Let me give you a thumbnail warning for bad disposition: After working with a worker for a year, you discover he drinks heavily after work. Downsizing then becomes necessary to refocus the firm on just those core business areas making money. I have written the first sample termination notification in a more conversational tone, which could be better for large lay offs or going out of business. In this case, it's important for you to follow the proper procedures in your business. I've written each memorandum for a specific layoff risk level. But the good news is the loss of productivity is mostly short-lived. (See Chapter 7 for how to terminate for overwhelming misbehavior.) As you may know, an employee can only get unemployment when you dismissed him for terrible performance or economic reasons. How to separate Workers Under Contract or a Union Agreement. If you feel the employee was genuinely hardworking and honest, you must offer to write a memorandum of recommendation or act as a reference for future employers in the job search. (This gets the focus off the fired employee and on the work, where it should be.)

Because our informal discussions haven't changed your behavior, you have forced me to give you this oral notification. If the jobholder fails to upgrade after a series of warnings, then it is time for you to dismiss him or her. In Melanie's circumstance, she had enough of the terrible performance, but like many small company owners she had no experience terminating personnel.