Employee termination is usually not an enjoyable experience, but covering all of your bases can make the process easier. Avoid future compliance pitfalls with our Employee Termination Checklist listed below.
If you want your own copy, feel free to download the document here.
Type of Termination
Voluntary
- Received employee’s resignation letter. (If verbal resignation, provided employee with a written confirmation of resignation).
- Exit interview scheduled.
- Exit interview completed.
Involuntary
- Provided employee with termination letter.
- Provided employee with severance agreement if applicable.
- Received signed severance agreement.
- Provided employee with WARN notice (if applicable).
Benefits
- Provided employee with termination/continuation of employment insurance benefits information (COBRA, life insurance, supplemental insurance, etc.)
- Checked medical FSA/HSA participation and informed employee of remaining funds and reimbursement deadlines, if applicable.
- Checked dependent care FSA participation and informed employee of remaining funds and reimbursement deadlines, if applicable.
- Checked PTO balance and informed employee of any remaining PTO and how it will be processed at termination of employment. (Employer’s PTO policy should give information about circumstances for pay out upon termination, if applicable.)
- Informed employee about retirement plan account options, if applicable.
- Notify employee benefits broker and/or retirement plan administrator of employee’s termination.
Compensation
- Provided notice of policy regarding any outstanding balances for money owed to company (educational loans, for example).
- Notified payroll department to process final paycheck.
- Informed payroll of any unused but earned PTO amounts due to the employee, if applicable.
- Notified payroll to process severance pay and whether lump sum or salary continuation (if applicable).
Contracts/Legal
- Provided written notice to employee of any legal obligations that continue post-employment (e.g., noncompete/confidentiality agreements/employment contracts).
Records
- Pulled personnel file to be stored with terminated employee files.
- Pulled Form I-9 to be stored with terminated employees’ I-9s.
Information Technology
- Disabled e-mail account.
- Removed employee’s name from e-mail group distribution lists; internal/office phone list; website and building directories.
- Disabled computer access.
- Disabled phone extension.
- Disabled voicemail.
Facilities/Office Manager
- Disabled security codes, if necessary.
- Changed office mailbox.
- Cleaned work area and removed personal belongings.
Collected the following items, if applicable:
- Keys (☐ office ☐ building ☐ desk ☐ file cabinets ☐ other)
- ID card
- Building access card
- Business cards
- Nameplate
- Name badge
- Company cell phone
- Laptop
- Uniforms
- Tools
- Other
If you want help throughout the employee termination process, reach out to us! At Triple Track HR, we have over 85 years of collected human resource experience and have helped many clients in the Western New York area navigate employee terminations.