FREE Uses of Termination Letter Templates in the Workplace [ Steps Followed, Uses ]

Seeing an employee get fired is not a normal situation in the workplace. As much as possible, managers and employers are trying to avoid terminating any of their employees, especially those who are really promising. Termination is a sensitive topic in the work environment. Providing or handing of termination letters should be done in private so as not to disrupt the work of other employees in the process.

Termination letters can be a scary tool for both employer and employee. Even with its bad reputation within a company or organization, it is still a useful tool that can benefit both employer and employee. We will be exploring the different uses of a termination letter in the workplace, including how the termination process works. These information will help you know more about termination so that you will cease to be afraid of it.

What Are the Steps Followed in the Termination Process?

If there is a hiring process or employment process, it is right and just that there is a termination process or dismissal process. An employee is hired based on their qualifications for the job and after passing a series of tests designed to asses their capabilities. The termination process does not follow these kinds of steps. It is actually not something that employers would want to practice, but it is something that they need to practice as acknowledgment of their employees’ rights. It also allows them to maintain the morale of the remaining employees after one of them got terminated. The termination process is further discussed below.

• Documentation of any repetitive negative behavior or performance. Before getting terminated, the employee is first given warnings or a notice to explain before a termination notice is provided to them. These warnings or notices are kept as records for future references of the employee’s violations or poor performance. If the employee repetitively incurs such violations or if there is no improvement with their performance, the records will all be reviewed and evaluated if they will be terminated.
• Determine if the termination is with notice or without notice. The type of termination served to the employee depends on the outcome of the employee evaluation. If the employee is terminated due to redundancy, then they will be provided with a notice. However, if the employee violated the company’s policies or has breached any of the terms and conditions of their employment contract, then they may be terminated without notice.
• Serve the termination papers or termination letter in private. No matter how severe the offense is, employers should always terminate their employees in private. Seeing those scenes on television where employers shout and fire their employees is just not right. It is by all means unprofessional and inappropriate. Terminating an employee in private is also done to maintain the integrity of the other remaining employees and assure them that they will not be shamed.
• Talk to the employee about matters involving the termination. After the termination letter or termination notice is served, it is just right that the manager or employer talk to the employee about the termination. Even with the explanation provided in the letter or notice, and even if all of the details of the violation is written in it, the employee would still want to talk to their employer or manager about it.
• Schedule the employee for the exit interview and completion of all the paperwork. An exit interview is necessary before an employee completely leaves the company, regardless if they have been terminated or if they resigned. This is like a form of survey so that the company would know the employees’ feelings or what they think about the company.
• Explain to the employee the benefits that they can get and their final paycheck. After the exit interview, there will be a detailed discussion of the last receivables of the employee, as well as other benefits that they are entitled to.
• Make sure that the employee’s physical and electronic access is disconnected. The employee will be required to surrender all of the equipment that the company has provided to them, including identification cards and access cards.
• Let the employee select a suitable time for them to clear their desk. Some employees find it hard to clear their desks during office hours when other employees are looking at them. The employee should be given the chance to choose the time when they want to clear out their desks and completely leave.

This is generally what is done in most termination processes, but it doesn’t mean that it is true for all. Some companies have their own termination process and it may differ from what is provided here. You may check out or inquire about the specific termination process of your company if you wish to know about it.

What Are the Uses of a Termination Letter in the Workplace?

Being served with a termination letter by your employee is never a good thing. But no matter how bad the news a termination letter brings to an employee, it is still considered an important document because of its uses.

• A termination letter is a way for employers to formally tell their employees that they are letting them go. It also includes the reason why the employee is being terminated, the effective date of the termination and what benefits the employee can receive.
• A termination letter is used to indicate the name, position, and department of the employee being terminated, together with the name and position of the person who filed for the termination.
• A termination letter is used to validate the regulations being followed by the business or the company for the termination process to be cleared, and for it to follow a due process.
• It is used as a document or prove that the employee was terminated justly following the appropriate termination procedure, and that due process was being followed.
• A termination letter is used to discuss the information that has been the basis for the decision to terminate an employee.
• Termination due to redundancy is a type of termination where the company or employer needs to let go of the employee due to the lack of work to be done. Providing a termination letter and having the employee sign it as a form of acceptance ensures that the employee is aware of what is happening. It can help the company avoid any claims from the employee about being terminated without cause.
• A termination letter will serve as proof in court if the need arises. It can be used as a legal document that due process has been done before the employee was terminated. It can also be proof that the employee has been treated fairly.
• A termination letter is used to provide a platform where the decision for termination be initially given to an employee who is subjected for the process.

Knowing the abovementioned uses of a termination letter will rid one of the fear being served with one. Although a termination letter is a notice that an employee will be losing their job, if taken positively, it can be turned into something that will lead to new opportunities or a sign for one to start on something new and fresh.