Exit interview questions

Use these sample exit interview questions to identify areas of improvement at your company and end things on a
positive note when an employee quits.
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Why you should conduct an exit interview

Taking the time to talk to a departing employee can be beneficial for your company. Conduct exit interviews to:

 Find out how employees perceive company culture and whether they feel valued and respected by peers
and managers.
 Discover ways to improve performance appraisals and employee relations.
 Find out what training and development opportunities employees want.
 Gather benchmark data around compensation packages (e.g. if an employee leaves due to a better offer or
more attractive benefits.)
 Learn what would motivate employees to stay with your company.
 Boost your employer brand by showing that you care about current and former employees’ opinions.
 Unearth problems that employees didn’t feel comfortable talking about before leaving (e.g. micro-
management, victimization, retaliation, lack of direction.)
Examples of exit interview questions

 Please describe your general feelings about working here. If possible, please tell us why you are leaving.
 What did you enjoy most about working here?
 If you could change three things, what would they be?
 How do you feel you were treated by your supervisor and your coworkers?
 How well do you believe your work was recognized and appreciated?
 Do you feel you were given adequate training and assistance?
 Are there things you wish you had known earlier?
 Do you think your work was aligned with your personal goals?
 What can we do to make this company a better place to work?
 What kind of tools, resources or training would have helped you perform better?
 Would you recommend our company to friends of yours who’re looking for a job? Why or why not?
How to conduct exit interviews effectively

 Assign a member of your HR team to conduct exit interviews. Employees might feel uncomfortable
talking to their former manager about what led them to resign, if for example they felt undervalued.
 Prepare well before conducting exit interviews. Think about what kind of feedback would be valuable
and plan your questions beforehand. Don’t make your discussion feel scripted, though.
 Be ready to act on feedback you receive. Conducting an exit interview just for the sake of it is a waste of
time for both the employee and you. Use the feedback you collect constructively so that you can improve your
company procedures and retain employees in the long run.
 Always end things on a positive note. Trying to dissuade employees from leaving or criticizing them for
giving you a very short notice, will leave a bad taste in their mouth. Instead, thank them for their work and wish them
good luck in their future endeavors.
How to overcome challenges during exit interviews
It’s not uncommon to face challenges getting employees to open up during exit interviews, or to have them agree to
be interviewed at all. Here are some typical exit interview challenges you’ll face with employees, with tips on how
to get around them:

 Employees who hold back information. Employees leaving your company may still want to maintain
good relationships with their former managers and colleagues. Therefore, they might hesitate to mention what they
didn’t like about their collaboration. Try to ask questions with a pinch of positivity: “What do you think would have
made your day-to-day at work better?” or “How would you suggest improving our workplace?”
 Employees who don’t want to participate in exit interviews. Your soon-to-be former employees might
view exit interviews as a waste of time if it’s just a formality for your company. Don’t wait for employees to quit
before you ask for their opinions. Build an open communication culture through regular meetings and informal
discussions. This way, employees will be willing to give you feedback once they decide to leave.
 Employees who are overly emotional. The decision to quit often comes with strong feelings, either of
sadness or anger. So, an employee’s last days at work might not be the best time for them to offer objective feedback.
If employees feel too uncomfortable having an exit interview, offer alternatives: a phone exit interview some time after
they leave or a questionnaire via email. These methods might be less personal, but will still give you some valuable
data.
 Employees who worry about their privacy. Employees won’t open up about the reasons of their
resignation, unless you reassure them their interview remains confidential. Explain that the scope of exit interviews is
to help your company become a better employer and not place blame on anyone. Maintain a casual, friendly tone
during your discussion to make employees feel at ease. If they’re still doubting, don’t force them into the exit
interview; it should be voluntary.

Employment of relatives company policy

This Employment of Relatives company policy template is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and

should be considered a starting point for setting up your employment policies.

