"Making the decision to fire someone is never easy, and there are a lot of steps that lead up to this. I think that, first of all, it's imperative that the company has an employee handbook in place with policies and procedures spelled out in it. This gives us all a place to refer to when there's a question about something. It also makes it clear when someone is violating policies. Second, when an employee's behavior and actions become questionable, it's vital to document these violations and enforce any disciplinary policies that are in place. Clear communication is key so the employee knows what is expected of them. It's also a good idea to initiate a performance improvement plan (PIP) so we can try to get the employee back on track. If this fails and it comes time to terminate the employee, it's my job to know the legal implications of doing so. Finally, I make sure to conduct an exit interview so the former employee is aware of their vacation pay and benefit statuses."