My goal was to keep you out of legal trouble, save your small company from a costly suit and make a tough termination as easy as possible. Try to remain professional and don't get offended by the statements the worker makes. Once the company has completed the examination, the boss should make the employee aware of the findings. The worker will often believe such remarks suggest improper bias. Sometimes you'll want to offer some condolence, but other times this causes legal problems. With a high risk lay off, the worker is probably to sue and you have little documentation to defend yourself. o Ask for questions the worker may have about her termination and benefits. Preparing For The lay off (Cont'd.) When the employee has problems meeting the basic job requirements, you must address it in these meetings. Remind the termination supervisor to always use a professional tone and to stick to the facts. This "firing only" option sounds harsh, but as a owner you should manage your profits AND your time.

You must develop a policy to document worker problems suitably. You follow this with a written warning, a final written notification, and then separation. Training all managers and supervisors in the accurate and fair evaluation of staff will ensure that you will avoid the problems coming from illegal terminations. You'll either see the gross misconduct firsthand or, more probably, you'll hear about it from a worried employee. When you go to write a specific letter, remember: this will likely not come as a surprise to the jobholder.