When an employee is terminated

Q: Must a fired employee be escorted from the building? Who should do that-our practice administrator or a managing partner? Should somebody supervise the terminated worker as he cleans out his desk?

A: If you dismissed an employee for improper conduct, theft, or destruction, both the administrator and managing partner should supervise him as he gathers his personal possessions, and both should accompany him to the exit. But if you've fired the employee for simple poor performance, these steps are unnecessary. They would insult the employee and could precipitate a wrongful termination suit.

Whatever the circumstances of the termination, be sure to collect office keys and other practice property from the employee and deactivate his computer and voice-mail passwords. It would also be a good idea to change locks.