Certain unfortunate proceedings in business relationships such as employee firings and layoffs are usually unpleasant and dreaded by both parties. Nonetheless, this process is usually unavoidable. To make it a little tolerable, writing a notification in the form of a termination letter is usually recommended. These letters provide for polite, humane, and respectful employee dismissal and should be common among employers. Employment termination can often be a result of several reasons, both in the part of the employer and employee responsibilities resulting in termination letters either with or without. In this article, we will take you through how to write a job termination letter without cause. But first, let’s take a look at the deeper meaning of these letters.
Termination Letter Samples Without Cause
A letter of termination without cause is best suited for companies that use employment-at-will policies. With these policies in place, employers can use the same letter to terminate an employee that violated company rules or for another reason. A letter of termination without cause will usually tell the former employee how they will receive their last paycheck, the date of termination, and any other vital information needed. This letter allows a company to relay its decision without casting or accepting blame.
What is a Job Termination Letter Without Cause?
This is a notification in the form of a formal letter directed from an employer to an employee letting them know they are being dismissed from their contemporary job posts due to company problems like large market factors, downsizing, and not in any way related to employee performance and behavior. These letters may or may not detail the reasons for the involuntary layoff. Nevertheless, certain steps to be undertaken in the process and afterward and possibly relevant information must be incorporated in the letters to ensure the message being passed across is received accurately.
These termination letters are usually just a courtesy for employees’ ethical dismissal; however, there is usually no definite law that mandates for the letters’ provision. Depending on a different country, state, or company policies, employers usually have varying authorities on employee terminations. For instance, companies who hire ‘at will’ employees through the ‘at will’ policies usually have the authority to fire these employees without providing reason or cause. They may, therefore, just provide advance notice in the form of a letter of termination to provide some relevant necessary information.
The Importance of Job Termination Letters
Despite many company policies not listing the provision of a termination letter as mandatory, many employers usually take it upon themselves to write these letters to the unfortunate employees to fulfill some of the following purposes;
Job termination letters without cause ensure that the company maintains a good public image. This is because these letters are often respectful, and with the advance notice they provide, employees often get to prepare in advance for the inevitable, thus minimizing the number of disgruntled ex-employees.
These letters also allow the employee to fully grasp their dismissal’s details by knowing it is not their fault/poor behavior but employer problems. This will further assist them when searching for the next job postings.
Finally, these termination letters without cause also act as dismissal confirmations with receipt of company property, exact termination dates, among other relevant information. Thus serving as a vital document that could be used in a court proceeding in case of lawsuits by fired employees.
How to Write a Job Termination Letter Without Cause
These letters often need to be perfect and with all the relevant information to guarantee a complete relay of the message to the recipient. Therefore, writing a job termination letter without cause will require that you adhere to the following guidelines. Being a formal letter, these termination letters will follow the formal letter structure as follows;
Employer’s information
This is the first segment in these letters, and it usually constitutes the letter’s header. Some of the information included here are the company name and logo (if present), employer’s name, physical address, and contact information. These indicate the letter’s origins.
Date
This is the second part of the structure, and it is usually the full date (day, month, and year) on which the letter was written. It is often vital for record-keeping and updating the employee on time remaining.
Employee’s information
This comes after the date, and it includes the employee’s information, such as their full names, job position/rank, physical address, and contact information. This confirms that the recipient is the intended target for layoff.
Salutation
This is usually the next in the format and often creates a polite tone in the letter while also being respectful. It usually starts with the notations, ‘Dear,’ followed by Mr. / Mrs. / Ms. and finally, the last name of the employee being dismissed.
The body
This is the next part of the structure of the letter. It usually contains most of the vital information laid down in paragraphs. Therefore, when writing your body, you should try and make sure that some, if not all, of the following data, are incorporated;
- You should first notify the employee of the impending termination and the specific date the employment contract will end. This should usually take the first paragraph.
- The next line/paragraph should note the reasons for the termination. In this case of termination without cause, you may opt not to mention the reason (s). However, if you decide to mention them, there can be no blame on the employee.
- This could be followed by a detailed explanation of their compensation plans and benefits and how they will be affected going forward after the employment ends.
- In the body, you should also notify them of the company properties in their possession and the need to return them before leaving the company.
- You should also remind the employees of any signed agreements, such as non-disclosure agreements signed at the beginning of the employment period. You may even attach a copy to the letter of termination to ensure they adhere even after termination.
The body should finally have a conclusion. These are often of several varieties, further adding to the termination letter’s polite and professional tone.
You should further ensure that the body of these termination letters are;
- Short, precise, and to the point
- The tone is polite, respectful, and professional.
- The grammar/spelling is perfect.
- The writing is neat and legible.
Complementary clause
This is usually added after the body of the letter. It constitutes the official formal letter format thus should be in job termination letters and includes phrases such as, “Yours faithfully.” Cordially”, “Sincerely yours,” “Sincerely,” among others.
Footer
This is the final segment of the letter format. Here, you will need to note down the contact information of the HR department or the employer. Finally, you will sign off the letter using the employer’s signature to make it authentic and legal.
Conclusion
Using professional letters of termination whether with a reason or not is a good way to keep track of past employees and see what behavior is shared among the terminated. A letter of employee termination for cause is given out after an official meeting between the employee and staff. The employee could be given prior notice of termination possibly giving them time to prepare. Certain policies that are adoptable give employers the opportunity of having employment-at-will contracts. The ‘at-will contracts’ grant those employers the power to terminate an employee without reason. Picking which letter of termination is the best fit can lead to a more efficient business.