Employee Investigation Letter Template: What To Include

Yes - if you're inviting an employee to an investigation meeting in New Zealand, your letter should clearly explain what you're investigating, what evidence you're relying on, when the meeting is, and that the employee can bring a support person.

The slightly trickier part is the wording. An employee investigation letter isn't just an admin note. It helps show you've acted fairly, kept an open mind, and given the employee a real chance to respond before any decision is made.

If you're searching for an employee investigation letter template in NZ, the key is to treat the template as a starting point, not a finished document. The right wording depends on the allegation, the evidence, the employee's role, and what your employment agreement, disciplinary process and policies say.

Do You Need To Send An Investigation Letter?

Usually, yes - if the issue could lead to disciplinary action or termination, you should put the investigation meeting invitation in writing.

New Zealand employment law expects you to act in good faith and follow a fair process. Under the Employment Relations Act 2000, you need to give the employee enough information to understand the concern and a genuine opportunity to comment before you make a decision.

A written letter helps with this because it creates a clear record of:

• what you told the employee
• when you told them
• what documents or evidence you shared
• whether they were told they could bring a support person
• what the meeting was for

This matters because if the process is challenged later, you may need to show the steps you took. A clear letter can make that much easier.

You might not need a formal investigation letter for a small, low-risk workplace issue. For example, if someone was five minutes late once and you're just having an informal chat, a written disciplinary investigation letter would usually be too heavy-handed.

But if the concern involves misconduct, repeated performance issues, bullying, harassment, dishonesty, health and safety risks, misuse of company property, or anything that could affect someone's employment, put it in writing.

What Should An Employee Investigation Letter Include?

Your letter should include the practical meeting details, the allegations, the employee's rights, the evidence, and a clear statement that no decision has been made yet.

A good workplace investigation letter usually covers:

• The purpose of the meeting: say whether it's an investigation meeting, a disciplinary meeting, or both. If you're still gathering information, call it an investigation meeting.
• The allegation or concern: explain the conduct or issue in plain language.
• The date, time and location: include whether the meeting is in person or by video call.
• Who will attend: list the manager, note-taker, HR adviser, workplace investigator, or other person who will be present.
• The right to bring a support person: this can include a trusted person, union representative, or other representative.
• The evidence provided: attach or identify relevant documents, emails, records, CCTV stills, rosters, complaints, or witness summaries.
• Possible outcomes: if disciplinary action is possible, say so without suggesting the outcome is already decided.
• What the employee should do next: ask them to confirm attendance and raise any need for more time or adjustments.

The letter should match your employment agreement and workplace policies. If your disciplinary policy says employees get a particular notice period, support person wording, or process step, follow it unless there's a strong reason not to.

Keep the tone calm and factual. You don't need dramatic language. A steady, neutral letter protects your business better than one that sounds emotional or accusatory.

How Specific Should The Allegations And Evidence Be?

You should be specific enough that the employee can properly understand and respond to the concern.

Vague wording is risky. Saying "we are investigating misconduct" doesn't tell the employee what they need to answer. A better approach is to include the who, what, when, where and why, as far as you know them.

For example, instead of writing:

We are investigating concerns about your behaviour at work.

You could write:

We are investigating an allegation that on Friday 8 March 2026, at around 3.15pm, you spoke to a customer at the front counter in a raised voice and used the words "that's not my problem" after the customer asked for a refund.

If you have evidence, give enough detail for the employee to respond. That might include:

• copies of relevant emails or messages
• timesheets or rosters
• till records or stock records
• CCTV extracts or still images, if your employee privacy notices and policies allow this
• customer complaints, with personal details removed where appropriate
• witness summaries, especially if you need to protect someone's privacy or safety

The Privacy Act 2020 also matters here. You're handling personal information, so share what is reasonably needed for a fair process, but avoid circulating unnecessary private details.

You don't have to prove the allegation in the letter. In fact, you shouldn't. The point is to explain what you're investigating and invite the employee's response before deciding what happened.

How Much Notice Should You Give Before The Meeting?

There isn't one fixed notice period under New Zealand employment law, but you should give reasonable notice in the circumstances.

For a straightforward issue, many employers give at least 24 to 48 hours' notice. For a more serious or document-heavy allegation, you may need to give longer so the employee can read the material, get a support person, and prepare a response.

