Disciplinary action

[Wineonafridaynight]

In a bit of a daze about this and want to try to be vague but getting facts across.

After a very good annual review approximately 7 weeks ago, I get called into an office by a manager and told I'm being given a written warning due to two particular issues which have occurred with two clients. I don't dispute that these issues have occurred - I would say that I have tried to tackle these issues, raised them with people more senior than myself who work with these clients to try and obtain help but have been ignored.

I have been told that I will be set a list of things to achieve within a set period at another meeting which is too happen shortly. The two issues which have occurred are performance related rather than particularly big errors carried out by myself. As mentioned I do feel that I have tried to keep people informed of what has been happening as these issues have arisen.

I was not told that I was being investigated prior to being told I was being given a written warning. What is the best way forwards here?

I hope this makes sense. I have tried to be honest enough for advice to be given without outing myself.

Do you have a paper trail with regard to the asking for help and so on? I am wondering whether some manager is actually trying to cover their own back now?
How big a company are you in? Can you speak to someone in HR about this today? Or your line manager?

I'm pretty sure the correct process hasn't been followed here. Were you given notice that this was a disciplinary meeting and asked if you wanted representation. If not then it hasn't been. Do you have a union you can talk to?

Not all warnings have to follow a full disciplinary process - a low level verbal/informal written warning doesn't necessarily need to.

Have you registered your concerns about the warning?

In terms of performance, the next meeting sounds like the big one. Have you been offered the opportnity to bring a colleague? Is there any other information you need to participate in the process? How do the areas they are now raising fit with your annual review (i.e. does it totally contradict the review, or is it that you were given a generally good review and these areas have been pulled up now)?