Smart Benefits: Written Warnings Done Right
Monday, April 22, 2019
Many employee behaviors can prompt a letter of warning, such as inconsistent attendance, unsuitable dress, not following company processes and procedures, and inappropriate treatment of coworkers. But writing warning letters for these situations can be tricky. The key is to stick to the facts. Below are tips for writing a warning, but remember, if an employee is unionized, you must be aware of the collective bargaining agreement regarding disciplinary procedural requirements.
- Start with the date of the warning and the employee’s name followed by the name and title of the employee’s direct supervisor/the person issuing the disciplinary notice.
- The level or type of discipline (i.e., written warning or PIP) comes next.
- A detailed description of the incident or incidents, with the dates they occurred, should follow. Be as specific as possible with dates. For example, “John has consistently been missing work. This was discussed this with him in person on [insert date] and he agreed that he would come to work on a consistent basis moving forward. A full list of dates that John has either missed work, left early, or arrived late is attached to this letter. In total, this represents [X] days out of the office this year.”
- Name the specific company policy or procedure that was violated, as well as the expected results with dates, for example, “improved attendance is expected immediately.” Be careful not to discipline employees for taking available sick time or for reasons that may be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
- Include any previous warnings or PIPs, particularly if they were recent and/or similar in nature to the topic of the current letter.
- If applicable, attach documents that pertain to the infraction — such as emails that describe the incident, client complaints, etc. As a general rule, it’s enough to relate the essential facts and conclusions in the letter and keep any supporting evidence documents as part of the employee’s investigatory file.
- A written warning should also include a statement about “further disciplinary action” to emphasize the gravity of the situation and put the employee on notice about potential consequences if improvement isn’t made. A statement such as “further violations of company policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination” can be very effective. For example, “If John continues to have unexcused absences within the next 30 days and is unable to provide a medical note for those absences, further disciplinary action may be taken, up to and including termination.”
In addition to presenting the facts, a warning letter can also contain a narrative about how the behavior impacts the organization and the employee’s co-workers, clients, etc.; this not only strengthens your call to action but also makes the employee aware of the effect their behavior has had on the business and/or coworkers.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTRob Calise is the Managing Director, Employee Benefits of The Hilb Group of New England, where he helps clients control the costs of employee benefits by focusing on consumer-driven strategies and on how to best utilize the tax savings tools the government provides. Rob serves as Chairman of the Board of United Benefit Advisors, and is a board member of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI Broker Advisory Board, United HealthCare of New England Broker Advisory Board and Rhode Island Business Healthcare Advisors Council. He is also a member of the National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU), American Health Insurance Association (AHIA) and the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), as well as various human resource associations. Rob is a graduate of Bryant University with a BS in Finance
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