Documentation is used for:
- Positive Feedback and Acknowledgement
- Career Development
- Showing Patterns
- Probationary Determinations
- Performance Evaluations
- Disciplinary Actions
Documentation should:
- Be a clear record of one-on-one discussions with employees regarding their performance/conduct.
- Be factual and objective.
- Be timely (close to the date of the event being documented.)
- Be dated and signed/initialed by the supervisor/manager.
- Be kept in the supervisory drop file set up for each employee, and consulted in the areas listed above.
Documentation should not:
- Be personal or subjective judgments or opinions. Supervisory files are discoverable and can be subpoenaed.
- Be too informal or anecdotal (it may be used by others in conduct or performance cases.)
- Be too old (documentation should normally not be more than one year old.)
- Be used unless it has been shared with the employee.