Once it becomes obvious that a particular employee is not working out, meet with his or her frontline supervisor and ask questions. The back end is at least as important as the front end. During the termination interview, don't hector the employee. Often, during the termination meeting, they will express relief that the situation is ending. The termination package should include an explanation of health care benefits, an offer of outplacement counseling and a severance check with vacation and other payouts.
Severance is transition pay.
You want to pay them to support their transition. This is fair, and to be blunt, you also don't want them to get enraged and come back in an episode of workplace violence. Typically, employers pay two weeks of severance for the first year of service and one week of severance for every year worked thereafter. There are no guarantees, but Frank said he's been called in to referee hundreds of tricky terminations, and has yet to experience a violent reaction. If you're worried, hire a security guard to sit in on the meeting.