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Policy brief & purpose

Our sample employment of relatives policy demonstrates our attitude towards nepotism and employing people who
are related either by blood or marriage. We won’t reject a suitable job candidate on grounds of their relation to a
current employee. However, we recognize that encouraging the employment of relatives may have a negative impact
on productivity and fuel accusations of nepotism and favoritism.
This policy aims to minimize these risks.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees regardless of status, position or department.
Policy elements
We use the term “relatives” to refer to any person who has a relation by blood or marriage within the third degree
with our employee. We also include people who live together in a domestic partnership or children who were
adopted. This includes: parents, step-parents, grandparents, in-laws, spouses or domestic partners, children, step-
children, adoptive children, grandchildren, siblings, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews.
We aim to keep our hiring process free of discrimination. We may hire a person who is related to one of our current
employees if we consider that person the best fit for a position. We may also accept referrals from employees.
What is nepotism in the workplace?
Favoritism or conflict of interest may occur when manager are involved in a process with their relatives. Examples
are when:

 Managers decide which team member to promote.

 Managers decide which contracts to renew.
 Managers complete performance reviews.
 Managers discipline their relative.
 Managers are part of a hiring committee.
To avoid such incidents or suspicions of favoritism and conflict of interest, we established anti-nepotism policies:

 Employees who are related must not be involved in a supervisory/reporting relationship with one another.
 Employees can not be transferred, promoted or hired inside a reporting relationship with a relative.
 Employees can not be part of a hiring committee, when a relative is considered for the position.
 Please report any relationship with a relative to HR, if you find yourself in a reporting relationship with that relative
or in a hiring committee that considers that relative for employment. If you don’t, you may face disciplinary action.
If two employees who are in a reporting relationship become relatives in the course of their employment, one of the
two must be transferred. We may give our employees time to discuss and choose which of them will be transferred,
before management makes a final decision. Transfers will be discrimination-free. For example, the person being
transferred must not always be a woman. This will violate our anti-discrimination policy.
We ask you to act professionally when working with a relative and seek counsel from your manager or HR if there
are any problems. 
Disciplinary Consequences
If a previously unreported relative relationship is discovered between a manager and a team member one of them
will be transferred. If incidents of favoritism or conflict of interest have occurred, both employees will be subjected
to disciplinary actions that range from reprimand to termination for cause.
 
Disciplinary action company policy

This Disciplinary Action company policy template is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and should be
considered a starting point for setting up your employment policies.

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Policy brief & purpose

Our Disciplinary Action company policy explains how we address our employees’ misconduct or inadequate
performance. Employees must be aware of the consequences of their actions. We use this policy to outline our
disciplinary procedure.
Scope
This policy applies to all our employees.
Policy elements
The stages that may be followed when discipline is deemed necessary include the following:

1. Verbal warning
2. Corrective Actions/Counseling
3. Official written reprimand
4. Disciplinary meeting with appropriate supervisor or manager
5. Final written warning
6. Detraction of benefits
7. Indefinite suspension or demotion
8. Termination
The nature of the offense must be explained to the employee from the beginning of the procedure. The verbal
warning may take the form of a simple oral reprimand but also a full discussion if that is necessary.
The employee must read and sign the written reprimand and final written warning. These documents include the
time limit in which an employee must correct their conduct before we take further discriplinary action.
The following scenarios indicate where the disciplinary procedure starts depending on the violation:
Performance issues. Disciplinary procedure starts at stage 1. It includes but is not limited to:

 Failure to meet performance objectives.

 Attendance issues.
 Failure to meet deadlines.
Misdemeanors/One-time minor offense. Disciplinary procedure starts at stage 1. It includes but is not limited to:

 Rude behavior to customers or partners.

