Settlements done in the course of a termination are notably cheaper than settlements done in the course of litigation. Keep a record of wrongdoings that have occurred, even in the most straightforward cases. Give the employee an opportunity to respond to charges before a final decision on termination is announced. Keep it calm and professional. Examine previous discipline of similarly situated employees.
Consistency is the best defense to the charge of discriminatory treatment.
Never backdate or falsify a personnel file. If evaluations do not reflect an employee's checkered history, conduct a serious reprimand of the employee for the matter that has led you to want to fire them. In the reprimand, reflect the entire history of the employee's problem, including oral warnings, with the time, place and the manager who made them. E.W. Scripps Publications , All Rights Reserved. Site users are subject to our User Agreement .