What is a Written Warning?
A written warning is used, by an employer and in the form of a document, to warn an employee of their actions in the workplace,
general conduct, and the potential consequences if the employee does not remedy their behavior (with regards to employment).
How Long Is A Written Warning Valid For In South Africa
A written warning is normally valid for 6 months. After this time has elapsed, the warning should be removed from the employee’s records.
A warning for one kind of infraction cannot be applied to another, different type of offense.
How many written warnings can you get before dismissal?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it will depend on the severity of the employee’s behavior or conduct and how many times they have been warned before.
However, if the offenses are not too severe, you should usually aim to give your employees at least two written warnings before dismissing them.
How do you write written warnings?
State why you are writing to the employee. State how long you’ll place the warning on their file, and if you intend to disregard it after a certain amount of time.
Detail the nature of the offense, incident, or behavior.
Note how you expect the employee to improve (you may add a timescale of expected improvement).