Fillable Printable Formal Letter Writing-LETTER OF WARNING TEMPLATE

Formal Letter Writing-LETTER OF WARNING TEMPLATE

GUIDELINES FOR LETTER OF WARNING

 Consult with Labor and Employee Relations and the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs before issuing a

letter of warning.

 Conduct an Investigatory Meeting, if necessary, to determine if there is just cause for a letter of

warning. The Postdoc has a right to request that a union steward be present at this discussion

(Weingarten Rights).

 When you issue a letter of warning, meet with the postdoc in person to advise them of the

disciplinary action. When meeting with the postdoc, make sure to adequately portray the seriousness

of the situation and that this is a formal corrective action process. Be prepared to provide specific

examples of performance problems and respond to questions. The Postdoc does not have the right to

representation at this meeting for the purpose of informing the postdoc of the decision.

 If applicable, review policy or contract article applicable to issue (e.g. Sick Leave; Leave of Absence;

Corrective Action/Discipline/Dismissal.)

 Involve the Postdoc in resolution of the deficiencies. Get the Postdoc to commit to improvement.

Offer yourself and others as resources.

 The clearer the work expectations, the easier it will be for you to manage/monitor the situation. The

facts should speak for themselves. Remember that Article 9 “IDPs and Progress Assessments”

requires that within a reasonable time after the beginning of each appointment, the supervisor will

communicate the research and progress expectations for the coming year. The Postdoc may request

that the goals and expectations on which s/he will be assessed be provided to her/him in writing.

 Warning letters are formal discipline and as such are grievable under the collective bargaining

agreement. To the extent possible, letters must be concise, factual, and objective and avoid

judgments.

LETTER OF WARNING TEMPLATE

Revised May 4, 2011

Date

Name of Postdoc

Street address

City, State, Zip

(Note: send via certified mail, return receipt requested)

Re: Letter of Warning

Dear Dr. ___________,

This is a formal letter of warning, in accordance with the 2010-2015 UC-UAW Collective

Bargaining Agreement for Postdoctoral Scholars, pertaining to your work performance [OR

MISCONDUCT] in my laboratory. We met on [DATE] to discuss these issues. Specifically, I am

concerned about the following: [CLEARLY ITEMIZE THE NATURE OF THE INADEQUATE WORK

PERFORMANCE OR MISCONDUCT AS WELL AS YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR WHAT SHOULD HAVE

BEEN DONE].

To remedy these serious problems, I am proposing the following steps, which should ensure

that the continuation of your postdoctoral appointment is smooth and successful. [LIST STEPS

AND DEADLINES, IF APPLICABLE]

The projects assigned to you are: [LIST SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND TIMELINE]

In addition, you will be expected to adhere to the following conditions: [LIST SPECIFIC

CONDITIONS SUCH AS REPORTING TO WORK FOR CERTAIN HOURS; CALLING IN WHEN NOT ABLE

TO COME TO WORK, ETC. ALSO BE CLEAR AS TO THE TIMELINE FOR MEETING THESE

CONDITIONS]

The University takes your postdoctoral training very seriously. Therefore this action plan is a

condition of your continued employment and it is your responsibility to make certain that all

necessary actions are taken to ensure that you are able, now and in the future, to conform to

University performance expectations. Failure to meet these requirements will result in further

disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the training program and the University.

If you have any questions concerning this letter or the above-outlined action plan, please

feel free to discuss them with me. You may also consult with [NAME AND TITLE OF

POSTDOC ADMINISTRATOR], at [PHONE] or [EMAIL].

Sincerely,

Name of PI

*UC-UAW Collective Bargaining Agreement:

http://atyourservice.ucop.edu/employees/policies_employee_labor_relations/collective_bargaining_units/post_docs/agreement

.html