Termination

This is a topic that I don’t like to write about, especially during the holidays. Call me The Grinch (I’ve been called worse) but, as they say, “We need to talk.”

This is not a good time for employers or employees. The rules have changed. Employers in industries once considered solid, are fighting to meet overhead. Employees are working harder, terrified they may lose their job because jobs that pay a decent wage are few and far between. The reality is that many people will lose their jobs before the end of the year.

Contrary to popular belief, employers don’t welcome the prospect of having to lay people off. I have had employers put off terminating employees, to the detriment of their company, because the thought of having to terminate someone was so upsetting. It is because this process is so distasteful that employers don’t give thought to the mechanism of the termination. Specifically, how to terminate in such a way that concludes the employment relationship and reduces the likelihood that claims may be brought at a later date.

In this series of blog posts, we are going to examine termination and the employment relationship. We will examine the “at-will” employment relationship, whether it is advisable to object to unemployment benefits after an employee is terminated, and effectively using severance agreements to minimize future liability.

Now, I have to get back to my real job but I promise not to leave you hanging.