can i fire employee over the phone?

Answer 1

I suppose you can terminate them any way you wish, but it's really a rather tacky way to do it. What you dont' want to do is have them come back to sue you for something personally, or even the company for that matter. I always have someone present in the room with me (another member of management), I always do this at the end of the day, not so that I can get another days worth of work from them, but so that everyone else is gone when they're cleaning their desk - it's for their own dignity, and always with a little remorse. I never want to fire a person, I always try to work with them to resolve issues, but in the past 18 months I've terminated 8 different employees for various reasons ranging from putting the company at financial risk, or simply being tardy consistently. 3 of those employees have filed suits (it's not uncommon these days - everyone is out to sue someone for something) - none of them have won.

Answer 2

As an HR professional I will tell you that, of course, it can be done but only under the most extreme circumstances. The one and only time I have ever done a phone-termination was when the employee worked on the West Coast and I was officed on the East. Otherwise, I have always communicated the bad news in person. Doing it over the phone only adds to the angst of an already sensitive situation. The golden rule applies: do unto others as you would have done to you. Good luck.

Answer 3

I wouldn't for liability purposes. Wait till they come in to work and fire them. You have witnesses and then they can't try to start anything. Threats can be witnessed as well if they make any than they can't say they didn't threatened you. People tend to hold their tempers when in public.

Answer 4

Depends on the type of job you are firing them from...If its a fast food restaurant then yah its okay, at least you wont waste there time and gas driving all the way to work just to hear there fired.!

Answer 5

Well, you can, but unless they have just stopped showing up for work so you don't see them any more, it would be a pretty bad way to fire them.

Answer 6

you can but its the chicken way to do it. Why don't you do it face to face if the person deserves to be fired?

Answer 7

I don't recommend it. I would question your character. Do it once and it will get easier after that. Trust me, they will find another job, they may even find a better one.

Answer 8

I would think that you could, but it would be really unprofessional and tacky.