Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Template
A PIP that sets measurable goals, a defined period, real support, and scheduled check-ins — the cleanest evidence that an employee knew the standard and had a chance to meet it.
PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PLAN
Employee: [Name] Position: [Title]
Manager: [Name] PIP period: [start date] – [end date] ([30/60/90] days)
1. Performance gaps. [Each gap as a dated, specific statement: "Q2 close was completed 9 business days late (June 12 vs. June 1 deadline)" / "4 of 12 client deliverables in May required rework after client escalation". Cite the standard each gap violates.]
2. Expectations for this period. [Numbered, measurable goals with deadlines: "1. Complete monthly close within 3 business days of month-end for each month of the PIP. 2. Deliverable rework rate below 10%, measured at each check-in."]
3. Support provided. [What the company commits to: weekly 30-minute reviews with (manager); access to (training/tool); reassignment of (conflicting duty) during the period.]
4. Check-ins. Progress will be reviewed on [dates — at minimum the midpoint and the final day]. Written notes from each check-in become part of this plan.
5. Outcomes. Meeting the expectations above concludes the plan successfully. Failure to meet them, or a significant new performance issue during the period, may result in further action up to and including termination. This plan does not alter the at-will nature of employment [where applicable].
Employee acknowledgment: I have received and reviewed this plan and understand the expectations. My signature does not necessarily indicate agreement.
Employee signature: ______________ Date: ______
Manager signature: ______________ Date: ______
How to use this PIP
Only issue a PIP you would be satisfied to see succeed. A PIP designed to fail — impossible targets, no support, check-ins that never happen — reads exactly that way in discovery, and turns your best evidence into the plaintiff's. Set goals a competent employee could actually meet, provide the support you wrote down, and hold every scheduled check-in with written notes.
Measurable means a number and a date. "Improve communication" is not a goal; "respond to client emails within one business day, measured weekly" is. Each expectation should be verifiable by someone outside the relationship.
The PIP is evidence the employee knew the standard — the second pillar of documentation in the termination guide. If the plan fails and termination follows, the file now shows the standard, the chance to meet it, the support given, and the measured result.
Common mistakes
Sources
Educational template, not legal advice. Have counsel review before use, especially for employees age 40+ or in states with specific notice requirements.