Turn documentation from a paper trail into proof. Score a coaching note, write-up, or investigation record against the nine elements that decide whether it holds up months from now.
This tool provides general documentation-quality guidance and is not legal advice. It does not evaluate whether a specific employment action was lawful.
A file full of vague notes is weaker than three well-written records. Each entry needs to stand on its own: specific facts, the standard involved, the impact, notice to the employee, and a stated next step.
This scorecard checks for the elements that consistently separate documentation that holds up from documentation that collapses under questioning: facts and dates, the standard violated, business impact, prior notice, the employee's side, next steps, neutral tone, outside-reader clarity, and consistency with past practice.
Run any significant write-up, coaching note, or investigation summary through this checklist before it goes in the file. Fixing gaps while the facts are fresh takes minutes. Reconstructing them after a claim is filed can be impossible.
Focus on documents that could matter later: written warnings, performance improvement plans, investigation notes, and anything preceding discipline or termination. Routine coaching notes benefit from the same habits without needing a formal score.
Vague, conclusory language: "bad attitude," "not a team player," "unprofessional." These read as opinions. Specific facts and dates read as evidence.
No, but it is the difference between a claim that resolves quickly and one that drags on because the employer cannot show what actually happened and why.
Personnel documentation generally should be retained for several years past the employment relationship; specific retention periods depend on the type of record and applicable law. When in doubt, keep longer rather than shorter.
Book a no-cost 30-minute consult. Bring your result, and leave with a straight read on the risk and a practical next step.