At some point in the life of every organization, managers are faced with the decision to fire an employee. There are any number of reasons for such decisions, ranging from downsizing and misconduct, to breaches of company policy or poor performance. Regardless of the cause, the act of firing an employee can result in a sticky or stressful confrontation if not handled properly. It is imperative
. that the termination take place in a civilized and respectful manner. When employment is offered without a written employment agreement, a contract or a specific state-granted right, said employment is considered to be "at will". As such, the employment is subject to termination with or without cause or notice. If employment is at will, a termination letter is advisable to end the employment relationship. The termination letter should set forth the details and reasons for the termination. It should also outline and specify any severance package or other compensation that is to follow. An employee termination letter must remain clear and concise, and should ideally include all relevant information about the arrangement. If the employee has a contract with the company, employers should look over that contract and fulfill any obligations which may present themselves under that pre-existing agreement. It is necessary to accomplish fulfillment of the contract prior to looking to terminate an employee. In some cases, early notice is required and a well-crafted termination letter is able to provide that notice while protecting the employer from lawsuits in the future. If the terminated employee brings a lawsuit, the employer needs to defend itself against charges that the dismissal was illegal. It is advisable to keep copies of all relevant documents pertaining to the dismissal, as these may be needed to establish the legitimate reasons for the termination. Listed are some links to examples of termination letters. More Reference Links: http://www.www-letteroftermination.com/ http://www.writinghelp-central.com/termination-letter-samples.html