 On-the-job minor mistakes.
 Breach of dress code/open door policy etc.
 Involuntary Discrimination.
Misconduct/Frequent offender. Disciplinary procedure starts at stage 5. It includes but is not limited to:
 Lack of response to counseling and corrective actions.
 Lost temper in front of customers or partners.
 On-the-job major mistakes.
 Unwillingness to follow health and safety standards.
Severe offensive behavior/Felony. Disciplinary procedure starts at stage 6. It includes but is not limited to:

 Corruption/ Bribery.
 Breach of employment agreement.
 Harassment/ Voluntary discrimination.
 Workplace Violence.
 Embezzlement/Fraud.
 Substance Abuse.
Managers or HR may choose to repeat stages of our disciplinary procedure as appropriate. This decision depends on
employees’ reaction to our disciplinary procedure, whether they repent their behavior and the nature of their offense.
Our disciplinary procedure begins when there is sufficient evidence to justify it. When there is suspicion or hints of
misconduct, managers or HR must investigate the matter first.
Appeals are allowed and must be filed to the next line of management as soon as possible.
HR and managers should document every stage of our disciplinary procedure (except the verbal warning.) If
appropriate, include necessary information like evidence, testimonies and employee’s progress or improvement.
We are obliged to refrain from disciplinary actions that may constitute retaliatory behavior. A no retaliation
company policy will be effective at all times to ensure there is no misuse of our disciplinary procedure.
We have the right to modify this policy or act in any other legal or reasonable way as each case demands. But, we
will always enforce discipline in a fair and lawful manner.

Employee Compensation and Development

Your employee compensation and development policies help you explain how you reward your employees and
motivate them to achieve even better results. Use our template as part of your complete Employee Handbook.

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Download this template in a .doc format by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.
Keep in mind that this template is not a legal document and may not take into account all relevant local or national
laws. Please ask your attorney to review your finalized policy documents or Handbook.
Contents:

 Compensation status
o Overtime
 Payroll
 Performance management
o How we expect managers to lead employees
 Employee training and development
Compensation & development template
In this section, we outline our guidelines for compensating employees according to their employment status. We
also describe our performance management and employee development policies.
Compensation status
[Insert this section if you are covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in the U.S.]
There are two types of employees under FLSA guidelines:

 Non-exempt employees, who are covered by the FLSA’s minimum wage and overtime provisions.
 Exempt employees, who aren’t covered by the FLSA because they meet three exemption criteria: (a) they
are paid at least [$23,600] per year ([$455] per week), (b) they are paid on a salary basis, and (c) they perform
exempt job duties (“executive,” “professional” and “administrative.”) Most employees must meet all three criteria to
be exempt.
If you are unsure as to whether you should be exempt or not, please ask HR to clarify your status.
 The FLSA excludes some types of jobs (e.g. railroad workers, truck drivers) because they are covered by other
federal laws. Some other workers, like outside salespeople, are excluded by definition. Feel free to ask HR for
clarifications any time.
Overtime
Occasionally, we may need you to work more than your regular working hours. We will pay for overtime
work according to local and national laws.
[Insert this if employees are in the U.S: If you are an exempt employee, you are not entitled to overtime pay by
federal law. In the event that an exempt employee must work overtime, we will set a cap for overtime hours at [10
hours per week] to prevent overworking and burnout.
If you are a non-exempt employee, you are entitled to overtime pay of one and a half times your wage. Please
record your overtime hours accurately, so we can calculate your pay correctly. We also ask you to work overtime
only after it’s authorized by your supervisor to make our record-keeping easier.]
Payroll
We pay your salary or wage [at the end of month/ every 15th and end of month] by [checks/ bank transfers/ cash.] If
you are an hourly employee, you should be diligent [in clocking in and out/using our timesheet software] so we can
accurately calculate your pay.
Performance management
We have built our performance management practices to:

