Disciplinary outcome letter (written warning) template
A disciplinary outcome letter tells an employee in writing that a disciplinary hearing has ended in a written warning or a final written warning. It records what the misconduct or performance problem was, the improvement expected and by when, how long the warning stays on file, what could happen next, and the right of appeal. It is sent after the hearing, once the manager has decided the outcome.
Adapted from Acas (10 June 2022). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
What changes each time
12 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The hearing and the warning
- Employee name
- Date of the disciplinary hearing
- Type of warning
- How long the warning stays on file
- Conduct or performance
What happens next
- The unsatisfactory conduct or performance
- Improvement expected
- Timescale for improvement
- Consequence of further failure
Appeal and signature
- Person handling an appeal
- Working days to appeal
- Manager's name
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- One of several wordings
“Warning: a written warning or a final written warning.”
The decision email chose a first written warning, so the letter says "written warning".
- One of several wordings
“What further failure could lead to: a final written warning or dismissal.”
After a first warning, the next step named is a final written warning.
One worked example, start to finish
The disciplinary outcome letter (written warning) in DocuWeave, from upload to approval.
1The document uploaded
The Acas notice of written warning or final written warning, a Word file, uploaded as it is.
- 2
The template it became
It found 5 sections and 15 values and asked 3 questions before publishing.
3The paperwork dropped in
The hearing notes, the manager's decision email and the personnel file extract.
4What was found, with sources
All 14 values filled from the paperwork, each with the passage it came from.
5What it asked
One question: the notes said three months and the email six, so it showed both passages.
6The approved output
Approved, with Word and PDF downloads of exactly what was approved.
A free disciplinary outcome letter (written warning) to download
- Disciplinary outcome letter, filled with fictional details (Word)
- Disciplinary outcome letter, filled with fictional details (PDF)
Use it as it is, or upload it to DocuWeave and make it a template.
DocuWeave is not a law firm. A general template for common situations in England and Wales. It is not tailored to you and we do not update it when the law changes, so check it suits your situation before you use it. Terms.
Adapted from Acas (10 June 2022). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Questions people ask
What must a disciplinary outcome letter include?
The Acas Code of Practice says the employee should be told in writing what the problem is, the improvement required and the timescale, how long the warning will stay current, what may happen if there is no improvement, and that they can appeal.
What is the difference between a written warning and a final written warning?
A written warning is usually the first formal step. A final written warning follows further misconduct or no improvement, or is given at once for more serious misconduct, and normally says that any further problem may lead to dismissal.
How long does a written warning stay on file?
There is no legal period. Employers set it in their disciplinary procedure, often six to twelve months, and the letter states the period that applies.
Can the employee appeal against a warning?
Yes. The letter names the person to appeal to and the deadline. The Acas Code says appeals should be heard without unreasonable delay, ideally by a manager not involved before.
Can I use my own warning letter instead?
Yes. Upload your own Word or PDF letter and DocuWeave turns it into a template in your wording.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.