PIP Response Letter Template (Performance Improvement Plan reply)

Before you write back — a few things worth knowing

• A PIP is not, by itself, a dismissal. But it often becomes one. Your response sets the record from the start.
• Acknowledge — don't agree. Confirming you received the PIP is not the same as accepting that the performance concerns are correct.
• Ask for specifics in writing. Vague concerns (“attitude”, “communication”) are hard to fix. Specific, measurable targets are.
• Bring a support person to PIP meetings. They're not your advocate, but they can take notes and witness what was said.
• If the PIP came soon after you raised a workplace right (a complaint, a leave request, a pay query), the timing matters under general protections (Part 3-1 Fair Work Act 2009).
• This template is hedged and constructive on purpose. It's not a warning shot — it's a record.