Firing Employees & Employee Resignations

Illegal Reasons for Firing Employees

There are certain reasons that you can never use to fire an employee.

What to Say When You Fire an Employee

Termination meetings are difficult, but here's how employers can handle them fairly and legally.

Firing Employees With Employment Contracts

Employment contracts can limit your ability to fire employees.

When Does an Employer Need an Employment Lawyer?

Sometimes it makes sense to hire an attorney to handle employment disputes.

How to Reduce Legal Risk When Firing an Employee

Employers can avoid expensive lawsuits by identifying risky terminations and knowing when to contact a lawyer.

How To Decide When to Make Layoffs

Letting workers go⁠—whether you're laying off a single worker or conducting a large layoff⁠—is one of the toughest tasks managers face. And because of the emotional stakes involved, it's also one of the tasks most likely to land a company in legal trouble.

When an Employee Leaves

Essential steps to take after an employee quits or is fired.

Chart: Final Paychecks for Departing Employees

Learn your state's law on when you have to provide a departing employee with the final paycheck.

Should You Offer Severance Pay?

You may want to consider paying severance, even if it isn't legally required.

Giving References for Former Employees

Learn what to tell prospective employers about a former employee.

Unemployment Benefits: How to Contest an Employee's Claim

Not everyone who's out of work is entitled to unemployment benefits. There are a couple of factors that dictate whether a former employee will receive unemployment benefits: the circumstances of the employee's departure and whether the employer contests the employee's claim.

Is it illegal for my employer to lay off employees with the most seniority?

Find out if it's legal for an employer to lay off its most senior employees first.