Naperville Business Attorney on Mistakes to Avoid When Terminating an Employee, Part 2

One of the most challenging and time-consuming parts of being a small business owner is managing employees. In a recent post on this blog, I talked about several things to avoid when firing an employee. Employers must make sure to be clear when they dismiss an employee. A worker who does not understand why he or she was fired may sue for wrongful termination. Unfortunately, it can be all too easy to make mistakes such as these.

In my practice as a business lawyer, I help business owners take steps to protect themselves and their company. With that in mind, I would like to a few more common mistakes to avoid when firing an employee.

Mistake 4: Being Overly Wordy and Confusing

When you call an employee into their termination meeting, they will probably have an idea of what is about to happen. If the employee has been given an adequate amount of warnings and performance feedback and is still not meeting company expectations, he or she should probably not be surprised to be let go. However, even employees who you have warned again and again may act surprised when they learn they have been terminated. Make sure you are clear and concise when delivering the news of the termination. The employee should not wonder if he or she will be given a second chance and should fully understand that his or her employment with your company is ending.

Mistake 5: Letting a Fired Employee Leave with Company Property

After explaining to an employee that he or she will not be working for your company anymore, make sure to have him or her return any company property in his or her possession. The employee should return his or her key, badge, door pass, laptop, tablet, smartphone, and any other company-owned equipment during or immediately after the termination meeting. This decreases the chances that you will need to hunt down missing equipment in the future.

Mistake 6: Allowing a Terminated Employee Continued Access to Electronic Systems

When you let an employee go, you should also terminate his or her access to things like company email, intranet, and databases. Ideally, every employee who was fired would understand why and take news professionally and maturely. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. A disgruntled former employee may misuse their access to company systems in retaliation. You may need to work with your IT staff to make certain that terminated employees cannot sabotage or misuse company electronic systems.

Contact a DuPage County, Illinois Business Law Attorney

Firing an employee is rarely easy, but it may be the only way for your company to move forward. For more information about how to grow and protect your business, contact the experienced Naperville business law attorneys at the Gierach Law Firm. Call 630-228-9413 to schedule a confidential consultation.

Sources:

Forbes

The Balance