Can an evaluation be e-signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act and UETA when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met; consumer-facing disclosures may also be required.

Is notarization required?

Generally no for routine evaluations. Notarization is rarely necessary unless specific state or agency rules demand it or the record is used in a statutory proceeding.

What if the employee refuses to sign?

Document the refusal in the record, have a witness attest if available, and retain the unsigned file with manager comments to preserve auditability.

How long must HR keep the record?

Retain per company policy and applicable law; common minimums include three years for tax-related matters and six years for HIPAA-covered items.

Can ratings be changed later?

Amendments should be documented with dated entries and signatures from the manager and HR to maintain an auditable chain of changes.

Are employee responses part of the record?

Yes. Employee written responses or rebuttals should be attached to the evaluation and retained alongside the original document.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Evaluation Record

Employee Evaluation Record

This template is fully customizable. Edit the text, fill out the fields, and send it for signature. Give it a try!

EMPLOYEE EVALUATION RECORD

Personal Information

Full Name Employee ID Address

Phone:

Email:

Position Information

Job Title Department Reporting Manager

Review Period From:

To:

Base Salary:

Performance Factors and Ratings

Use a 1-5 scale where 1 = Unsatisfactory, 3 = Meets Expectations, 5 = Exceptional. Provide comments to support each rating.

Quality of Work — Rating Productivity & Efficiency — Rating Attendance & Punctuality — Rating Communication & Teamwork — Rating Initiative & Problem Solving — Rating

Summary, Goals and Development

Summary of Performance Goals for Next Review Period Recommended Development/Training

Overall Rating:

Employment History (Most Recent)

Employer 1 - Company Name

Title:

Dates Employed:

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Employer 2 - Company Name

Title:

Dates Employed:

Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree Institution

Graduation Date:

References (Professional)

Reference 1

Phone: Email:

Relationship:

Reference 2

Phone: Email:

Relationship:

Reference 3

Phone: Email:

Relationship:

Legal Disclosures & Acknowledgments

At-Will Employment: Employee acknowledges that employment remains at-will, which means either the employee or the employer may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or prior notice, unless otherwise provided in a written agreement signed by an authorized representative of the company.

Equal Employment Opportunity: The employer administers employment practices without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other status protected by applicable law. Performance evaluations are based on job-related criteria and documented performance.

Confidentiality of Evaluation: The contents of this evaluation are confidential personnel information. Access to this record is limited to HR and those with a legitimate business need. Unauthorized disclosure is prohibited and may result in disciplinary action.

Authorization to Contact and Background Checks

By checking this box, the employee authorizes the employer to verify information contained herein and to conduct employment-related background checks and reference verifications consistent with company policy and applicable law.

Employee Certification

I certify that the information provided in this evaluation is accurate to the best of my knowledge. I understand that I have the opportunity to discuss the contents of this evaluation with my manager and that my signature acknowledges receipt and review of the evaluation, not necessarily agreement with its contents. I further acknowledge that the employer may place this record in my personnel file.

Employee Printed Name:

By:

Date:

Evaluator Printed Name:

By:

Date:

What an Employee Evaluation Record Is

An Employee Evaluation Record documents an employee's job performance, objectives, competencies, and formal feedback over a specified review period. Employers use it to record ratings, examples of performance, training needs, and agreed development activities. The record typically includes employee and manager details, review dates, performance criteria, numeric or scale ratings, narrative comments, and a signature block for acknowledgement. When completed consistently, it supports personnel decisions such as promotions, corrective action, compensation adjustments, and compliance with recordkeeping policies while creating an auditable personnel history.

Why a Formal Record Matters for HR and Compliance

A documented Employee Evaluation Record creates consistent performance evidence, reduces subjective decision-making, and supports HR actions. It also establishes an auditable file useful in disputes, workforce planning, and regulatory reviews where employment decisions must be justified under federal or state law (for example ESIGN/UETA for electronic records).

Who Prepares and Reviews These Records

Typical preparers include direct managers, HR representatives, and occasionally third-party HR consultants entrusted with objective review tasks.

Direct Managers — Prepare the assessment, cite observable examples, and propose development actions; they initiate signature and acknowledgement steps.
Human Resources — Review for policy consistency, retain the record, and support appeals or disputes with documented rationale.
Employees — Review the record, provide written responses where permitted, and acknowledge receipt or disagreement as part of the process.

Clear role delineation reduces errors and ensures that the Employee Evaluation Record can be relied on for personnel decisions and future audits.

Step-by-Step: Completing an Employee Evaluation Record

Use this sequential checklist to prepare, complete, sign, and store the evaluation.

