Highlights
- Employee written warnings are formal documents issued to employees who have violated company policies or work expectations.
- These warnings should be clear, consistent, and well-documented to ensure fairness, prevent misunderstandings, and provide a legal record if necessary.
- EPAY‘s HCM system simplifies your HR tasks, including time and attendance and performance management. Let’s talk!
Employee written warnings are a necessary tool in any discipline policy. But they can be tricky to navigate. If their message isn’t crystal clear, they can lead to legal disputes, hurt employee morale, and create a hostile work environment.
In 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received 81,055 discrimination charges. This led to employers paying out a total of $665 million in damages, either voluntarily or through lawsuits. Given that a significant number of complaints involve disciplinary action or terminations, employers must handle these matters with care.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into the best practices for issuing employee written warnings, so you can use them effectively and minimize risks.

What Is an Employee Written Warning?
An employee written warning is a formal notice that an employer issues to an employee as a consequence of violating company policies or work expectations. It typically outlines the specific infraction, the company’s expectations, and the potential consequences if the behavior continues.
Written warnings are often part of a progressive discipline policy, which involves a series of escalating steps to address employee misconduct. They indicate that an employee’s behavior is unacceptable and that corrective action is necessary.
Why Are Written Warnings Important?
While written warnings may not be the most enjoyable aspect of HR, they are a necessary component of a well-managed organization.
Here are some key reasons why they are important:
- Documentation. A written warning creates a formal record of the incident and the employer’s expectations. This can be crucial in case of future disciplinary actions or legal proceedings. In some cases, a written warning can provide legal protection for the employer if the employee is later terminated for similar misconduct.
- Clear communication. A written warning clearly outlines the specific issue, the company’s expectations, and the potential consequences. This helps to prevent misunderstandings and ensures that the employee is aware of the seriousness of the situation.
- Progressive discipline. By providing a written warning as a first step, employers can give employees an opportunity to improve their behavior before resorting to more severe measures.
- Fairness. A written warning can demonstrate to other employees that disciplinary actions are applied consistently and fairly. This can help to maintain a positive work environment.
When to Provide an Employee Written Warning? Examples
An employee written warning should generally be issued when an employee has violated a company policy or work expectation, and corrective action is necessary.
Here are some examples of situations that may warrant a written warning:
- Repeated violations of company policies. If an employee has repeatedly violated company policies, despite previous verbal warnings or coaching, a written warning may be appropriate.
- Serious offenses. For serious offenses, such as theft, harassment, or insubordination, a written warning may be issued as a first step in the disciplinary process.
- Failure to meet performance expectations. If an employee consistently fails to meet performance expectations, despite coaching and feedback, a written warning may be necessary.
- Disruptive behavior. If an employee’s behavior is disruptive to the workplace, such as excessive absenteeism, tardiness, or creating a hostile work environment, a written warning may be appropriate.
Setting Expectations: The Importance of Clear Policies and Procedures
A well-defined set of policies and procedures is essential for creating a structured and fair workplace. This includes everything from employee handbooks to specific guidelines on overtime, time and attendance, and other key areas.
When employees have a clear understanding of these policies, it reduces confusion, ensures consistency, and avoids misunderstandings.
Here’s how you can set up expectations:
- Ensure your employee handbook and other policy documents cover all relevant areas, including behavior expectations, progressive discipline, overtime, time and attendance, and any other pertinent topics.
- Don’t just distribute policies and expect employees to read them. Review and discuss these policies in team meetings and one-on-one conversations.
- Ensure that policies are applied consistently and fairly across the organization. This helps to maintain a sense of fairness and prevents feelings of favoritism.
How to Give a Written Warning to an Employee: Do’s and Don’ts
- Be direct and specific – Describe the specific actions or behaviors that led to the written warning. The only way employees can improve is if they know where they went wrong. Additionally, detailed documentation can be invaluable in the case of future legal proceedings.
- Identify which company policies were violated – Referring to specific performance standards helps employees understand why their actions were unacceptable. It may also strengthen your legal position, in case of future disputes.
- Explain how the employee misconduct hurts the company – Whether the end result is creating more work for coworkers or lost productivity at a given work site, it’s helpful to pinpoint the damage created.
- Leave out unnecessary information – This one can be tricky to master but including extraneous information—anything that’s not directly related to the incident in question—can create confusion and may even increase legal risks for the employer.
- Don’t over or understate the case – Avoid using overly harsh or overly lenient language. Exaggeration or downplaying the seriousness of an offense can be perceived as discriminatory.
- Deliver written warnings promptly – Delaying a written warning can undermine its authenticity and may lead workers to claim they’ve been targeted.
- Encourage employees to provide written responses – This offers employees a fair opportunity to explain their side of the story and may reveal mitigating circumstances that were previously unknown.
- Follow up – If the written warning outlines steps for remediation, make sure the employee is following them—and that it’s all documented in their file.

Achieving Consistency in Written Warnings
When it comes to issuing employee written warnings, consistency is key. However, this might be challenging, especially in organizations with diverse teams and management styles.
To address this, consider implementing the following strategies:
- Train managers on your progressive disciplinary policy, including guidelines on when and how to issue written warnings.
- Develop clear and consistent templates for written warnings, ensuring that all documents follow the same format and include the necessary information.
- Use HR software that can streamline the process of issuing and tracking written warnings. EPAY‘s HCM system offers features such as performance management tools, customizable employee points systems, and easy-to-use HR tools to help you maintain consistency and efficiency.
Ready to streamline your employee management processes? Contact EPAY today to learn how our HCM system can help you manage HR tasks more efficiently.