Terminations

Terminations with tact: How to handle a RIF with compassion

12/01/2025

Sometimes business is booming. Other times, not so much. We appear to be heading into a downturn, and that means you may have to make some hard decisions, including terminations of some long-time employees. Is there a way to do so compassionately? According to lawyers at Littler participating in a recent webinar, the answer is yes.

Best practices regarding the role of social media in hiring and firing decisions

11/17/2025

Age, sex, religion, disability and marital status are just some of the characteristics commonly revealed by the most cursory—or even accidental—social media search. But just because you can access sensitive information easily doesn’t mean you should. Here are some suggestions for a social media policy that makes sense and avoids legal problems.

Job cuts surpass 1 million as employers tighten belts

11/17/2025

The U.S. job market took a sharp turn in October. Employers announced more than 153,000 job cuts—a 175% increase from the same month last year and the highest October total since 2003.

Million-dollar verdict issued for failure to rehire wrongly fired worker

11/10/2025

Sometimes, the best thing to do when faced with a possible wrongful termination is rehire the employee. Doubling down and refusing to consider the fired employee for open positions she’s qualified to perform can add to the damages.

Supreme Court starts new term—key employment law cases on the docket

10/14/2025

The Supreme Court has started the 2025–2026 term, and it looks to be an interesting one for employers. Here’s a breakdown of pending cases and issues.

Clear criteria help organizations conduct fair workforce reductions

09/22/2025

When leaders decide a reduction in force is unavoidable, HR plays a central role in ensuring the process is legally sound, fairly applied and handled with respect.

Controversial posts, public demands: What HR should do

09/22/2025

What should an employer do when confronted with a demand to fire an employee over social media posts that may attract unwanted attention to their employer?

Don’t add fuel when you fire: 6 tips for terminations

09/15/2025

If you supervise employees in any capacity, there will come a time when you need to let someone go. Here are some tips for making the best of a bad situation and avoiding legal trouble in the process.

‘Resign or be fired’ may be the riskiest offer

08/22/2025

Have you ever presented an employee the option to resign or get fired? Maybe you believed you were helping the employee to graciously exit the workplace without the embarrassment of a termination. However, doing so today just may fall under the no-good-deed-goes-unpunished category.

Discover work mistakes during FMLA? Here’s what to do

06/23/2025

Employees who take FMLA leave are protected from retaliation for doing so. That’s led to the mistaken belief among some employees that they can’t be disciplined or fired while on leave. That’s not the case.