Discipline & Termination

Q. An employee comes to work wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap. She works out of public view so I can’t use the reason that she might be alienating customers. Can I ban it anyway? – Ren, New York

Many legal claims are born solely out of employees’ anger, not a solid legal case. One wrong move, especially during the firing process, can leave employees feeling hurt or humiliated—and running for the courthouse. Here are five common blunders to avoid when terminating an employee.

There’s no shortage of negative employee behaviors that can have an ill effect on the entire workplace. The problem is when the behavior is not so bad where discipline or termination is in order, but managers must do something.

If you’ve been lucky enough to avoid those truly awkward conversations with employees, let’s hope it’s not because you’re practicing avoidance.