Written counseling is important.  I have advised and represented small business owners.  The best protection from a false claim is written counseling made at the time of the alleged infraction.  Even the most basic workplace will have scratch paper somewhere.  You as a manager need to include the basics:  what the employee did wrong, when s/he did it, and what you as the manager expect in the future.  This written documentation will help tremendously when/if the employee later seeks unemployment benefits or files suit for alleged discrimination.