What should I do before, during and after terminating an employee?

Terminating an employee should not be done without careful thought and planning. Despite the fact that California is an “at-will” employment state, meaning that either the employer or the employee can end the employment relationship at any time with or without warning, the terminated employee may decide to file a wrongful termination lawsuit.

Although employers can’t prevent such a lawsuit from being filed, employers can take certain steps to at least limit their exposure to wrongful termination lawsuits.

There are certain key activities to perform and forms to fill out before, during and after a termination takes place.