• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Legal Templates

Legal Templates
  • Business Forms
    Business & Contracts

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Business Forms
    Business Formation
    • Business Plan
    • LLC Operating Agreement
    • Articles of Incorporation
    • Corporate Bylaws
    • Buy-Sell Agreement
    Business Operations
    • Business Contract
    • Partnership Agreement
    • Non-Disclosure Agreement
    • Release of Liability
    • Letter of Intent
    Service Contracts
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Sales Agreement
    • Invoice
    • Purchase Order
    • Business Purchase
    Employment
    • Employment Contract
    • Employment Offer
    • Employment Verification
    • Freelance Contract
    • Non-Compete Agreement
    View All Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
    Real Estate

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Real Estate Forms
    Landlords
    • Lease Agreement
    • Property Management
    • Eviction Notice
    • Late Rent Notice
    • Lease Termination
    Tenants
    • Room Rental
    • Sublease Agreement
    • Roommate Agreement
    • Notice to Vacate
    • Early Lease Termination
    Home Ownership
    • Real Estate Purchase Agreement
    • Mortgage Deed
    • Quitclaim Deed
    • Deed of Trust
    • Moving Checklist
    View all Real Estate Forms
  • Personal & Family Forms
    Personal and Family

    All of our legal contracts and documents are drafted and regularly updated by attorneys licensed in their respective jurisdictions, paralegals, or subject matter experts. Save your hard-earned money and time with Legal Templates.

    Top Personal and Family Forms
    Estate Planning
    • Power of Attorney
    • Last Will & Testament
    • Living Will
    • Advance Directive
    • DNR Form
    Personal Finance
    • Bill of Sale
    • Loan Agreement
    • Purchase Agreement
    • Promissory Note
    • Sales Agreement
    Family Matters
    • Parenting Plan
    • Child Travel Consent
    • Divorce Agreement
    • Separation Agreement
    • Prenuptial Agreement
    Affidavits
    • General Affidavit
    • Gift Affidavit
    • Affidavit of Identity
    • Affidavit of Residence
    • Affidavit of Death
    View All Personal Forms
  • Support
    Resources
    • Business
    • Real Estate
    • Personal and Family
    • Financial
    • Estate Planning
    Support
    • About Us
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • All Legal Documents

    Monday - Friday | 9AM - 7PM EDT

    (855) 335-9779

  • Sign In
  • :email

Home Business Employee Write-Up Disciplinary Action

Employee Disciplinary Action Form

If an employees behavior or performance isn’t meeting expectations then you can use an Employee Disciplinary Action Form.

Published July 6, 2023 | Legally reviewed by Brooke Davis

An employee disciplinary action form is a formal document acknowledging situations where employees fall short of their employer’s expectations. These instances may involve quality concerns, performance issues, behavioral misconduct, or safety-related incidents deemed necessary for resolution by organizational leaders.

Table of Contents
  • When to Use an Employee Disciplinary Action Form
  • What to Include in an Employee Disciplinary Action Form
  • How to Discipline an Employee: Key Steps and Considerations
  • Writing an Employee Disciplinary Action Form: Step-By-Step
  • Employee Disciplinary Action Form Sample
  • Frequently Asked Questions

When to Use an Employee Disciplinary Action Form

An employee disciplinary action form should be used when addressing immediate improvement needs related to behavior or performance issues.

It serves two purposes: documenting the specific issue at hand and providing a basis for monitoring the employee’s progress in rectifying the concern in the future.

Disciplinary action in the workplace encompasses various behaviors and situations that many businesses address. Examples of disciplinary actions may include, but are not limited to, the following categories:

  • Safety Violations: Instances where employees disregard safety protocols or engage in actions that jeopardize their safety or the safety of others.
  • Inappropriate Conduct: Behaviors deemed unprofessional, disruptive, or violating company policies, such as harassment, insubordination, or offensive language.
  • Poor Performance: Cases where employees consistently fail to meet job requirements, achieve expected goals, or fulfill assigned duties.
  • Absenteeism: Frequent or unexcused absences from work without valid reasons or proper notification.
  • Late Arrivals: Repeatedly late to work, meetings, or scheduled shifts without valid justification.
  • Procedural Violations: Breaching established procedures, guidelines, or protocols, which can result in inefficiencies, errors, or non-compliance.

What to Include in an Employee Disciplinary Action Form

When developing an employee disciplinary action form for your own business, you’ll want to include elements like the following:

  • The full name and title of the employee.
  • The date that the incident took place.
  • The date upon which any disciplinary action will be taken (if applicable).
  • Any comments the employee made that may have been in an attempt to explain themselves.
  • The name of that employee’s supervisor or another leader they report to directly.
  • The employee and supervisor’s signature acknowledges the disciplinary action form itself.

How to Discipline an Employee: Key Steps and Considerations

Disciplining an employee requires careful handling. Follow these key steps to ensure an effective disciplinary process:

1. Start with a Verbal Warning

Provide a verbal warning unless the situation involves highly inappropriate behavior or severe safety concerns. Communicate the issue to the employee, explaining why it is problematic and emphasizing the importance of avoiding future occurrences.

