Can an employee refuse to sign?

An employee may decline to sign; document the manager’s offer and the employee’s written comments or refusal. Signature typically acknowledges receipt, not agreement with content.

Is an eSignature legally valid?

Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met.

When should HR correct an evaluation?

Correct factual errors (dates, names, metrics) promptly with an addendum or corrected form; retain both original and corrected records with explanation.

Do reviews need notarization?

No. Employee reviews generally do not require notarization or witnesses; notarization is uncommon for routine HR evaluations.

How to handle disputed ratings?

Follow the company dispute process: document the employee’s rebuttal on the form, schedule follow-up discussion, and preserve all related correspondence.

Where and how long to store records?

Store in the HRIS or secure document repository with access controls. Retain per policy—commonly at least 3 years after the review date, longer for higher‑risk roles.

Electronic Signature
Templates
HR
Employee Review and Evaluation

Employee Review and Evaluation

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

EMPLOYEE REVIEW AND EVALUATION

Employee Information

Full Legal Name Employee ID Address

Phone:

Email:

Hire Date:

Position Information

Job Title Department / Business Unit

Reporting Manager:

Review Date:

Review Period: From To

Current Salary / Compensation Employment Status

Full-time Part-time Exempt Non-exempt

Performance Factors and Ratings

Rating scale: 1 = Unsatisfactory; 2 = Needs Improvement; 3 = Meets Expectations; 4 = Exceeds Expectations; 5 = Outstanding.

Job Knowledge / Technical Skills:

Quality of Work / Accuracy:

Productivity / Time Management:

Communication (Written & Verbal):

Teamwork / Collaboration:

Initiative / Problem Solving:

Dependability / Attendance:

Comments on Performance Factors

Objectives and Goal Review

Objective 1:

Status: Completed Partial Not Completed

Objective 2:

Status: Completed Partial Not Completed

Additional Objectives / New Goals

Development Plan and Training

Recommended Training / Development Actions Target Completion Timeline

Employee Statement

Employee may provide comments regarding this evaluation. Comments will be retained as part of the employee record.

Employee Comments

Reviewer Assessment

Reviewer Comments / Summary of Performance

Overall Rating: Unsatisfactory Needs Improvement Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations Outstanding

Recommended Action / Comments on Compensation and Promotion:

Recommended Salary Adjustment (if any):

Employment History (Most Recent)

Employer 1 - Company Name

Title:

Dates Employed: From To

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving Employer 2 - Company Name

Title:

Dates Employed: From To

Primary Responsibilities Reason for Leaving

Education

Highest Degree Institution Graduation Date

Professional References

Reference 1

Phone:

Email:

Reference 2

Phone:

Email:

Reference 3

Phone:

Email:

Legal and Administrative Notices

At-Will Employment: Nothing in this evaluation alters the at-will employment relationship. Either the employee or the employer may terminate employment at any time, with or without cause or notice, unless a separate written agreement states otherwise and is signed by authorized company representatives.

Equal Opportunity: The employer is committed to equal employment opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of protected characteristics. Performance decisions documented here will be applied in a nondiscriminatory manner consistent with applicable law.

Authorization to Contact and Background Check

By signing below the employee authorizes the employer to contact prior employers and references and to conduct background checks as permitted by law. The employee acknowledges that information obtained may be used in personnel decisions.

I authorize contact of prior employers and references

Employee Certification

I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the information provided in this evaluation and in associated personnel records is accurate and complete. I understand that my signature indicates only that I have read and discussed this evaluation with my reviewer and does not necessarily indicate agreement with its content.

I certify the above statement

Employee:

By:

Date:

Reviewer:

By:

Date:

What the Employee Review and Evaluation Is and when it’s used

The Employee Review and Evaluation is a structured HR document used to record periodic assessments of an employee’s performance, goals, competencies, and development needs. It typically captures job duties, measurable objectives, a rating or narrative assessment, feedback from the manager and employee, and any agreed action plans or follow-up dates. Organizations use it for annual reviews, probationary assessments, performance improvement plans, promotions, and compensation decisions. Proper completion creates a defensible record of performance discussions and supports consistent treatment across employees.

Why a formal Employee Review matters for employers and staff

A clear, consistent evaluation process documents expectations, provides evidence of decisions about pay or discipline, and supports employee development. It reduces ambiguity about performance standards and helps managers measure progress against goals.

Who completes and who receives the Employee Review

Larger organizations may add peers, skip-level reviewers, or compensation analysts depending on policy, role, or union rules.

Managers and supervisors responsible for assessing performance, setting goals, and documenting ratings for personnel actions.
Employees who complete self-assessments, acknowledge ratings, and record career development preferences or rebuttals.
HR practitioners who verify completion, ensure policy alignment, and store the final record in the personnel file.

Essential sections every professional review should include

A complete evaluation balances objective data, manager commentary, and documented next steps so it can support development and personnel decisions.

Employee Details

Name, job title, department, employee ID, manager name, and employment start date to uniquely identify the record and link to HR systems.

Performance Criteria

Clear, role-specific metrics or competencies with space for rating and examples of work to support the assigned score or narrative.

Manager Feedback

Concise observations on strengths and gaps, with examples and context that justify ratings and inform development plans.

Employee Input

Self-assessment and comments allowing the employee to record accomplishments, constraints, and perspectives on goals and support needed.

Action Plan

Specific next steps, measurable objectives, training needs, target dates, and owner for each item to track improvement or career growth.

Signatures and Dates

Signed acknowledgment fields for manager and employee plus the effective date to record receipt and acceptance of the evaluation.

