It is never fun to fire an employee. However, when an employee’s performance brings down the overall quality of the company, it is time to make a change. Follow all of your company’s protocols for this procedure, including anything required by Human Resources, and make sure to send a well-formatted letter.A letter confirms the employee no longer works for the business. The letter should state the reason for the dismissal, the termination date, and notice of the employee’s final paycheck. This is a lot of information to convey, and you do not want to overlook anything that may lead to trouble later.Review our termination letter for poor performance templates if you require guidance formatting this document. It can help soften the blow to the employee in question.
Termination Letter for Poor Performance Template
Janet Freeman wants to terminate the employment of Timothy Bowman, a low-level worker at the company who received reprimands three times in the past regarding poor performance. Janet spoke with the company’s HR department, and a representative from there has already informed Timothy that the employer plans on letting him go. Janet sends this letter to clarify certain aspects of the process and to finalize everything.
Dear Timothy Bowman,
This letter confirms your termination of employment from Appleton’s Bookstore due to poor performance, which is effective immediately.
This process began in March during one of your quarterly reviews. During this meeting, I informed you of how you failed to meet quotas and fell short of goals. I provided all this information in a detailed letter, which you then signed, confirming your knowledge that you needed to make changes. In the quarterly reviews since, you have continued to receive reprimands regarding poor performance, and for the past several months, there has been no tangible change.
You have until November 16th to appeal the decision. If you choose not to do so, then you will receive your final paycheck during the normal pay period, which ends on November 18th.
We wish you nothing but the best in all of your future endeavors. If you have any questions, you can contact me directly at 555-555-8815. However, if you wish to appeal, then you can file a claim with our HR department. Of course, I am always here to write a letter of recommendation if you need one.
Sincerely,
Janet Freeman
How To Write a Termination Letter for Poor Performance
The purpose of this letter is to inform an employee he or she no longer has a job due to poor performance. There is likely no way to write this letter that will make an employee completely fine with the termination. However, it should provide a worker with information explaining why you are letting him or her go that will at least allow it to make sense. This is a sensitive matter, so make sure you maintain a polite and professional tone throughout.
The beginning of the letter should get straight to the point and state how the company is terminating the individual’s employment. There is no need to provide false hope about how an employee could remain at the position if he or she does something new. When you are ready to fire someone, you simply want to get right into it.
Next, you want to provide as much information as you can about how this termination has been a long time coming. State any meetings you have had with the employee where you discussed poor performance. If any of these meetings have something in writing, make sure to address those documents. Doing this in a similar manner to the termination letter for poor performance template helps to show this termination is not coming out of the blue.
Finally, you want to end the letter by answering some common questions. State when the employee will receive the final paycheck and how the company will allocate any benefits, such as unused vacation days. You should also provide your contact information. Chances are good the employee will still have some questions, and you want to make yourself available during this difficult time.
What To Avoid in Your Termination Letter for Poor Performance
Before sending a termination letter, you want to make sure you follow all company protocols. Check with Human Resources first. If you plan on firing an employee due to poor performance, then you may need to meet with the employee first to discuss the performance and give the worker an opportunity to remedy the situation. If you have not done that first, then you may not legally be capable of firing an employee right now.
You also want to avoid neglecting to mention any pertinent information. For example, you would not want to leave out the fact that an employee could appeal a decision. You may get in trouble yourself if you fail to adequately discuss an worker’s rights.
Finally, you want to avoid coming across as too callous. An employee will be upset no matter what. You should attempt to soften the blow. Simply state the reason for the termination without going into details about the employee’s work ethic, personality, or contribution to the company.
How To Follow Up After Sending Your Termination Letter for Poor Performance
After sending the letter, you may not hear back from an employee, especially if the termination is effective immediately. However, in the event the employee does reach out, you should be available to answer any and all questions. There is generally no other reason for you to get in touch except for when you need to give the person his or her last paycheck.
During this time, you may want to reach out to the other employees. They may have questions about why you let the person go. Assuage any fears that there are going to be layoffs. You want to avoid a ripple effect, so nip this problem in the bud before it escalates.
Top 5 Termination Letter for Poor Performance Writing Takeaways
1. Get to the point immediately
An employee should not have to read until halfway through the document to learn he or she lost a job. Make this fact clear from the very first sentence.
2. Talk to HR first
Make sure you are following all company guidelines on terminating employment. You do not want to end up battling a lawsuit from a disgruntled employee who feels as though he or she did not receive all rights.
3. Provide explanation for termination of employment
Some states do not require employers to provide any explanation for a firing. However, if there is a reason, then provide it. It could actually help an employee going forward in future ventures.
4. Make yourself available
Provide your contact information at the end of the letter. Some employees do not want to say anything, while others will have a lot to unpack. Be ready for either scenario.
5. Send a letter instead of a phone call
It is good to have everything in writing. Make sure to finalize an individual’s termination of employment through a letter. A phone call or email may not be enough. You can also request a return receipt to confirm the employee received your letter.
