Termination Checklist

Before termination:

-Review the grounds for termination. Make sure sufficient documentation exists of previous disciplinary meetings and at least three written warnings. If the termination is for a single, serious offense (drugs, weapons, etc.), make sure the incident is fully documented, including witness's accounts where possible.

-Prepare a plan for covering the employee's scheduled shifts and assigned duties (including any special programs he/she may be in charge of).

-Call Large City's Department of Human Resources. The next few steps will be carried out in conjunction with human resources - and with a lawyer, if necessary.

-Go over all documentation with a human resources representative.

-Review the employee's contract and benefits information, keeping in mind the possibility of a discrimination lawsuit.

-Prepare benefits status letter and final paycheck.

The meeting with the employee (held with a human resources representative present):

-Communicate the purpose of the meeting, the reason for termination, and the effective date of the termination.

-Review benefits status letter with the employee - including, where applicable, severance pay, vacation pay, unused sick time, payment of final expense report(s), health insurance, etc.

-Give the employee his or her final paycheck.

-Verify that the employee's emergency contact and address info are up-to-date; give the employee a change-of-address form to use if he or she moves.

-Collect the employee's library keys, identification card, and any other library property.

-Obtain employee's passwords for work e-mail and voice mail.

After termination:

-Allow employee time to collect personal items, under supervision if necessary, before he or she leaves/is escorted from the building.

-Inform other staff that the employee has left the library; consider private meetings with those who worked closely with the employee.

-Carry out plans to cover ex-employee's duties (shifting responsibilities to other employees, asking people to work additional shifts or longer hours, etc.)

-Change the login password for staff computers. Deactivate ex-employee's personal login for back-office computers, if applicable.

-Change the alarm code.

-Arrange for forwarding of ex-employee's e-mail and voice mail for two to four weeks, followed by termination of the e-mail and voice mail accounts.

-Update staffing and contact information on the library's website, if applicable.

-Forward a job description to the human resources department so that they can post the position.