Required fields to make the evaluation legally useful

Employee Name: Full legal name

Employee ID: Company identifier

Job Title: Official position name

Review Period: Start and end dates

Rating or Score: Numeric or descriptive

Signatures: Manager and employee date

Step‑by‑step: completing the Employee Review and Evaluation

Follow a consistent sequence to ensure accuracy, defensibility, and timely filing in the personnel record.

01

Gather records: Collect goals, attendance, metrics, and prior reviews before drafting the evaluation.
02

Draft manager comments: Write factual examples tied to job expectations and avoid vague characterizations.
03

Review with employee: Discuss ratings and action plans in a meeting; document the conversation outcomes.
04

Finalize and store: Obtain signatures, date the form, and upload to the HR record system.

Configuring an online review workflow

Key settings determine routing, authentication, and record retention when you move the review online.

Template	Create a reusable form with locked fields for identifiers.
Field Validations	Require dates, restrict rating values, and enforce text minimums.
Signer Order	Set manager first, employee second, HR optional final signer.
Notifications	Enable reminders at 7 and 2 days before due date.
Integrations	Connect to HRIS or document storage for auto-archive.

Where to send the completed evaluation and how it moves through HR

Understanding routing reduces processing delays and ensures the evaluation appears in the right personnel file.

Manager signs: Manager completes and signs the evaluation first.
Employee acknowledges: Employee reviews, signs, and may add comments.
HR review: HR verifies completeness and policy compliance.
Archive: Final document stored in personnel records and backed up.

Technical and security considerations for eSubmission

Ensure the chosen platform complies with applicable standards (ESIGN, UETA) and supports retention and export requirements for audits and legal reviews.

Authentication options: Email, SMS code, or SSO
Supported formats: PDF, DOCX
Integrations: HRIS and cloud storage

Common timelines and scheduling expectations

Timelines vary by company policy; set clear due dates to keep reviews consistent and timely.

Regular review cycle:

Annual or semiannual schedule set by company policy.

Probationary review:

Typically at 30, 60, or 90 days after hire.

Improvement plan duration:

Often 30–90 days with documented checkpoints.

Appeal or rebuttal window:

Allow employees 7–14 days to submit comments.

Record retention start:

Retention period begins on the evaluation date.

Common mistakes to avoid when preparing evaluations

Using vague language like 'needs improvement' without specific examples makes ratings hard to defend in disputes or disciplinary appeals.
Failing to align ratings with objective evidence such as metrics, documented incidents, or deliverable outcomes creates inconsistency across employees.
Skipping the employee discussion or failing to obtain acknowledgment leads to confusion about expectations and weakens the record of communication.
Inconsistent retention or storage—keeping paper copies only or saving files in personal folders—risks loss and audit problems.

Risks and potential consequences of incomplete or inaccurate reviews

Discrimination claims: Increased litigation risk

Wrongful termination: Insufficient documentation

Union grievances: Contract violations risk

Regulatory exposure: Industry-specific scrutiny

Payroll disputes: Compensation errors result

Data breaches: Unauthorized access consequences

Real-world examples of evaluation workflows and outcomes

Examples illustrate common templates and how reviews feed development or personnel actions.

Mid‑Size Services Firm

A firm standardized a quarterly scorecard for client‑facing staff to align metrics across teams

Managers completed one-page evaluations tied to billable targets
The single-page format improved review completion and clarified promotion criteria across 120 employees.

Healthcare Clinic

A clinic introduced competency checklists for clinical roles to document licensing and training

Supervisors attached training records when noting skill gaps
Linking actions to training reduced repeated deficiencies and supported credential audits.

eSignature vendor comparison for employee reviews (feature snapshot)

Compare common plan features and starting prices to align procurement choices with volume, compliance, and integration needs.

	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	Yes, 7-day trial	No	No	Yes, limited	Yes, limited
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

Practical tips for accurate and efficient completion

Adopt consistent templates and automation to reduce subjective variations and administrative overhead.

Standardize rating scales

Use the same numeric or descriptive scale across roles and provide scoring rubrics to ensure managers apply criteria consistently and defensibly.

Require evidence

Ask managers to cite concrete examples or metrics supporting each rating to minimize ambiguity and make reviews reproducible in audits.

Automate reminders

Enable scheduled email or in‑app reminders for pending reviews and set escalation paths to avoid late completions.

Centralize storage

Archive signed evaluations in the HR system with access controls and retention policies to meet legal and audit requirements.

Frequently asked questions about completing and storing evaluations

Answers to common questions on signing, storing, and correcting Employee Review and Evaluation records.

Need help? Contact support

Can an employee refuse to sign?
An employee may decline to sign; document the manager’s offer and the employee’s written comments or refusal. Signature typically acknowledges receipt, not agreement with content.
Is an eSignature legally valid?
Yes. Electronic signatures are valid under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. ch. 96) and UETA in most states when intent, consent, attribution, and retention are met.
When should HR correct an evaluation?
Correct factual errors (dates, names, metrics) promptly with an addendum or corrected form; retain both original and corrected records with explanation.
Do reviews need notarization?
No. Employee reviews generally do not require notarization or witnesses; notarization is uncommon for routine HR evaluations.
How to handle disputed ratings?
Follow the company dispute process: document the employee’s rebuttal on the form, schedule follow-up discussion, and preserve all related correspondence.
Where and how long to store records?
Store in the HRIS or secure document repository with access controls. Retain per policy—commonly at least 3 years after the review date, longer for higher‑risk roles.

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