2. Progress to a Written Notice

If the issues persist, such as ongoing productivity or quality problems, issue a written notice for the second violation. Include detailed information outlining expectations and potential consequences or corrective actions if improvement does not take place.

This document serves as formal documentation for the employer’s expectations and the consequences of non-compliance.

3. Consider a Formal Employee Review

A formal employee review may be necessary in cases of repeated violations. Involving the human resources department may be appropriate at this stage.

Depending on the severity of the situation, more significant corrective actions such as suspension or termination may be considered.

Writing an Employee Disciplinary Action Form: Step-By-Step

When creating an employee disciplinary action form, follow these crucial steps to provide clarity and safeguard your organization’s interests:

Step 1 – Cover Identifying Information

Include a section to capture essential details such as the employee’s name, title, direct supervisor’s name, and the date of the incident. This information will be vital for future reference.

Step 2 – Clearly State the Violation

Provide a detailed account of the disciplinary action involved. Specify whether it is a verbal or written warning, suspension, or any other long-term action. Include start and end dates for any suspensions, and provide checkboxes for supervisors to indicate the type of violation.

Step 3 – Be Specific

Allocate sections for additional context to help others understand the incident. Allow space to describe the violation in the reporter’s own words. Provide room to outline the corrective plan, consequences for failure to improve, and an employee statement.

Establish a timeline for potential follow-ups on disciplinary action.

Step 4 – Signatures and Dates

Designate a space for the employee receiving the disciplinary action and their supervisor to sign and date the form.

Employee Disciplinary Action Form Sample

Use the following employee disciplinary action form sample as a guide when creating your document:

Employee Disciplinary Action Form Sample

Download PDF
Download MS Word

Frequently Asked Questions

What is disciplinary action?

A disciplinary action refers to the measures taken by an organization to address employee misconduct, rule violations, or subpar performance. These actions aim to reprimand and correct inappropriate behavior or inadequate job performance.

The severity of disciplinary actions can vary, but they commonly include verbal or written warnings and poor performance reviews or evaluations.

What are the different types of disciplinary action?

Different types of disciplinary action are used depending on the severity of the incident and the number of times it has been repeated within a specific timeframe. Common types of disciplinary action include:

  • Verbal warning
  • Written warning such as employee disciplinary form or employee warning notice.
  • Suspension
  • Demotion
  • Termination

What legal considerations should employers consider when taking disciplinary actions?

  1. Employment laws: Comply with labor codes, anti-discrimination laws, and employment contracts to avoid legal consequences.
  2. Consistency and fairness: Treat employees consistently to prevent claims of discrimination or favoritism.
  3. Clear policies and communication: Establish and communicate clear disciplinary procedures outlining expected behavior and consequences for misconduct.
  4. Due process and investigations: Conduct fair investigations, allowing employees to respond to allegations.
  5. Documentation: Keep detailed records of disciplinary actions, including written warnings and evaluations.
  6. Right, to appeal: Consider providing an appeals process to review disciplinary decisions.
  7. Consultation with legal professionals: Seek guidance from employment law experts in complex cases or situations with legal implications.

Related Employment Documents

  • Employee Reprimand Form: Reprimand an employee.
  • Demotion Letter: Inform an employee they are being demoted.
  • Employment Termination Letter: A document that formally notices an employee that they are being fired or laid off.

Employee Disciplinary Action Form

Create an Employee Disciplinary Action Form here.

Legal Documents
  • All Legal Forms
  • Business Forms
  • Real Estate Forms
  • Personal and Family Forms
Popular Forms
  • Lease Agreements
  • Power of Attorney Forms
  • Eviction Notice
  • Living Will
  • Non-Disclosure Agreement
Resources
  • Legal Resources
  • Business
  • Real Estate
  • Personal & Family
  • Estate Planning
  • Financial
Company
  • Pricing
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Partner With Us
Users
  • Account
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
McAfee - Together is power.
Trustpilot

(855) 335-9779, Monday-Friday, 9AM - 7PM EDT

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube

Copyright 2023 Legal Templates LLC. Legal Templates LLC is not a lawyer, or a law firm and does not engage in the practice of law. Legal Templates cannot and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. All information, software and services provided on the site are for informational purposes and self-help only and are not intended to be a substitute for a lawyer or professional legal advice. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use. Legaltemplates.net is owned and operated by Resume Technologies Limited, London with offices in London United Kingdom.”

Esc
Employee Disciplinary Action Form Sample

The document above is a sample. Please note that the language you see here may change depending on your answers to the document questionnaire.

Fill in the details

Thank you for downloading one of our free legal templates!

Would you leave us a review?

We hope you've found what you need and can avoid the time, costs, and stress associated with dealing with a lawyer.

A review would mean the world to us (it only takes about 15 seconds).

Please check your download folder for MS Word or open tabs for PDF so you can access your FREE Legal Template Sample

Thanks again, and good luck!

Leave My Review