 Ensure you understand your job responsibilities and have specific goals to meet.
 Provide you with actionable and timely feedback on your work.
 Invest in development opportunities that help you grow professionally.
 Recognize and reward your work in financial or non-financial ways (e.g. employee awards.)
To meet these objectives, we have:
Established [annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance reviews. During these reviews, your manager will fill out
your performance evaluation report and arrange a meeting with you to discuss it. Through these discussions,
managers aim to recognize employees who are good at their jobs, identify areas of improvement and talk about
career moves. Pay increases or bonuses are not guaranteed. But, we encourage managers to recommend rewards for
their team members when they deserve them. There won’t be any forced ranking or other comparison between
employees, as our goal is to help all employees improve and develop their careers.
Instructed all managers to meet with their team members once per [week] to provide feedback and talk about their
work and motivations. This way, you can receive feedback in a timely manner and avoid surprises during your
[annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance review.
How we expect managers to lead employees
If you manage a team, you are responsible for your team members’ performance. To conduct effective regular
meetings and performance evaluations, we expect you to:

 Set clear objectives. Your team members should know what you expect of them. When you first hire
someone to your team, ensure they understand their job duties. Set specific goals for each team member (and team-
wide if applicable.) Revisit those goals during [annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance reviews.
 Provide useful feedback. During scheduled meetings with your team members, give them both guidance
and praise, as appropriate. Be fair and specific to help them understand and implement your feedback.
 Keep your team members involved. There should be two-way communication between you and your
team. Make your expectations clear, but always take your team members’ motivations and aspirations into account.
Discuss training and development opportunities that may interest your team members.
 Keep logs with important incidents about each one of your team members. These logs help you
evaluate your team, but may also prove useful when rewarding, promoting or terminating your team members.
Employee training and development
We owe our success to our employees. To show our gratitude, we will invest in our employees professional
development. We want employees to feel confident about improving their efficiency and productivity. We also want
to help our employees achieve personal growth and success.
Each employee has [$1,000] annually to spend on educational activities or material. Subscriptions and books are
included in this budget, unless they are necessary for you to complete your everyday duties. Send your expenses to
HR [by email/ expenses software.]
 Apart from online courses, we offer these training opportunities:

 Formal training sessions (individual or corporate.)

 Employee coaching and mentoring.
 Seats at industry conferences.
 On-the-job training.
 Job shadowing.
 Job rotation.
Development is a collective process. Team members and managers should regularly discuss learning needs and
opportunities. And it’s HR’s responsibility to facilitate any development activities and processes.
FURTHER READING
Explore the rest of our employee handbook template:

 Employment Basics
 Workplace Policies
 Code of Conduct
 Compensation and development
 Benefits and Perks
 Working Hours, PTO and Vacation
 Employee Resignation and Termination

Employee performance review policy template

This employee performance review policy template is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and should be
considered a starting point for setting up your employment policies.

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Policy brief & purpose

Our employee performance review policy describes how we coach, evaluate and reward employees. We base our
performance management systems on constructive feedback and open communication between managers and team
members.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees. We will clarify our performance appraisal process and provide guidelines for
managers on how to lead their teams and assess employee performance.
We have built our performance management practices to:

 Ensure you understand your job responsibilities and have specific goals to meet.
 Provide you with actionable and timely work feedback.
 Invest in development opportunities that help you grow professionally.
 Recognize and reward your work in financial or non-financial ways (e.g. awards.)
Policy elements
What is good performance?
Our company has a general definition of what good performance looks like. To achieve a good performance
evaluation, you should:

 Meet your targets consistently.

 Complete your job duties as expected.
 Show a willingness to learn and develop.
 Follow our Code of Conduct and other company policies.
 Have a good attitude and collaborate well with your colleagues.
 Each employee may excel in one aspect and need improvement in another. But, to remain employed with our
company, you should meet a minimum standard for all of these aspects and show a willingness to improve where
appropriate.
Periodical reviews
We conduct [annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance reviews. During these reviews, your manager will fill out
your performance evaluation report through our [performance review platform] and arrange a meeting with you to
discuss your review. Through these discussions, managers aim to:

 Recognize employees who are good at their jobs.

