Take some time—like a day or two—to think about it and prepare
all relevant documents. Inform your own supervisor, the legal office,
and the HR department in advance so that they can give you any
last-minute words of wisdom and so that they are not caught by sur-
prise if the worker appeals to them. Alert security because the help
of that office, on rare occasions, may be necessary. Then move
quickly—and do not change your mind, waver, or decide to give the
person a second chance after you have begun the firing process.
Write a letter of termination, documenting the facts as you see them
and indicating the termination. Inform the worker that he or she is
being terminated. Have the worker’s password revoked just before
the meeting, but do that in confidence. ...