
Table of Contents
- How does firing an employee affect my workplace?
- What is just cause for firing an employee?
- How can I avoid a wrongful dismissal case?
- What should I do before dismissing an employee?
- How should I meet with an employee being terminated?
- How do I fire an employee over the phone?
- What should I do after firing an employee?
How does firing an employee affect my workplace?
What is just cause for firing an employee?
- race or color
- religion
- national origin or ancestry
- physical disability
- mental disability or medical condition
- marital status
- gender or sexual orientation
- age
- pregnancy and childbirth
How can I avoid a wrongful dismissal case?
What should I do before dismissing an employee?
How should I meet with an employee being terminated?
- The employee is definitely being fired—the decision has already been made. You can show respect and empathy during the meeting, but don’t use soft language that leads the employee to believe they can alter the outcome of the meeting.
- The employee’s performance/behavior does not meet the company’s standards. It is not necessary to go into greater detail, especially if you have issued one or more warnings to the employee. The less details given, the less ammunition there is for the employee to use to argue point-by-point why they should not be dismissed.
- You believe the employee will find a new job that is a better fit for them. This is an optimistic statement of support that can help the employee to accept the situation more gracefully.
Pro Tip: Have some drinking water and facial tissues in the office or meeting room. Stress causes dry mouth, making it difficult to speak. And, while there aren’t always tears in a dismissal meeting, it’s better to have tissues and not need them, than to need them and not have any available.
How do I fire an employee over the phone?
What should I do after firing an employee?
- Inform them that the employee has worked their last day for the company. This lets your staff know that the person is not returning.
- Tell your staff if someone will be taking over the departing employee’s job duties on a temporary or permanent basis. This information can help to reassure your staff that business operations will proceed as usual.
- Let your staff know if the open position will be advertised, and if internal and/or external candidates will be considered. This gives your staff a chance to consider the opportunity created by the situation, instead of dwelling on the negatives.