Preparing an Employee Written Warning Letter

Too many times a supervisor will wait until they just can't stand an employee's behavior one more minute before they decide to issue an employee written warning letter, or worse they want to terminate them!

This more than anything else will put a business at risk of an employee law suit because if you are challenged and placed under a microscope they will ask you if the employee knew what they were doing was wrong.

Just as an example, let's say that you have an employee that is late two or three times a week for months and you have said nothing to them with the exception of an occasional verbal reminder that was not backed up in writing.

Finally, after all that time you explode and demand that the employee be terminated for failing to report to duty on time. Understand that you have not issued a previous employee written warning letter. In fact you have not provided the employee with anything except a snarl every now and then.

In the past you try to justify their tardiness by telling yourself that it is only a few minutes. What can that hurt?

The fact is that by doing nothing you are in some ways signifying that the behavior is ok. Understand also that every other employee in the facility knows that this employee is late and the first time you try to discipline them for the same, or similar behavior, you will hear about it.

In the above scenario the best course of action would be to reestablish the policy on attendance by either holding a meeting or issuing a policy statement to everyone, including your violator.

Once that has occurred and they are tardy again you better take some type of action in accordance with your policy statement.

By doing the above you lessen the possibility of being challenged with discrimination or any other type of adverse employee action law suit,

Remember, even when you are trying to be fair, every eye is watching you and will challenge you if they feel threatened.

Any employee in a protected class, race, religion, age, etc., will potentially use that to protect themselves and rightfully so. Be fair and you will reduce your risk of that possibility!

So instead of waiting until you can't put up with it any longer take the appropriate action in the beginning. That does not necessarily mean an employee written warning letter, but it could.

Do your fact finding and enter the process with a cool head!