Updated:
How to fire
someone. Step-by-step.
Firing someone is one of the trickiest jobs you will do as a small
business owner or a Human Resources Manager. Even if you know the
firing is necessary, it is difficult to look someone in the eyes
and tell him or her that their services are no longer needed. It
is a stressful situation for both the employer and the employee.
And knowing how to fire someone properly is important to the future
success of your business. If you fail to do it right, you might find
yourself in a lawsuit.
Step 1 In How To Fire Someone: Document Everything
The first step in firing someone is gathering evidence. Unless his
or her misconduct is severe, it will take more than one incident
to build a case against an employee. Therefore, you must document
every problem that you have with the employee. You also must document
all the corrective actions you took to help him or her improve job
performance. This paperwork should show what the employee did, when
the employee did it, and what you did to help them resolve the situation.
Step 2 In How to Fire Someone: Keep The Employee Informed
The next step in the firing process is to make sure the employee
knows what they have done wrong. Every time the employee does something
that warrants disciplinary action, you not only explain the problem
but also what the consequences are for not correcting the behavior.
Document this and have the employee sign the document. If the employee
refuses to sign the paperwork, have another person sign as a witness.
This way you can still prove that you discussed the problem with
the employee and he or she is aware of the results.
Step 3 In How to Fire Someone: Conduct A Termination Meeting
Once you document the problems with the employee, you can fire him
or her if the problems continue. At this point, you need to draft
an employee termination letter that explains the reason for the dismissal
and the rights and responsibilities of the employee and of your business.
During the termination meeting, you will discuss the contents of
the employee termination letter.
Step 4 In How To Fire Someone: Hold An Exit Interview
As a final step, you need to conduct an exit interview with the
employee. This meeting has two purposes. First, you allow the employee
to vent his or her frustrations. Second, you collect any feedback
the employee may have regarding the company. With nothing to lose,
this individual might have some information that helps you improve
your work environment for the remaining employees. Because the former
worker will not feel comfortable dealing with the firing manager,
it is best to have a third party conduct the exit interview.
You
don't need an air tight case to fire someone ... but you need
to know these factors.
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