Written warning letter template (first and final warning)
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Fill in the written warning
Preview
Written Warning
What happened
[What happened, in facts]
Date(s): [Date(s) of the incidents]
This conflicts with the following policy or expectation: [Policy or expectation it conflicts with]
Earlier conversations about this issue: [Earlier conversations about this issue]
What needs to change
[What needs to change]
We will review progress on or before [Review date].
If something is getting in the way of meeting this expectation, please tell me. We will discuss what support is reasonable, such as training, clearer instructions or a review of your schedule.
If the issue is not corrected, or if it happens again, it may lead to [If it is not corrected, it may lead to].
This warning is not a contract and does not change the terms of your employment.
Employee comments
You may write your comments below or attach a separate written response. Your response will be kept with this warning.
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Acknowledgement
Signing below confirms that you received this warning and that it was discussed with you. It does not mean that you agree with it.
______________________ Date: __________
Employee signature
______________________ Date: __________
Manager signature ([Your name (issued by)])
If the employee declines to sign: witness name, signature and date: ______________________
For names with non-Latin characters, use .docx.
Fill in the final written warning
The last documented step before a termination decision. This template lists the earlier warnings, restates the expectation and says plainly what happens if the issue continues.
Preview
Final Written Warning
Earlier warnings
[Earlier warnings (type and date)]
What has happened since
[What has happened since the last warning]
What needs to change
[What needs to change]
We will review progress on or before [Review date].
To help, the company will provide: [Support offered]
Our employee assistance program is available to you confidentially if personal circumstances are affecting your work.
This is a final warning. If the issue is not corrected, or if it happens again, your employment may be terminated.
This warning is not a contract and does not change the terms of your employment.
Employee comments
You may write your comments below or attach a separate written response. Your response will be kept with this warning.
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
Acknowledgement
Signing below confirms that you received this final warning and that it was discussed with you. It does not mean that you agree with it.
______________________ Date: __________
Employee signature
______________________ Date: __________
Manager signature ([Your name (issued by)])
If the employee declines to sign: witness name, signature and date: ______________________
For names with non-Latin characters, use .docx.
About this template
A neutral written warning you can fill in here and download as .docx or .pdf. It records what happened, what needs to change and by when, and leaves room for the employee's side.
A written warning is usually the second step in a progressive discipline process, after a verbal warning and before a final written warning. Its job is to describe the problem in facts, set a clear expectation and a review date, and create a dated record that both sides have seen.
Fill in the form on this page. The preview updates as you type, and the finished document downloads straight from your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored anywhere.
How to use this template
- Write the facts first: dates, what was observed, and the rule or expectation involved. Leave out guesses about motives.
- Make the expectation specific enough that both of you will agree, on the review date, whether it was met.
- Meet in private, hand over the warning, and give the employee time to read it and respond.
- Ask for a signature that confirms receipt, not agreement. If they decline, note it and have a witness sign.
- Give the employee a copy and keep the signed original in their personnel file.
Final written warning
- List every earlier warning with its date, so the sequence is visible on one page.
- Describe what has happened since the last warning in facts, with dates.
- Use the same expectation wording as before, unless it has changed; if it has, say what changed.
- Say plainly what may happen if the issue continues. Do not threaten anything you are not prepared to do.
- Meet in private, give the employee a copy, and keep the signed original in the personnel file.
Example wording
Examples of the level of detail that makes a document clear. Replace them with your own facts.
- Attendance (first written warning): On March 3, March 10 and March 17 you arrived after 9:40 a.m. for a 9:00 a.m. shift without calling ahead. On each day the front desk opened late.
- Work quality (first written warning): Three of the last five client reports (sent April 2, April 9 and April 16) went out with pricing errors that had to be corrected after the client flagged them.
- Conduct (first written warning): On May 6, during the team meeting, you raised your voice at a colleague and used profanity after being asked to wait for your turn to speak.
- Attendance (final written warning): Since the written warning of March 18, you arrived late without calling ahead on April 2 and April 9, and did not attend your scheduled shift on April 14.
- Performance (final written warning): Since the written warning of June 3, two of four weekly reconciliations were submitted after the Friday deadline (June 13 and June 27), delaying month-end close by two days.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a verbal and a written warning?
A verbal warning is a conversation, usually recorded afterwards in a short manager's note. A written warning is a document the employee receives and is asked to sign. Many small businesses use the verbal warning for a first issue and the written warning if it continues.
What should a written warning include?
The date, who is involved, the facts of what happened with dates, the policy or expectation it conflicts with, what needs to change, a review date, the possible consequence if it continues, and space for the employee's comments and signature.
What if the employee refuses to sign it?
Write 'employee declined to sign' with the date, and ask a witness who was present to sign. The signature line exists to confirm receipt; the warning is still a record of the conversation.
How long should a written warning stay on file?
That depends on your own policy, and many handbooks say a warning stops counting toward the next step after a set period. Separately, the EEOC's recordkeeping page says personnel records are to be kept for one year, and for one year after an involuntary termination.
Is a final written warning required before firing someone?
Not as a general rule; it depends on your own policies, any contract, and your state. Many employers use one because a documented sequence makes the decision easier to explain. Check your state's rules on this page before you rely on any template.
Should a final warning say the employee will be fired?
Use 'may be terminated' rather than a promise either way. It tells the employee how serious the situation is without committing you to an outcome before the review date.
How many warnings should come before a final warning?
There is no single number. A common sequence is a verbal warning, a written warning, then a final written warning, but serious misconduct can skip steps if your policy allows it.
The full process
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Checked Sep 24, 2026 · How we verify every rule · Report an error