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Did you know that the way you handle anemployee’s termination is often the deciding
factor in that person’s decision to sue you or not?
How To Fire An Employee
How To Fire An Employee
We broke down the firing process intothree phases:
Then we provide you with tips, warningsand a handy dandy checklist to ensure
you do this right.
1. Before2. During3. After
How To Fire An Employee
Before
Before: Make A Plan
Before you ever hire someone, you should have aplan in place to fire them. This sounds horrible, but
it’s the best thing to do for everyone.
Before: Make A Plan
Action item:
Write a list of reasons why an employee would everbe fired. Share it with new hires so they know whatyou expect at the very minimum from everyone on
your team.
Before: Define The Role
Have a defined list of employees’ responsibilities andkey performance indicators (KPIs), i.e. the items or
metrics you’re judging them on.
Before: Define The Role
Action item:
Sit down with current and new employees, and goover these expectations of positions’ documents witheach person individually. Give them monthly goals to
hit and monthly performance reviews.
Before: Document Religiously
The very first time and each time after that, issueswith employees should be documented and dated.
Before: Document Religiously
When a problem is noticed, first email your employee andthen set up an inperson meeting to discuss it.
Focus on the facts, adding zero comments or opinions.
Outline specific improvements that must occur by a certain
date. Possibly create a project plan to help get them back ontrack.
Ask what you can do to help them improve their performance
Action item:
How To Fire An Employee
During
During: The Firing
It can be absolutely painful anddefinitely emotional. Lay the blow withinthe first 30 seconds of being in the room.
During: The Firing
State your case and the reason for it.
Do not drag things out. All of the detailsshould have been previously discussed inprior meetings, which led up to this.
Spit it out. Don’t torture them.
Be prepared for emotions.
Action items:
How To Fire An Employee
After
After: Tell Your Employees & Monitor
Give few details as to why, and let themreach their own conclusions.
It’s important to set up tools to monitorwhat a potentially disgruntled
exemployee might be saying about you.
After: Tell Your Employees & Monitor
Action item:
Set up Google Alerts to get notifiedimmediately when something pops up
for your company’s name.
After: Tell Your Employees & Monitor
How To Fire An Employee
5 Answers To The MostFrequently Asked Firing Questions
After: Legalities
1. What is the Employment at WillPolicy?
After: Legalities
According to the Small Business Administration,every state except Montana allows employers theoption to create an “atwill” employment policy. This means you can let someone go at any time
during employment, without explanation, at anytime.
After: Legalities
2. When is it illegal to fire an employee?
After: Legalities
Discrimination, i.e. firing based on race, gender,religion or disability
Whistleblowing, i.e. firing for speaking up about thecompany’s illegal activities
Legal requirements, i.e. firing for taking medical,military or family leave or taking time off for juryduty or to vote
You cannot fire someone for thefollowing reasons:
After: Legalities
3. What benefits are your employees legallyentitled to if they are fired or terminated?
After: Legalities
Employees may be entitled to the followingbenefits upon termination:
Health insurance coverage continuation
Unemployment insurance
Vested retirement plans
After: Legalities
4. Am I required to immediately give theemployee their final paycheck?
After: Legalities
No, you are not required by federal law to immediatelycompensate your former employee, but some states dorequire so check with a lawyer to be certain. The statewill be specific about what should be included in that
final paycheck. You can contact your State Labor Office.
After: Legalities
5. Am I required to offer severance?
After: Legalities
The Fair Labor Standards Act does notrequire you to provide severance pay.
How To Fire An Employee
Learn more small business best practices at:
wheniwork.com/Blog
