Provided by: Jennifer Kirschenbaum, Esq.
April 11, 2019
Question
Hi Jennifer,
Do I need to do an Exit interview? I am planning to terminate a staff member and was told an Exit interview is a good idea.
Thank you in advance,
S
Answer
No, you do not "need"' to do an Exit interview. There is no law or legal requirement you perform or have conducted an Exit interview. Employment consultants or specialists may recommend so that you can procure feedback from a departing employee relevant to continued operations or future hires, but no requirement you do so. My preference if you are terminating an employee is to keep the interaction as neutral and efficient as possible - no reason to prolong. More often than not, when an employee hears they are being terminated they don't hear much else after, and any commentary on their end will be driven mostly by anger and anxiety, as opposed to constructive feedback.
If you do need help with separations, perhaps you would like a release or assistance confirming you have proper documentation for a firing, ask prior to executing. Best bet.
