You're Fired: Termination Interview Cheatsheet

OK, write this on a 3X5 card or print out, then take it with you to a termination interview.

1. Deliver the bad news. "The decision has been made..."
     -include any situation specific scripting
2. Deliver documents.
3. Shift the focus from the present to the future.
4. Cover next steps and end the meeting.

Note: You can make notes on this cheatsheet or the blueprint, sign and date it, and this is your documentation for the interview.

Lance

You're Fired: Termination Interview Blueprint

One primary point before looking at the three types of termination interviews.

This is a meeting in which you, as a representative of the company, are presenting bad news to an employee.

So here is a practical, effective blueprint to follow.

1. Get immediately to the bad news.
Do not greet the employee cheerily or open with congenial conversation ("How's the family?" or "How have you been?" as examples.)

I normally use this phrasing: "The decision has been made to release you from employment with the company/to terminate your employment with the company."

That is the worst part. If the employee asks who made the decision, the best reply is that this was a very serious decision and it was reviewed thoroughly by company management.

2. Next, move on to final transactions/documents:
-present the final paycheck
-present any severance pay/company liability release form
-review the unemployment insurance process

3. Move the focus to the future - AWAY from the pain and anger of the present.
Talk about reference checks and employment verifications.

Talk about the NEXT JOB. Discuss the labor market and future employment potentials.

Possibly offer resume and search assistance, depending on the circumstances.

4. Walk through the sequence of practical actions that follow:
-exiting the premises
-employee's private property collection and return
-outstanding expense reports

Employment termination is one area in which professional Human Resources support. I recommend having two members of management present, ONE BEING AN HR REPRESENTATIVE, in these meetings. One who delivers the information and one for witness purposes and, quite frankly, strength in numbers.

Lance

You're Fired: The Termination Interview

This interview is a transaction so intense, intricate and so loaded with pitfalls that it merits individual attention.

Basically, you are informing an employee that their income is stopping. There are few notifications more serious than this.

There are three categories of involuntary termination of employment:
1. Termination for cause: unacceptable behavior
2. Termination for cause: unsatisfactory work performance
3. Job elimination or reduction in workforce (RIF) - both called "lay offs"

Here are some universal rules for termination interviews:

                                                      Be Prepared
-Make an outline of subjects to be covered and even a script outline for situations with legal ramifications
-Have all related documents and final paycheck ready for delivery
-Decide if another member of Management should be present -OR- if you need professional HR support
-Plan for the employee's physical exit from the work facility and the delivery of their personal property
-Select a location that is private
-Anticipate security issues
-Write a summary of the transaction when it is completed, especially recording what was said and what documents you delivered

We'll look into these in depth but the action of PREPARATION gives you power and confidence.

Lance

You're Fired: Categories of Terminations

There are two main categories of employment terminations. Every termination falls into one of the two.

Voluntary Termination - Employee Initiated

Resignation: Employee leaves their current job for their own reason such as another job to stay at home.

Job Abandonment: Employee ceases to report to work for any reason. Usually their is no communication to the company from the employee. Most common time period allowed by the company is three consecutive scheduled work days.


Involuntary Termination - Company Initiated

Termination for Cause
  -Unsatisfactory Work Performance: Employee's work performance is below acceptable.
  -Unacceptable Behavior: Employee conducts unacceptable behavior at work. Examples
   are theft of company property, intoxication at work...the list goes on.

Reduction-in-Force [Layoff]: The size of the workforce is reduced and the employee's job is eliminated.

Site Closure: Closure of a company or major unit of a company eliminates jobs. This is a subset of a RIF but certain Federal and State laws come into effect in these cases.

There are various mandatory requirements such as final paycheck issuance and discrimination avoidance also involved with most terminations.

Professional Human Resources support is essential and well worth the cost compared to losing a lawsuit or claim.

Lance

You're Fired: A Preamble

The employment relationship is eerily similar to a romantic relationship in that neither one ends well.

In romance, one party is always hurt or both reach entropy with regard to the relationship.

In employment, either the employee is upset or the employer loses a valuable team member.

Such is life. Both are going to keep happening forever.

There are many pitfalls for employers when employment terminates. There is no area in which I recommend PROFESSIONAL HR SUPPORT more than in this one. The other employer tool is knowledge, and that is available to employers in the following posts titled "You're Fired:..."

Lance