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Employee Departure Checklist

        Once the decision has been made to terminate an employee, employers must take steps to secure their physical and intellectual property. Employers should take the steps below to protect themselves.

  1. Secure the return of company property:
    • Keys, key fobs, employee I.D. cards
    • Cell phone
    • Company car keys
    • Company credit cards
    • Company manuals, including employee handbook
    • Company laptops/software/software licenses
    • Uniforms
  2. Confirm employee’s current mailing address and phone number
    • Company must have that information to mail last paycheck and W-2 forms
  3. Unemployment information – Discuss with Human Resources or counsel
    • Decide whether to file Request for Relief from Charges?
  4. Notify coworkers, clients, and vendors of departure as necessary/provide information about new client contact
    • DO NOT discuss reason for separation absent a specific need to know
  5. Decide whether to call Police/security

HUMAN RESOURCES SHOULD COORDINATE:

  1. Shut down employee’s computer and make a copy of the hard drive
    • May need for future use if an employee brings a claim
  2. COBRA letter (by regular & certified mail)
  3. Notify medical carrier
  4. Notify life insurance/LTD carrier
  5. Notify payroll
  6. Have network/email/telephones updated
    • Forward employee’s email to HR or the employee’s supervisor for monitoring
  7. Notify webmaster to update website
  8. Notify pension/401(K) administrator and supply employee with appropriate notice