 Talk about career moves and employee motivations.
 Identify areas of improvement.
Periodical reviews apply to employees who have completed their onboarding period.
Rewards
Pay increases or bonuses aren’t guaranteed. But, we encourage managers to recommend rewards for their team
members when they deserve them. There won’t be any forced ranking or other comparison between employees, as
our goal is to help all employees improve and develop their careers.
Training
Training and development opportunities are available for all employees year long. But, if managers identify a team
member’s training needs in a specific area, they can discuss this with their team member during performance
reviews. That way, they can set up an improvement plan.
On-the-job training, job shadowing and other training methods are also appropriate when managers intend
to promote an employee in the near future. We encourage managers to discuss future career moves with their team
members, so they can determine what type of training is appropriate.
Frequent communication
Managers should meet with their team members once per [week] to provide feedback and talk about their work and
motivations. This way, team members can receive feedback in a timely manner and avoid surprises during their
[annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance review.
During performance meetings, both parties should feel free to discuss any concerns they have. If you need to talk to
your manager about a particular issue, reach out as soon as possible.
Managers’ responsibilities
If you manage a team, you are responsible for your team members’ performance. To conduct effective regular
meetings and performance evaluations, we expect you to:

 Set clear objectives. Your team members should know what you expect of them. When you first hire
someone to your team, ensure they understand their job duties. Set specific goals for each team member (and team-
wide if applicable.) Renew those goals during [annual/ bi-annual/ quarterly] performance reviews.
 Provide useful feedback. During scheduled meetings with your team members, give them guidance and
praise, as appropriate. Be fair and specific to help them understand and implement your feedback.
 Keep your team members involved. There should be two-way communication between you and your
team. Make your expectations clear, but always take your team members’ motivations and aspirations into account.
Discuss training and development opportunities that may interest your team members.
 Keep logs with important incidents about each one of your team members. These logs help you
evaluate your team, but they may also prove useful if you want to terminate, reward or promote your team members.

Employee promotion policy template

This employee promotion policy template is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and should be considered
a starting point for setting up your employment policies.

Policy brief & purpose

 Our employee promotion policy presents our guidelines for advancing and promoting employees from within our
company. We want to invest in our employees and reward those who perform well.
This policy includes the process that managers must follow when promoting employees. We will communicate this
policy to all employees to avoid confusion about who should be promoted and when.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees who qualify for promotion. Employees may be promoted only after their [three-
month] onboarding period ends and if they are not under a performance improvement plan.
“Promotion” may be a move to a position of higher rank, responsibility and salary. Often, employees may advance
to positions that don’t come with higher managerial authority. Instead, these advancements may be a career or role
change that helps employees develop and grow.
Employees may be promoted within the same or another department or branch.
Policy elements
We will promote employees based on their performance and workplace conduct. Acceptable criteria for promotion
are:

 Experience in the job or tenure.

 High performance level in [two] recent review cycles.
 Skillset that matches the minimum requirements of the new role.
 Personal motivation and willingness for a change in responsibilities.
These criteria reflect the bigger picture of an employee’s work. Managers should avoid making decisions for
promotion based on recent or insignificant events. They should keep logs with important incidents that they might
want to consider when it’s time to promote one of their team members.
In accordance with our company policies, we will not tolerate promotions that are based on:

 Managers’ subjective opinions unsupported by performance evaluations or metrics.

 Discrimination.
 Fraternization.
 Favoritism.
 Nepotism.
To avoid such incidents, managers must keep good records of their promotion evaluation process.
When can managers consider employees for promotion?
Promotions may occur when:

 A job opening is advertised internally as well as externally.