What is reasonable depends on factors like:

• how serious the allegation is
• how much evidence you're providing
• whether dismissal is a possible outcome
• whether the employee needs a support person or representative
• whether the employee is on leave, unwell, or rostered off
• what your employment agreement or policies say

A Practical Example

Say Mere runs three cafes in Hamilton. She finds a $620 cash discrepancy across four shifts and the till records point to one shift supervisor's login. She doesn't know what happened yet, so she sends an investigation meeting letter on Monday at 10am for a meeting on Thursday at 2pm.

She attaches the till summary, roster extracts, and two CCTV stills showing who accessed the register. The letter says the meeting is to hear the supervisor's response, that no decision has been made, and that the supervisor can bring a support person.

That timing gives the employee about three working days to review the information and prepare. For a cash handling allegation, that's usually much safer than calling them into a meeting the same afternoon.

What Should You Avoid Saying In A Disciplinary Investigation Letter?

You should avoid wording that makes it sound like you've already decided the employee did the wrong thing.

This is where many templates cause trouble. They use strong language that feels efficient, but it can undermine the fairness of the process. Your letter should show that you're investigating an allegation, not announcing a conclusion.

Avoid phrases like:

• you committed serious misconduct
• your actions were dishonest
• we have decided to discipline you
• you'll be dismissed if you can't explain this
• the complaint against you has been proven

Use neutral wording instead:

• we are investigating an allegation that...
• we would like to hear your response before any decision is made
• no outcome has been decided
• depending on the findings, disciplinary action may be considered

Also be careful about labelling something "serious misconduct" too early. You can say the allegation, if substantiated, may amount to serious misconduct. That keeps the door open while still being honest about the potential seriousness.

If dismissal is genuinely a possible outcome, say so clearly. It's unfair to hide that risk from the employee. But don't say dismissal is inevitable or likely before you've heard their response.

Employee Investigation Letter Template Outline

A template can be useful, but it should be tailored before you use it. Employment investigations turn on the details, and a one-size document can easily miss the wording that protects your business.

Use this outline as a drafting checklist, not as a finished legal document:

1. Heading: write "Invitation To Investigation Meeting" or another clear, neutral heading.
2. Opening: state that you're inviting the employee to attend an investigation meeting about a workplace concern.
3. Allegations: describe each allegation separately, with dates, times, locations and people involved where known.
4. Evidence: list the documents or materials you're providing with the letter, and explain if any information has been summarised for privacy or safety reasons.
5. Meeting Details: include the date, time, location or video link, expected length, and who will attend for the business.
6. Support Person: tell the employee they may bring a support person, representative, or union representative if they wish.
7. Purpose Of The Meeting: explain that the meeting is to hear their response and gather information before any decision is made.
8. Possible Outcomes: state that disciplinary action may be considered if the allegations are substantiated, and mention dismissal only if it's genuinely possible.
9. Preparation: invite the employee to provide documents, names of witnesses, or any other information they want you to consider.
10. Confirmation: ask them to confirm attendance and tell you as soon as possible if they need more time or any adjustments.
11. Closing: confirm that no decision has been made and that the business will consider their response before deciding next steps.

Before sending the letter, check it against your employment agreement, code of conduct, disciplinary policy, privacy policy, and any relevant health and safety procedures.

If the worker may be a contractor rather than an employee, pause before using an employee investigation letter. The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 introduced a contractor gateway test that can affect how working relationships are assessed. The right process and wording may be different, so it's worth getting tailored help before you act.

Key Takeaways

• An investigation letter should tell the employee exactly what is being investigated and give them a fair chance to respond.
• Use neutral wording. Don't suggest the allegation has been proven or that the outcome is already decided.
• Give reasonable notice of the meeting, especially where the issue is serious or the evidence is detailed.
• Tell the employee they can bring a support person, representative, or union representative.
• Share enough evidence for a fair response, while still managing privacy obligations under the Privacy Act 2020.
• Treat templates as a starting point. The safest letter is tailored to your workplace, policies, and the specific allegation.

If you'd like help with tailoring an investigation letter, reviewing your disciplinary process, or updating your employment agreements and workplace policies, you can reach us at 0800 002 184 or team@sprintlaw.co.nz for a free, no-obligations chat.