It is inevitable in almost every business. You will need to let an employee go. Whether it’s a seasoned designer coming with plug-and-play experience or a fresh face just out of design school, sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Recently, several of my designer clients have had to fire an employee due to the employee’s misconduct. This could be anything from soliciting and directing company clients and prospects, to doing personal consulting work on the company’s dime, to taking property and information. Regardless of the reason, here are five “R”s to keep in mind.
1. Review the contract.
2. Reconcile and pay.
3. Request return of property.
4. Reiterate respectfulness.
5. Reserve rights.
With those ideas in mind, let’s consider each one. A little more.
1. Review the contract/offer letter. This is always the first step and will provide guidance on termination rights, procedures and remedies, if any.
2. Reconcile and pay what’s owed. See number 1. Ensure that except for payment of contractual and statutory amounts, no other salary, commissions, overtime, bonuses, vacation pay, sick pay, severance pay, additional severance pay or other payments or benefits whatsoever will be paid.
3. Request return of property and information, in whatever form. Request all property any and all property or documents the employee created or received in the course of employment, including, but not limited to e-mails, passwords, documents and other electronic information, hardware such as laptop computers and cellular telephones, calculators, smartphones and other electronic equipment (mobile phone, tablet, etc.), software, keys, company credit cards, calling cards, parking transponder, information technology equipment, client lists, files and other confidential and proprietary documents, in any media or format, including electronic files.
4. Reiterate a professional’s obligation to remain respectful. Specific admonition of non-disparagement such as “refrain from saying, making, writing or causing to be made or written, disparaging or harmful comments about us, our employees and/or our clients.”
5. Reserve rights. Close your termination notice by expressly reserving legal and equitable rights and remedies.
Please note that this is not legal advice and you should consult your own lawyer regarding your rights and obligations in the context of terminating your employee’s employment.
David M. Adler is an attorney, author, educator, entrepreneur, and founder of a boutique intellectual property law firm. The firm is professionally-recognized as a leader counseling creative professionals, talent, financiers, and entrepreneurs across the interrelated areas of Intellectual Property, Arts, Entertainment & Media, Communications & Technology, and Corporate Law.