Example of Documentation
Write down what topics were discussed, who was present, what issues or concerns arose and what promises or agreements were made, you build supportive documentation for future reference. Building a well-documented employee file prevents misunderstanding among all parties and affords legal protection to you and your employer in the event of unemployment.
Summarize negotiated terms (i.e., who will do what, by what deadline), warnings issued to an employee, specific performance measures that you reviewed together, and detailed commitments made by all sides.
Documents can become public record in a court of law, so keep clear, professional notes. Write in a detached tone, as if you’re an outsider detailing what happened from a safe distance. Focus on quality of work, behavior and conduct, attendance and availability. Do not attack an employee’s character.
Extra Tip- It is important to avoid the overuse of the phrase “unsatisfactory performance.” Unsatisfactory Performance is often immediately read as “inability” by the unemployment agencies. If there are procedures in place that an employee fails to follow that resulted in lackluster performance, it is important to point to their failure to follow procedures as the triggering event that led to the discharge of the employee.
