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.