While it creating one template for all termination letters is ideal, this is not a realistic expectation. There are many different reasons you might need to fire an employee. Therefore, you must have easy access to a sample employee termination letter. But be aware you will need to tailor it to your specific needs.

Why start with a general template? The main reason is for easy access if you need to fire an employee on the spot. Writing a considerate and professional termination letter is difficult and writing one under stressful, emotional circumstances is even tougher. You may be angry or upset over this employee's actions that have lead to the termination, and rightly so. It is hard to put your emotions on a shelf and write what can become a legal document on short notice. Even if you are not the one who has suggested the termination, you may quickly have to create a termination letter that covers all points before security escorts the employee off company property. An example of a case like this is when management discovers an employee stealing or misusing company property. On such occasions, it is best to have a sample employee termination letter already available. You can create one of these using your termination letter template.

A Sample Employee Termination Letter for Theft of Misuse of Property

Name
Address
Date (This is especially important since the termination will begin immediately)

Dear (Employee):

I must inform you that due to your misconduct in the form of (state here either company theft or misuse of company property), your employment with (company name) will be terminated immediately. (You may want to state here evidence to support the claims of any employee stealing or misusing company property. This could include video evidence, bank account statements, or even eyewitness accounts from other employees).

(If theft is the case, continue here, as follows.) Because theft from the company is a severe offense, we also must take immediate action by contacting the local police department (or fraud department if this is the case).

(If misuse of property is the case, continue here, as follows.) Because your abuse of company property is a severe offense, we must request repayment of suitable funds to refund the company for the property loss. If you fail to do this, we will deduct the appropriate amount from your final paycheck. If this is not enough, we will take legal action to ensure that company is reimbursed.

As of today, the date of termination, it is essential that you return any remaining company property that is still in your possession, as well as any company identification badges, computer log-in passwords or company credit and debit cards. If you fail to return these items before leaving the building today, we may resort to legal actions to ensure the return of the company's property.

Because of the conditions of your termination, further legal action will be in place and company lawyers will be in contact to discuss conditions of repaying the company for (stolen or misused) company items. The conditions of your termination will have an impact on your final paycheck, severance package, and your final benefits although we will discuss these with the finance department to ensure that you reimburse the company properly.

Please direct further questions to (state lawyer’s name, HR manager or business owner).

Sincerely,

(Name of Employer or HR manager)

Attached: (Because of the severity of the situation, you must attach a copy of the evidence showing the employee's theft or misuse of company property.)

Terminate without fear of making mistakes. Our recommended procedure.