Managing Termination: Your Legal Responsibilities

Terminating an employee, whether for cause or due to downsizing, is difficult. Done improperly, termination can expose the firing manager and the company to potential litigation and can damage organizational effectiveness and morale. This Video On Demand provides guidance on applying the five principles of the fairness factor to ensure involuntary terminations are handled in a legally fit manner. Using vignettes, the video shows the right and wrong ways to prepare to discharge an employee, to conduct the termination meeting and to complete the follow up.

Among the topics explained in this video training is the importance of observing the due-process rights of individuals with regard to abiding by any progressive discipline policy that may be in place, the need to properly document all counseling sessions with employees and provide copies of that documentation to the employee. Creating an opportunity for troubled employees to self-identify drug, alcohol or health-related problems is emphasized. Handling security concerns is also discussed. The video demonstrates how to ensure company property is returned and security cards or codes, passwords and keys are obtained. Documenting the termination process and preserving records, whether the employee voluntarily leaves or is dismissed, is also explained.

This video stresses how proper documentation of performance expectations and problems prior to a termination meeting is essential, and begins on the employee's first day of work. Viewing this video shows managers how a thorough paper trail and clear, consistent feedback on performance empowers them to address employee termination fairly and with as little drama as possible. The video should be required viewing for all new managers, and is an excellent annual refresher course.

   This course is in the Video On Demand format, to read about Video On Demand features click here.

Managers, supervisors and human resource professionals

• Introduction
• The Fairness Factor
• Prepare
• Meet
• Document
• Follow Up
• Conclusion

• The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Made Simple
• The Equal Pay Act Made Simple
• The No Fear Act Made Simple