Written warning letter template

Draft a first, second or final written warning that records the meeting, what the employee said, what you expect now and the support you will give.

Figures checked 5 November 2026. Free to use, no sign-in.

Warning

Level
About

Letter

What happened

Specific facts with dates. Avoid labels like “poor attitude”.

Next steps

First written warning

Check before you use it

  • Only issue the warning after a meeting where you put the specific concerns to the employee and genuinely considered their response. Offer them a support person for that meeting.
  • The concerns must be accurate and supported by records (rosters, emails, sales figures, incident reports). Avoid general labels such as “bad attitude”.
  • Expectations must be specific, achievable, and give a reasonable time to improve, with the support you have promised.
  • Check your award, enterprise agreement and policies for any warning procedure, and follow it.

[Employer name]

[Date of letter]

Private and confidential [Employee name] [Position]

Dear [Employee first name],

First written warning: conduct

This letter is a first written warning about your conduct. It follows our meeting on [meeting date], where we discussed the concerns set out below and you had the opportunity to respond.

The concerns we raised with you were:

  1. [Describe each concern: what happened or what fell short, with dates and examples]

At the meeting you told us [summarise the employee’s response]. We have considered what you said. Having done so, we have decided that a formal warning is appropriate, for the reasons we discussed.

From now on, we expect you to:

  • [Set out the standard expected, in specific and measurable terms]

We will review your conduct with you on or around [review date].

If the required improvement is not made, or if there is a further issue of a similar kind, further disciplinary action may be taken, which may include termination of your employment.

A copy of this letter will be kept on your personnel file. If you would like to provide a written response, please give it to us and we will keep it on your file with this letter.

If you have questions about this letter or would like to talk about the support available, please speak with me.

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

[Your position]

[Employer name]

Acknowledgement of receipt

I acknowledge that I have received this letter. Signing it does not mean I agree with its contents.

Signed: ________________________ Date: ____________

[Employee name]

Highlighted text in [brackets] still needs your input. General information, not legal advice.

How this works

A warning records a decision made after you have put the concerns to the employee and heard their response. If a later dismissal is challenged, the Fair Work Commission looks at whether the employee knew what was wrong, had a chance to respond and, for performance, was warned (Fair Work Act s 387).

  • The letter refers back to the meeting and summarises the employee’s response.
  • Expectations and support are listed so the employee knows what improvement looks like.
  • A final warning says that employment may be terminated if the issue continues. Earlier warnings say further action may follow.

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Legal basis

Checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Spotted a figure that looks wrong? Tell us.

Questions

How many warnings do I need to give before dismissing someone?

The Fair Work Act does not set a number. For unsatisfactory performance, the Fair Work Commission considers whether the employee was warned before being dismissed. Many employers give two or three written warnings, but one clear final warning can be enough where the issue is serious, and some conduct justifies dismissal without any warning.

Do warnings expire?

Not under the Act. Some enterprise agreements and workplace policies say warnings lapse after a set time. Even without that, an old warning about an unrelated issue carries less weight than a recent one about the same problem.

What if the employee refuses to sign the warning?

Signing only acknowledges receipt, not agreement, and the employee does not have to sign. Note on the letter that it was given to them, when and how, and offer to put their written response on file.

Is a verbal warning enough?

The Small Business Fair Dismissal Code allows a verbal warning but says written is preferable. A written warning is much easier to prove if a dismissal is later challenged.

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Questions the calculator can’t answer?

Workfloor answers pay, award, leave and termination questions for your team, with the Fair Work Act section or award clause behind each answer.

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