 A position opens unexpectedly and our company wants to fill it from within.
 An employee has consistently good performance evaluations and their manager deems them ready for the
next step in their career.
 An employee acquires a credential (licensure, degree etc.) that allows them to advance (e.g. a Licensed
Practical Nurse becoming a Registered Nurse.)
Also, our company has an updated career plan that indicates each employee’s possible career path. Managers should
take this plan into account when deeming to promote or advance their team members.
Process for standard promotions
Our company will establish a promotion review process every [end of year.] During this process, managers may
consider selecting employees to move to a higher-level position, or a position that better matches their skills and
aspirations. Spontaneous promotions may also occur if a business need arises.
Managers should follow this process:

1. Meet with employees to talk about their career goals and/or aspirations for a promotion. Managers should
create career plans for their team members.
2. Identify opportunities to promote one or more team members, if applicable (by either filling vacancies
creating new jobs or enhancing job titles.)
3. Discuss the promotion with [HR/ direct supervisor/ department head] to receive approval. Managers should
also ask HR about the new position’s salary range and any new benefits they should present to their team member.
4. Arrange a meeting with the employee to determine whether they’d be happy with this career move.
 Managers must keep detailed records of the process to support their decisions to promote employees. These records
may also come in handy if other employees find the decision unfair or sue the company.
Internal job posting
We encourage hiring managers to post job openings internally. Hiring teams may post the job internally for a period
of time before they post externally or post at both places at the same time. Internal candidates may be given priority
in the hiring process since they’re already familiar with our culture and expectations.
Job postings should mention if the promotion involves relocation. Discrimination against protected characteristics is
prohibited both for internal and external hiring decisions.
Managers who post job openings internally should:

1. Consider all applications equally, based on their predetermined requirements.

2. Determine whether an internal candidate has the skills to perform the job.
3. Examine recent performance evaluations of internal candidates.
4. Interview qualified internal candidates if necessary.
5. Inform candidates whether they were selected for promotion. After the employee has accepted the job,
hiring managers should inform HR and the employee’s current supervisor, if appropriate.
6. Keep records of the application review process and note the criteria with which they rejected/hired an
internal candidate.
Career development outside of promotion
Managers may often choose to expand employees’ duties, authority and autonomy without promoting them directly.
For example, a salesperson may become a team leader and a junior coder may begin participating in engineering
operations.
These changes may not always come with a formal title change. Employees may be awarded a higher salary,
bonuses or stock options. The new benefits depend on the position and are at the immediate supervisor’s discretion.
Managers should keep an updated promotion plan in their team members’ file and discuss future career moves
during performance reviews.
 
Employee Resignation and Termination

Having clear processes for when employees leave your company can mitigate legal risks and negative feelings. Use
our template as a guide to complete your Employee Handbook. Include policies and legal obligations that apply to
your company.
Keep in mind that this template is not a legal document and may not take into account all relevant local or national
laws. Please ask your attorney to review your finalized policy documents or Handbook.
Contents:

 Progressive discipline
 Resignation

o Tuition or relocation reimbursement

o Forced resignation
 Termination
 References
Progressive discipline
Here we outline steps we will take to address employee misconduct. We want to give employees a chance to correct
their behavior when possible and assist them in doing so. We also want to ensure that we thoroughly investigate and
handle serious offenses.
Our progressive discipline process has six steps of increasing severity. These steps are:

