In this episode of Your Human Resource, we’re talking about one of the trickiest parts of managing a team: firing an employee. We cover what it actually means to have “at will” employment, different termination scenarios you might encounter, and what you need to know about protected classes when it comes to termination.
Resources mentioned:
Some key takeaways from this episode include:
Employee “at will” means an employee or employer can terminate employment at any time as long as no laws are violated. Even if you live in an “at will” state, there can be a cost associated with firing an employee if you don’t follow the right protocols.
If you fire an employee, it doesn’t automatically mean that person will qualify for an unemployment claim. If you warned the employee that they needed to improve their work performance, gave them ample time to do so, and documented those conversations, they may not be eligible for unemployment.
You cannot terminate based on speculation without proof. For example, if you suspect an employee is coming to work under the influence of alcohol, you cannot immediately fire them. You or your HR team should have a conversation with the individual first to see what’s really going on.
Your Human Resource is the podcast for business owners and managers to learn more about the technical and strategic components of human resources. Hosted by the team behind Core Business Resources HR, a niche HR consulting firm, this podcast is a resource for you to get all your human resources questions answered!
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