Discipline & Termination

Keep it Legal: 5 tips for firing employees the right way

January 27, 2023
Firing employees is one of the most challenging parts of being a manager, but it is also often unavoidable. If you need some help building up this essential skill, don’t worry. BambooHR published a recent blog offering five helpful tips on how to fire an employee the right way.

Keep it Legal: The case for detailed disciplinary notes

January 6, 2023
Do you keep detailed disciplinary notes and pass them on to HR? Here’s why, as a manager, you should. If you have to fire a worker and he sues, alleging discrimination because another worker broke the same rule and wasn’t fired, those notes will come in handy. Detailed narratives let you explain why you allowed one worker to get away with a warning or short suspension while you fired another worker who broke the same rule.

Does layoff etiquette exist?

December 15, 2022
There isn’t any polite way to let employees know you’re getting rid of them. Your approach should consider that, as much as this is a business issue, you’re dealing with people and their livelihoods.

Of balls and strikes, discrimination and documentation

September 22, 2022
Major League Baseball has an umpire problem this season. However, one umpire has drawn the ire of players and fans for decades—and he has been embroiled in a discrimination lawsuit against Major League Baseball since 2017.

Should you use written termination letters?

June 24, 2022
While no federal law requires it, a few states do require employees to provide some notice of separation. But silence is not golden in terminations—it will only breed suspicion that the firing was unfair and possibly illegal. Even if it’s not required, termination letters can help prevent liability and create a clear paper trail in case you’re sued.

OK to penalize fighting, even if provoked

March 31, 2022
Will Smith’s Oscar night slap upside Chris Rock’s head may have only bruised celebrity egos, but it shined a spotlight on the importance of preventing physical conflict in professional settings. For employers, that usually means enforcing a strict policy that prohibits all physical violence.

5 questions to ask yourself just seconds before you fire someone … and 5 to ask yourself just seconds before you hire someone

March 24, 2022
Are you really sure you want to press that button just yet? Run a few things through your mind before picking up the phone … or making the long hard walk down the hallway.

What to put into a termination letter

March 11, 2022
Use these samples to stay respectful and legal.

What exactly is insubordination?

March 9, 2022
When people hear the term “insubordination,” they often envision someone in the military refusing to carry out the orders of a commanding officer. The concept is similar when applied to a work environment

How to take the sting—and legal risk—out of terminations

October 21, 2021
Is there a “best” way to fire an employee? There is no conversation more traumatic for both the employer delivering the message and the employee receiving it. That said, there are some best practices that can help for all involved.