01

Gather Records: Collect goals, attendance, and documented performance examples.
02

Assess Against Criteria: Rate each competency and add objective evidence.
03

Draft Development Items: Define actions, owners, and target completion dates.
04

Sign and Archive: Obtain signatures and file in the employee record.

Core Sections Every Professional Record Should Include

A complete Employee Evaluation Record combines identifying data, a clear timeframe, objective performance metrics, narrative feedback, a development plan, and signatures to create a legally useful HR document.

Employee Details

Full name, position, department, employee ID, and manager name to ensure accurate personnel linking and retrieval in HR systems.

Review Period

Start and end dates plus the review date; clarity about the review window determines which incidents and metrics apply.

Performance Criteria

Defined competencies or goals used for evaluation. Each criterion should include measurement methods and expected standards.

Ratings & Comments

Numeric or qualitative ratings paired with concrete examples that justify each score to reduce subjectivity.

Development Plan

Action items, training, and timelines assigned to the employee and manager with measurable success indicators.

Acknowledgement

Manager and employee signatures, dates, and an optional employee response section to document receipt or disagreement.

Security and Compliance Controls to Protect Records

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3; AES-256 at rest

Audit Trail: Timestamp and IP logging

Access Controls: Role-based permissions

HIPAA Support: BAA available if needed

ESIGN/UETA: Legal e-sign frameworks

Data Residency: Configurable retention options

Risks and Potential Consequences of Poor Records

Discrimination Claims: Undocumented actions increase liability

I-9 Violations: Civil fines and penalties

HIPAA Exposure: Fines if PHI mishandled

Defamation Risk: Inaccurate comments can cause claims

Lost Evidence: Missing signatures weaken defenses

Retention Noncompliance: Regulatory fines or sanctions

Common Preparation Mistakes to Avoid

Using vague language for performance examples that cannot be verified during disputes or appeals.
Applying inconsistent rating scales across teams or periods, which undermines comparability and fairness.
Failing to link ratings to documented evidence such as goals, emails, or work products.
Not obtaining employee acknowledgement or failing to provide an opportunity for employee response.

How Electronic Completion and eSubmission Works

Digital completion follows a standard workflow from preparation to signature and archival with audit data captured automatically.

Prepare: Upload form and place fields.
Add Signers: Assign signers and routing order.
Authenticate: Use email, SMS, or stronger methods.
Complete: Signers review, sign, and receive copies.

Typical Digital Workflow Settings for the Record

Set these workflow options when configuring an online evaluation process in an eSignature platform.

Field	Configuration
Signer Order	Manager first \| HR second
Authentication	Email link \| SMS code optional
Notifications	Reminders at 3 and 7 days
Archive Location	HR folder in secure storage

Technical Requirements and Integrations for eSubmission

Choose a platform that supports secure formats, common integrations, and appropriate signer authentication for personnel records.

Supported Formats: PDF, DOCX, HTML, Excel
Integrations: Salesforce, NetSuite, Google Workspace
Authentication: Email, SMS, SSO options

Typical Timing and Review Deadlines

Common schedule items for Employee Evaluation Records help enforce consistency and ensure timely follow-up.

Annual Review:

Complete within 30 days of anniversary date

Probation Checkpoints:

30, 60, and 90-day reviews for new hires

Improvement Plan Timeline:

90-day action plan with milestones

Appeal Period:

Employee may submit response within 14 days

Signature Deadline:

Manager signs within 7 business days

eSignature Pricing Comparison Relevant to Employee Evaluation Records

Comparing common vendor plans helps estimate subscription and per-signature costs for routine HR workflows; signNow is listed first for clarity.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Trial available	Trial available	Trial available	Trial available
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies by plan	Varies by plan	Varies by plan

Frequently Asked Questions About Employee Evaluation Records

Answers to common questions about completing, signing, and retaining Employee Evaluation Records.

Need help? Contact support

Can an evaluation be e-signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures are enforceable under the ESIGN Act and UETA when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met; consumer-facing disclosures may also be required.
Is notarization required?
Generally no for routine evaluations. Notarization is rarely necessary unless specific state or agency rules demand it or the record is used in a statutory proceeding.
What if the employee refuses to sign?
Document the refusal in the record, have a witness attest if available, and retain the unsigned file with manager comments to preserve auditability.
How long must HR keep the record?
Retain per company policy and applicable law; common minimums include three years for tax-related matters and six years for HIPAA-covered items.
Can ratings be changed later?
Amendments should be documented with dated entries and signatures from the manager and HR to maintain an auditable chain of changes.
Are employee responses part of the record?
Yes. Employee written responses or rebuttals should be attached to the evaluation and retained alongside the original document.

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