Who this is for: hotel owners, general managers, department heads, and HR at independent hotels, hotel groups, motels, and resorts who need to document a performance or conduct issue fairly and consistently.
A note before you use this: this template is general guidance, not legal advice. Employment rules differ by country, state, and contract, so follow your own HR policy and local law, and get advice from a qualified professional for a specific situation.
A write-up only protects you if it is factual, consistent, and signed. This template gives you the form fields, a hotel-specific violation list, and a progressive discipline ladder, so a manager documents what happened in the same way every time. Fill it in with facts, tie it to the policy that was broken, and have the employee sign to confirm receipt.
What You Get
- An employee write-up form with every field a fair record needs
- A hotel violation list grouped by guest trust, conduct, and safety
- A progressive discipline ladder from verbal warning to termination
- Common violations mapped by department
- Downloadable PDF and Word files ready to brand
The Employee Write-Up Form
Complete every field. Describe what happened in specific, factual terms, without opinion or emotion.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Employee and supervisor | The employee's name, role, and department, and the supervisor issuing the write-up |
| Date and shift of incident | The date, time, and shift when it happened |
| Violation type and policy | The violation from the hotel list and the specific policy it breaks |
| Factual description | What happened, in specific and factual terms, with any prior warnings on the same issue |
| Corrective action and deadline | The expected change, the support offered, and the date to meet it by |
| Consequences and action level | What happens if it continues, and the level: verbal, written, final written, or suspension |
| Signatures | Employee, supervisor, HR, and witness signatures with dates |
Signing confirms the employee received the write-up, not that they agree with it. Leave space for an employee comment, and apply the same standard and action level to the same violation across all staff.
Hotel Violation Types
- Guest trust: cash-handling errors, skipped ID or age verification, key and access-control breaches, and mishandling guest data.
- Conduct and safety: uniform and grooming, attendance and no-call/no-show, unsafe chemical or safety handling, and guest-service conduct.
The Progressive Discipline Ladder
| Step | When to use it |
|---|---|
| 1. Verbal warning | A documented verbal conversation for a first or minor issue |
| 2. Written warning | A formal written warning for a repeat or more serious issue |
| 3. Final written warning | A last warning stating the next step is suspension or termination |
| 4. Suspension or termination | Time off without pay or end of employment for continued or severe issues |
Match the level to the violation. Start higher for a serious issue such as theft or a safety breach, and keep the step consistent with how you have treated the same violation before.
Common Violations by Department
- Front desk: cash drawer accuracy, refunds and voids, ID and age verification, key control, and guest data confidentiality.
- Housekeeping: chemical handling, room security, entry and do-not-disturb rules, lost-and-found handling, and attendance.
- Food and beverage: alcohol age checks, food-safety steps, cash and comp handling, uniform standards, and guest-service conduct.
- Maintenance: lockout and tagout, chemical and equipment safety, PPE use, and tool and key control.
How Do You Fill Out a Write-Up Fairly?
- Stick to facts: record what happened, when, and which policy it broke, not how you felt about it.
- Reference prior warnings: list any earlier verbal or written warnings on the same issue, with dates.
- Set a clear corrective action: state the expected change, the support offered, and a deadline.
- Be consistent: apply the same action level to the same violation across every employee.
- Get a signature: have the employee sign to confirm receipt, and give them a copy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Writing opinion instead of fact. Opinion weakens the record; stick to what happened.
- Inconsistent discipline. Treating the same violation differently across staff undermines the whole process.
- No prior-warning history. A final warning out of nowhere is hard to support.
- Skipping the signature. Without a signed acknowledgment, there is no proof the employee received it.
- Treating the template as the law. It is general guidance; your HR policy and local law govern.
Build the Record Before You Need It
A write-up form documents an issue after it happens, but a fair record depends on knowing the facts: who worked which shift, who handled the cash drawer, and what was completed. With roommaster, shift assignments, cash and key handling, and task completion stay on record, so when a write-up is needed a manager has the dates and details to document it fairly and consistently. The form captures the issue, and your operating records back it up. See how it works on the roommaster platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What should a hotel employee write-up include?
The employee and supervisor details, the date and shift, the violation type and the policy it breaks, a factual description, any prior warnings, the corrective action and deadline, the consequences and action level, and signatures. Keep the description factual and specific.
2. Does an employee have to sign a write-up?
Signing confirms the employee received the write-up, not that they agree with it. If they refuse to sign, note the refusal and have a witness sign. Rules vary, so follow your own HR policy and local law.
3. What is progressive discipline?
It is a step-by-step approach: a verbal warning, then a written warning, then a final written warning, then suspension or termination. You match the starting step to the severity of the issue and apply it consistently across staff.
4. Is this template legal advice?
No. It is general guidance to help you document fairly and consistently. Employment law differs by country, state, and contract, so follow your own HR policy and consult a qualified professional for a specific situation.
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