comes to write an employee-write up, emotions are often high. Stay calm and follow company policy strictly. Mistakes made during this process, especially out of anger, may result in employee rebuttal. Refer to a sample of an employee write-up as a guide to keep your documentation professional and effective.

The following sections outline some of the most critical considerations when drafting employee write-ups:

• When to use a write-up form
• Write it when you’re calm
• Consider company policies
• Collect statements from witnesses
• Set expectations

When to use an employee write-up form

Write-up forms are typically designed to be the final action before termination. They usually come after one or more verbal warnings to provide additional feedback, outline the importance of remedying the issue and explain what comes next. However, you can skip directly to a written reprimand if the employee’s action is severe. Establish a disciplinary action policy to outline the types of warnings and write-ups you use and the situations that call for different actions. This serves as a guide for managers and helps employees understand what type of disciplinary action they might face.

Write it when you’re calm

Working on a write-up document when you’re angry not only exacerbates the issue, but also leaves room for error and nonprofessionalism. Write-ups are meant to be objective documents. Once you reach the write-up stage, you’ve already given the employee a verbal warning. Also, keep the content of your write-up clean and professional. Consider that write-ups go on employee records, allowing others to see them. They could also become evidence if the employee challenges a disciplinary decision.

Consider company policies

You should have a solid reason for issuing a write-up. Use company policies to back up any claims you make, relating the issue to a specific policy. You may want to cite the exact policy as well for future reference. Explain thoroughly that you’ve given verbal warnings and feedback. Also, discuss that you walked the employee through proper conduct procedures. If your employee signed their employee handbook stating that they read and agree to all policies, reference that as well.

Collect statements from witnesses

In some cases, team members might see and report coworker behavior. In other cases, a specific employee’s behavior may involve multiple people. When this occurs, gather statements from all parties, keeping them all on record whether you use them in your write-up or not. When collecting statements, consider those that are factual rather than subjective, and include any mentions of other past warnings, such as those from another supervisor.

Set expectations

After addressing performance issues within your write-up, the next step is to set expectations for improvement. Avoid praising strengths in the write-up, as doing so could minimize the seriousness of the matter. Instead, keep a serious tone and focus on honest and corrective feedback. Relate your feedback toward the issue rather than the person, and include steps on how to improve. Be sure to outline what comes after the write-up, along with any further actions such as termination. In many cases, the next step is termination, and it’s best to make that explicitly clear.

Employee write-up example

The following is a sample employee write-up to give you an idea of what to include and how to structure the write-up form. Use it as a guide for how to write up an employee.

Employee name: Victor Ivanov

Employee role: Analyst

Date: 01/21/2022

Department: Logistics

Supervisor: Abena Masozi

Type of violation: Tardiness

Supervisor statement: After three verbal warnings spanning from September 12, 2021, to January 21, 2022, the decision has been made to write up the employee for repeated tardiness. Each recorded tardy was more than one hour late. According to company policy, Analyst personnel are full-time employees that must be in the office by 8:30am and remain until 5:00pm. Mr. Ivanov signed his company policy handbook during his onboarding procedures, agreeing to the policy. We received and documented his signed policy handbook on July 15, 2019.

Expectations: From now until the set deadline, Mr. Ivanov must show perfect attendance. He will arrive at his desk no later than 8:30am each day and not leave until 5:00pm. Only proof of medical visits, such as doctor notes, excuse him from work. Failure to comply with these expectations will result in immediate termination of employment.

Deadline: 05/03/2022

Employee signature: Victor Ivanov

Supervisor signature: Abena Masozi

Employee write-up frequently asked questions

Does the employee have to sign the employee write-up form?

There is no law that requires the employee to sign the form, but it’s ideal to have their signature as proof that they received it. Some employees might refuse to sign the form because they feel like their signature is their agreement to the statements in the write-up. If the employee doesn’t agree to the statements or doesn’t want to admit they’re guilty of the described actions, they might refuse to sign. One way to encourage the employee to sign it is to include a statement that says the employee signed the form as an acknowledgment of receiving it, but they don’t necessarily agree with it.

Should write-ups include other information regarding the employee?

If there have been any other documented issues, include them within the write-up in a brief summary. Keep the focus of the write-up on the most current issue.

Can you terminate employees without a write-up first?

It’s common to have at-will employment, which means you can terminate an employee at any time for any reason as long as the termination doesn’t break any laws. Employees also have the right to leave the company at any time for any reason. Unless the employment contract has other terms, that means you can fire an employee without writing them up. However, it’s best to follow the standard procedures you’ve established in your company policies. If you fire someone without going through verbal and written warnings, they might accuse you of treating them unfairly. Skipping straight to termination should be reserved for severe misconduct. Outline the possibility of immediate termination in your policy, and specify what could result in getting fired without warnings.

Is it possible to communicate dissatisfaction before an issue escalates to a write-up?

Organizations often have their own standards or policies for treating certain problems. If you create an internal atmosphere that promotes communication and feedback, it’s very easy to settle problems before they escalate to such an extent. Even before verbal warnings occur, talk to your employee. Be empathetic and genuinely try to understand their situation. If they have no excuse for their behavior, inform them that verbal and written warnings are the next step.