One of the most difficult and crucial process in a company is to terminate an employee. It is absolutely important to follow the correct etiquette; an employee termination letter sample is given in the Workspirited article below.
One may need to write a termination letter for plenty of reasons that may range from improper work etiquette to grave misconduct. However, one must terminate an employee with full respect to maintain the dignity of the organization as well the employee. While writing the letter, you need to follow some rules. The letter should not contain any emotional lines like, ‘l am sorry’ or ‘We are not happy to see you leave’, etc. You need to follow a proper format that is factual, empathetic, and to the point. Whatever may be the circumstances, you need to maintain the dignity of the employee. Do not play a blame game in the letter. Instead, make sure your letter reflects the policies and procedures of the company.
Rules to be Followed
- You need to state the exact reason(s) in the letter.
- You should mention the number of written and oral warnings and counseling sessions that the employee received to mend his ways.
- It should be able to reflect that termination is the only measure left with the organization after repeated warnings given.
- You need to state the last day of working, the details of notice period, leave pay, general pay, pension, benefits, etc., that the employee is liable to.
- You also need to state the procedure that the employee can follow to challenge the termination decision.
- The letter should be signed by the authority who has the power to terminate employees.
- Make sure you mention the attachments and copies of the relevant company polices, warning letters, and other material that support the termination.
- You can always prepare a letter template that you can adjust according to the need. Every termination letter is unique. Therefore, a template will work as a skeleton for drafting a proper termination letter.
The following letter sample will help you draft a proper letter for terminating an employee.
| Termination Letter Template |
| Name Address Date Dear (name of Employee): Concurrent with our meeting regarding your employment status on (give date), I regret to inform you that your employment with (name of company) is terminated, beginning (date)/or immediately. Discussed in our meeting are the following reasons for having taken this decision.
As of the date of your termination, it is essential that you (state anything that needs to be done before termination, such as the return of a company car, returning any company equipment or materials the employee may have at home. You can also use this space to note any other administrative paperwork the employee must complete, such as per diem receipts for travel or expenses the company needs to pay the employee). Your final day of work will be (date), and it is expected that you fulfill this entire time period as stated in your employee contract (or noted verbally). Regarding your finances (Clearly state how you will give the employee’s final paycheck. Also, include whether they will receive any benefits, when those benefits will end and if there is a severance package or remaining holiday pay). Legalities (Reiterate any verbal discussions that were about terms and conditions, such as a nondisclosure. Here, you can remind the employee that they can appeal the decision for termination). Thank you for your time at our company and best of luck to you in the future. Sincerely, (Name of Employer or HR manager) Attached: (Attach any documents that the letter discusses including warning forms, nondisclosure agreements, severance package information, holiday pay details, and a final paycheck if possible.) |
You will find similar employment termination letter samples on the internet that will suit your situations. You need to keep in mind that the employment termination letter is to be a confidential document that should not be disclosed or discussed with anyone other than the employee fired.