Amazon has a lot of policies guiding its business, from general policies to shipping policies and more. These policies ensure orderliness and efficiency in every buying, selling, and administrative operation.
Amazon’s write up policy is not an exception. So, what is Amazon’s write up policy all about?
Amazon Write up Policy
When an employee at Amazon violates one of the company’s standards, they are issued a warning or a write-up, which is recorded in the employee’s account. According to Amazon’s write-up policy, employees are given up to six write-ups yearly before being fired. Amazon can resolve write-ups given unfairly or mistakenly.
Employees who arrive late, don’t dress appropriately, fail to listen to instructions, or commit other similar offenses may get written up. How much write-up an employee gets may depend on their supervisors, as some supervisors could be more tolerant than others.
So, what does it mean to get written up at Amazon, and how long does it take to roll them off them? Keep reading to find out!
What Does It Mean to Get Written Up at Amazon?
When employees are written up, they are placed on probation for a stipulated period as they improve their work ethics.
Employees at Amazon are held to extremely high standards, and their managers have the authority to write them up for even the smallest violations. Amazon has the right to dismiss an employee if the employee repeats the mistakes during the probation period.
Does Getting Written up Mean Fired?
While violating some policies, such as safety, physical altercations, and threats, can result in immediate and permanent termination, others may require several oral and written warnings before being fired.
However, it’s not always the case that you’ll lose your job if you receive a written warning from your manager. It is the first formal action taken toward your dismissal and indicates that your boss is dissatisfied with your performance, conduct, or approach to work.
Amazon Write up Reasons
Being “written up” is often bad as it indicates that you are underperforming at work, which is being recorded for HR purposes. If you continue to make similar mistakes, you could soon be fired. There are many reasons for an Amazon write up.
An Amazon employee could be written up for the following reasons:
- Arriving at work hours late or skipping shifts
- Choosing to ignore the dress code (heavy makeup, wearing watches, expensive jewelry, and the likes.)
- Coming to work ill or using unauthorized sick leave
- Leaving out too soon or arriving too late
- Chewing gum while at work
- Drinking anything other than water while working (soda or alcohol)
- Having excessive workplace conversations with coworkers
- Packaging and wrapping orders inappropriately (using too much tape etc.)
- Working too slowly.
How Long Does an Amazon Write Up Last?
You are placed on probation for thirty days following your first write-up. Unless you commit the same offense and acquire a second write up during this period, your first write up will expire after 30 days.
But if you get a second write-up during the 30 days of probation, your probation period will be extended to 60 days, in which you must not commit the same offense.
If you don’t get a third write up during this period, the second will expire 60 days after being received. But if you do, you’ll get the third write up, which is ninety days long.
Unless you receive another one after the third (in which case Amazon will fire you), the third and final write up will roll off on the 90th day.
If you stay 29 days and then get your second write-up, you still have 60 days. Same as if you go 59 days and then get your final write-up, you still have 90 days.
How Many Write UPS Do You Receive Before Termination at Amazon?
A rolling three strikes and you’re out policy applies to write ups. You are dismissed if you receive four write-ups in ninety days or six write-ups in a calendar year.
You can be written up if you cannot complete your task at the expected speed, arrive late for work, or exhibit a lower level of productivity. If you receive any write up, your window for transferring to another position or department is also extended.
How Many Points Is a Write up on Amazon?
Amazon penalizes workers who break a rule or a policy by giving them points. According to Amazon’s write-up policy, employees are allowed up to six to eight points in a year before being fired.
For instance, on a six-point scale, arriving 30 minutes late results in a half-point penalty. You can earn one point for every hour late or longer or get three points if you don’t turn up.
The total number of points workers can accumulate before firing sometimes depends on the location. Generally, it ranges from 6–8 points and sometimes up to 13 points. The number of points equivalent to a write up also varies on those stations and can be equivalent to 2 points per write up.
How to Check Your Write UPS at Amazon
Most of the time, you are informed by your Area Manager (AM) if you have been written up because they might need you to sign the document. However, if you are still worried and need to know if you are written up, you can ask your AM or check on your A-Z app.
If you have an active write up, you can’t put in to change your department or position. So, one of the ways to check if you have a pending write up or not is to put in for a transfer. You have no write up if you can select different shifts or departments.
Otherwise, you will have a message telling you, “You can’t transfer because you have had an active write up in the past 30 days or more.”
However, you can check directly under your A-Z app with these steps:
- Log in to your account on the A to Z app
- Check under MyDocs.
- Any write ups you have will be listed there.
Amazon Write up Appeal Process
Some Amazon managers have been accused of unfairly writing up their employees, resulting in unjustified dismissals. In such cases, employees can follow up the write up with the following Amazon appeal process.
- Discuss the issue with your AM or OP. Since this is not a formal discussion and may not be documented. Your AM or OP will give you a verbal response.
- If the issue is not resolved, you should submit an appeal packet to HR within the first seven days of the date that the write up is given.
- If you disagree with this outcome, you can proceed to the GM/AGM or demand an appeal panel to hear the case. This could be fair enough, and the outcome may be the final decision.
Can Amazon Write UPS Be Removed?
Amazon write ups can be removed. For example, if your AM, OP, HR, or GM/AGM does not find you guilty of a write up your manager gives, they can remove it.
Also, errors may occasionally occur from HR or the systems. For example, you see accumulated points on your profile without any explanation from the AM or operation manager.
In such instances, if you are sure you haven’t violated any of the rules, you should contact your HR. HRs can help you solve the problem and remove the unfairly or mistakenly generated write-ups.
What Happens After Receiving Your First Written Warning at Amazon?
Generally, there are no severe consequences after your first write up. But you must avoid committing the same error that led to your being written up within the time frame given.
You may not be able to avoid that unless you know what led to your writing up.
The following questions may help you avoid subsequent write ups.
- Do you admit the allegation in the write up to be true or false, or is it a result of miscommunication?
- Is there anything you can do better, or do you need to retrain for your job?
- Do you need to speak to HR or AM about it?
If you can give honest answers to those questions, they may be able to guide you further on the next step after your first write up.
Do You Have to Get a Warning Before Write Up?
Your AM is not obligated to issue a verbal warning before issuing a write up. There are no established standards governing how write ups must be issued.
While an employer may give you one verbal warning before issuing a written warning, if the violation is severe enough, they may disregard the verbal warning.
How Many Final Written Warnings Can You Get at Amazon?
Final write-ups are progressive for a year, during which you must not receive another. The write-up is no longer in effect but remains on your record for a year.
You can lose your job if you receive another final write-up within a year after the last one. This means you can only get one final write up of the same violation within a year.
You won’t be fired if you receive a new type of final write-up since it won’t stack with the previous final write up of a different type of violation. This means each offense is independent of itself.
Conclusion
Amazon’s write-up policy gives employees up to six write-ups per year before being fired. Employees can file an appeal with a write-up if they are sure that they did not commit an offense. HRs can also help you resolve write ups that were unfairly or mistakenly generated.