6 things to consider before firing an employee

Terminating a staffer can feel like ripping off a bandage—fast, decisive and, you hope, final. Yet a botched dismissal can leave your practice nursing far deeper wounds: patient disruptions, plummeting morale and an anxious staff wondering who’s next.

The financial stakes are just as real. Medical Economics recently chronicled a small practice that spent months fending off a wrongful-termination suit after letting an employee go without airtight documentation—legal fees piled up even though the case never reached trial.

Clear policies are your first line of defense. According to Physicians Practice, an up-to-date employee handbook, vetted by an attorney and signed by every hire, can nip many disputes in the bud. A termination section that spells out notice periods, “opportunity to cure” language and final-pay rules is non-negotiable.

In other words, firing should be the last page of a story everyone already knows. Before you call anyone into your office, walk through these six checkpoints to be sure you’re on solid ground.