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cbg, RE: verbal warning

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ACS

Member
Texas

My office has a debate going on, it's regarding our verbal notice proceedure.

Half us us think that when you give a verbal warning, you simply need to give the employee a warning stating that next time they will be written up.

The other half believe that when a verbal notice is given it must be doucumented and witnessed.

Thanks so much
ACS
 


HomeGuru

Senior Member
ACS said:
Texas

My office has a debate going on, it's regarding our verbal notice proceedure.

Half us us think that when you give a verbal warning, you simply need to give the employee a warning stating that next time they will be written up.

The other half believe that when a verbal notice is given it must be doucumented and witnessed.

Thanks so much
ACS
**A: both are correct.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
It's entirely a matter of company policy/practice. Everywhere I've ever been, a "verbal warning" is documented however - it's merely the first stage of progressive discipline.

I don't know where the term verbal warning came from - it's probably ages-old union nomenclature that's still hanging on. As the term is so confusing and out-dated, I call it an "early stage counseling" in the disciplinary policies I've written.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
The law neither forbids nor requires that a so-called "verbal warning" be documented in writing. It's however the company wants to handle it.

Personally, I make a note in the employee's file that a warning was given on such and such a date and that such and such a supervisor was present. Otherwise, how am I going to prove that it was actually given?
 

ACS

Member
thank you cbg and beth

Since another supervisor may or may not be available when an employee is given a verbal warning, would just a memo/note-w/date in the employee file be enough?

Our concern is if an employee trys to collect unemployment after being fired, that having 3 "notices (?)" in his file would be enough doucumentation for our protection?
One, the verbal, two, a write-up and three, termination.

thanks again your HR holiness' :)
ACS
 
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cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
If you're asking what the LAW requires, the law doesn't require any documentation at all. It's entirely up to you.

If you're asking what is considered good practice, I prefer to have the employee's supervisor present as witness. Better yet, I prefer to have the employee's supervisor give the warning, with me as witness. But any documentation is better than none.

As far as unemployment goes, that's going to depend more upon the REASON for the warnings/termination than the number of warnings given previous to the termination. An employee who is fired because their skills are just not up to the job, will probably receive unemployment regardless of how many warnings are given. An employee who was fired for falsifying records will probably NOT receive unemployment, whether any warnings were issued or not.
 

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