A human resources director whom I regularly counsel received a phone call from an employee who had been terminated recently. Upon hearing the director’s voice, the former employee began to cry and said, “I want to thank you so much for the way you handled my termination. You were very compassionate as you gave me the news. You walked me through the process with a sense of concern and direction. You instructed me to go home and read the separation agreement and to seek the advice of my attorney. I did that and I have just a few questions before I sign. You have been a good friend to me all these years. Thank you so much for helping me through what could have otherwise been a much more painful experience.”
This HR director recognizes that, inevitably, each termination decision she carries out on behalf of her organization bears a profound impact on at least one human being’s life. With that in mind, when she needs to implement such an employment action, she makes it her mission to treat the employee with dignity, respect and empathy. However, not everyone is like the professional I describe. Many terminations turn into lawsuits when the affected employee feels that he or she was treated unfairly. Here are some typical examples:
