: Identify the exact policy from your employee handbook that was violated to remove subjectivity.

A standard format often looks like this based on templates from FaceUp and Celayix :

: Describe exactly what happened with dates, times, and factual evidence. For example, if it's about attendance , note the specific times they were late.

: "This follows a verbal warning given on [Date] regarding similar tardiness."

: Start with the employee's name, job title, department, and the date the document is issued.

: State what will happen if the behavior doesn't change, which is often moving to the next step in a progressive discipline framework (e.g., suspension or termination).

: If other team members or customers saw the incident, including their accounts can help keep the document unbiased.