101 Sample Write-ups For Documenting Employee Performance Problems (a Guide To Progressive Discipline And Termination)

By (author) Falcone Paul
Short description/annotation
As a manager, you dread having to deal with employee performance problems. This sanity-saving guide is your answer to making it as painless as possible.
Description

Whether you’re addressing an initial infraction or handling termination-worthy transgressions, you need to be 100 percent confident that every employee encounter is clear, fair, and most importantly, legal.

Thankfully, HR expert Paul Falcone has provided this wide-ranging resource that explains in detail the disciplinary process and provides ready-to-use documents that eliminate stress and second-guessing about what to do and say.

In 101 Sample Write-Ups for Documenting Employee Performance Problems, Falcone includes expertly crafted, easily customizable write-ups that address:

• sexual harassment,
• absenteeism,
• insubordination,
• drug or alcohol abuse,
• substandard work,
• email and phone misuse,
• teamwork issues,
• managerial misconduct,
• confidentiality breaches,
• social media abuse, and more!

With each sample document also including a performance improvement plan, outcomes and consequences, and a section of employee rebuttal, it’s easy to see why this guide makes life for managers and HR personnel significantly easier when it comes to addressing employee performance issues.

Table of contents

Introduction 1

Part I: Mastering the Write-Up Tool 5

CHAPTER 1 Progressive Discipline and Its Legal Considerations 7

CHAPTER 2 Disciplinary Levels, Subjects, and Prior Notifications 17

CHAPTER 3 Incident Descriptions and Performance Improvement Plans 33

CHAPTER 4 Consequences, Rebuttals, and Employee Acknowledgments 43

CHAPTER 5 Commonly Asked Questions and Practical Answers to Tricky Employee Relations Issues 57

CHAPTER 6 About the 101 Sample Write-Ups 79

Part II: Disciplining the Probationary Employee 83

#1--3 Disciplining the Probationary Employee 85

#4--6 Disciplining the Probationary Employee: Extending the Length of Probation 95

#7--9 Performance Problems That Arise Right After the New Hire''s Probationary Period Ends 104

Part III: Policy and Procedure Violations 113

#10 Inappropriate Interviewing Questions 115

#11, 12 Failure to Follow Departmental Policies and Procedures 118

#13 Excessive Personal Telephone Calls 124

#14 Software Piracy (Unauthorized Installation) 127

#15 Unauthorized Use of Company Equipment, Time, Materials, or Facilities 130

Bonus Sample--Lost Equipment 133

#16 Unauthorized Removal of Company Files 136

Bonus Sample--Employee Time Card Falsification 139

#17 Leaving the Work Site During a Regularly Scheduled Shift 143

#18 Working Unauthorized Overtime 146

#19 Disclosure of Confidential Information About the Company or Its Customers 149

#20 Failure to Follow Company Dress Code 152

#21 Smoking on Company Grounds 155

#22 Unauthorized Release of References to Prospective Employers 158

#23 Email Misuse (Nonwork-Related Usage) 161

Bonus Sample--Email Misuse (Racially Influenced and Distasteful Messaging) 165

Bonus Sample--Personal Cell Phone Use 168

#24 Off-Duty Conduct and "Moonlighting" 171

Part IV: Performance Transgressions 175

#25--31 Substandard Work Performance 177

#32 Substandard Customer Service 201

#33, 34 Safety Infractions 204

#35 Lack of Sales Production 210

Bonus Sample--Substandard Sales Performance (Extension of Final Written Warning) 213

#36, 37 Unwillingness to Perform Properly Assigned Work