 Verbal warning
 Informal meeting with supervisor
 Formal reprimand
 Formal disciplinary meeting
 Penalties
 Termination
Different offenses correspond to different steps in our disciplinary process. For example, minor, one-time offenses
(e.g. breach of our dress code policy) will trigger Step 1. More severe violations (e.g. sexual harassment) will trigger
step 5.
If you manage employees, inform them when you launch a progressive discipline process. Pointing out a
performance issue is not necessarily a verbal warning and may be part of your regular feedback. If you judge that
progressive discipline is appropriate, let your team member know and ask HR to help you explain our full
procedure.
Managers may skip or repeat steps at their discretion. Our company may treat circumstances differently from that
described in this policy. But, we are always obliged to act fairly and lawfully and document every stage of our
progressive discipline process.
Keep in mind that our company isn’t obliged to follow the steps of our progressive discipline process. As you are
employed “at-will” in the U.S, we may terminate you directly without launching a progressive discipline process.
For serious offenses (e.g. sexual harassment), we may terminate you without warning.
Resignation
You resign when you voluntarily inform HR or your manager that you will stop working for our company. We also
consider you resigned if you don’t come to work for [three] consecutive days without notice.
You are not obliged to give us advance notice before resigning. But, for efficiency’s sake, and to make sure our
workplace runs smoothly, we ask that you give at least [two weeks] notice, if possible. If you hold a highly
specialized or executive position, we ask that you give us at least [a month’s] notice, when possible.
We accept verbal resignations, but we prefer that you submit a written and signed notice of resignation for our HR
records. We will reply with an acceptance of resignation letter within [two days.] HR will inform your manager that
you are resigning if you haven’t already done so. Whether you want to announce your resignation to your team is up
to you, but we encourage you to be open.
Tuition or relocation reimbursement
If you have relocated or studied at our company’s expense, you are bound by your contract to remain with us for at
least [two years.] If you resign before that period, you may have to reimburse us for part or all of these expenses.
Forced resignation
You can resign anytime at your own free will and nobody should force you into resignation. Forcing someone into
resigning (directly or indirectly) is constructive dismissal and we won’t tolerate it. Specifically, we prohibit
employees from:

 Creating a hostile or unpleasant environment.

 Demanding or coaxing an employee to resign.
 Victimizing, harassing or retaliating against an employee.
 Forcing an employee to resign by taking unofficial adverse actions (e.g. demotions, increased workload).
Termination
Terminating an employee is always unpleasant but sometimes necessary. If that happens, we want to ensure we act
lawfully and respectfully.
We may terminate an employee either for cause or without cause.

 For cause termination is justified when an employee breaches their contract, engages in illegal activities
(e.g. embezzlement), disrupts our workplace (e.g. harasses colleagues), performs below acceptable standards or
causes damage or financial loss to our company.
 Without cause termination refers to redundancies or layoffs that may be necessary if we cease some of
our operations or re-assign job duties within teams. We will follow applicable laws regarding notice and payouts.
We will offer severance pay to eligible employees. We may also help employees who were terminated without cause
to find work elsewhere, if possible.
We may also compensate accrued vacation and sick leave upon termination, depending on local law. Whenever
local law doesn’t have relevant stipulations, we will pay accrued leave only to those who weren’t terminated for
cause. We will also take into account union agreements and abide by agreed terms.
If you manage team members, avoid wrongful dismissal. When you terminate an employee for cause, we expect you
to be certain you made the right choice and keep accurate performance and/or disciplinary records to support your
decision.
 References
When we terminate employees, we may provide references for those who leave in good standing. This means that
employees shouldn’t have been terminated for cause. If you are laid off, you may receive references. Please ask your
manager.
If you resign, you may ask for references and your manager has a right to oblige or refuse.
FURTHER READING
Explore the rest of our employee handbook template:

 Employment Basics
 Workplace Policies
 Code of Conduct
 Compensation and development
 Benefits and Perks
 Working Hours, PTO and Vacation
 Employee Resignation and Termination
 Anti-Discrimination Policy

Short-term disability policy

Policy brief & purpose
Our short-term disability policy refers to the company’s provisions for paid leave to employees who are medically
unable to work for a short time. The company believes that its employees should receive some benefits during an
unfortunate time when they will not be able to work. That way we can ensure that they will not struggle to live or
spend all their savings to do so.
The company will respect any legal guidelines that may be in effect so the present policy is complementary to the
law. It is designed to clarify details and procedures related to short-term disability benefits that the company may
offer through relevant short-term disability insurance.
Scope
This policy refers to all employees of the company who are eligible to sign up and utilize short-term disability
insurance benefits.
Policy elements
What is short-term disability?
Short-term disability is any physical condition, injury or illness that prevents an employee from working for a
certain period of time, without being necessarily work-related. This refers to the inability of the employee to carry
out their substantial job duties. It doesn’t refer to those who have, for example, sustained minor injuries (e.g. a
sprained ankle) and may still be able to fulfill their responsibilities by working from home.
This policy covers employees that are temporarily disabled, meaning that they:

 Are being treated for or recover from a health condition (physical or mental)
 Are in need of continuous medical care for a period of time
Recovering from childbirth and pregnancy may qualify as short-term disability under certain legislation. The
company may choose to separate this condition and include it in an official maternity leave policy.
Disability that results from job-related accidents is not included in this policy since it may be covered from different
legal guidelines.
What will the company cover for short-term disability?
The company is obliged to offer at least the minimum amount of leave mandated by short-term disability laws. This
will usually be up to three months or more before employees qualify for long-term disability leave.
Compensation mandated by law during the disability period may be non-existent or often inadequate to support
living and medical expenses. For this reason, the company may decide to purchase a group short-term disability
insurance package for its employees. In this case, we must explain the following elements:
 Initial Enrollment period. It’s possible the short-term disability insurance will cover all employees automatically.
When that is not the case, there will be an initial enrollment (or open enrollment) period. During this period, all
eligible employees may sign up to receive coverage under the insurance policy. The dates may be announced within
the company through various sources or be communicated to new employees when they arrive.
Eligibility. Not all employees will be eligible to receive coverage of the insurance policy. The eligibility of an
employee may be assessed by two aspects:

 Minimum Service period. The company requires an employee to be employed for a specified amount of
time before they can enroll for coverage. This period will be communicated to an employee upon hiring
 Working hours and days per week. Employees must work for the company at least a specified number of
hours or days per week to qualify for coverage. The specific amount will be communicated to the employee upon
hiring
Elimination Period. This terms refers to the waiting period between the start of a short term disability and the point
that an employee is eligible for short term disability benefits. This period may be decided to extend until the point
which all accrued paid sick or annual leave has been consumed. Usually it will be a week before short term
disability benefits come in effect, but the period may extend up to 30 days. In cases of accidents, this period may be
zero.
Exclusionary Period. This period applies only to employees that had a pre-existing medical condition before
signing up for short term disability benefit. During this period, employees will not receive any benefits for short
term disability.
Duration of Short-term disability leave. The benefits period, as it is often called, depends on legislation and the
company’s judgement. Every employee will be entitled to the legal minimum. The company, however, may decide
to provide an employee with more leave if their condition makes it necessary and they meet eligibility criteria.
Short-term disability pay. The employee will receive at least the legal minimum of disability pay, if such exists.
This amount is determined by the terms of the insurance the company has purchased. The pay may typically amount
to a percentage of the pre-disability salary of the employee, usually around 60%.
Pay Cap. The pay that an employee is entitled to cannot exceed a certain amount determined by the insurance
policy.
Policy exclusions. Depending on the policy, not all employees may qualify for short-term disability benefit.
Usually, a policy will not give benefits for disabilities resulting from drug/alcohol abuse, suicide attempts or work-
related accidents or illnesses (which are covered by other guidelines).
The employee may be informed of the details or ask questions at any time by contacting the Human Resources
Department, an assigned official or a benefits administration office, if applicable.
Procedure
When an employee wants to have short-term disability coverage they must contact the Human Resources
Department to sign up before they need it (usually during the initial enrollment period and/or after the minimum
service period). Those who have not signed up for coverage, meaning premium payments on their behalf will not
have been made, are not eligible for short-term disability pay.
In cases, an employee becomes temporarily disabled, the following procedure must be followed:

 The employee must notify the appropriate office (usually HR) for their disability to apply for short-term
disability coverage
 The employee must provide medical documentation that will describe the disability and provide an
estimation of the expected duration of the disability. Consultation from a physician may also be needed
 The employee will be given legal forms to complete (e.g. Family and Medical Leave application form,
SSP1 etc.)
 The employee will be notified if they are eligible for short-term disability benefits
 The employee will use their sick leave and 50% of their paid time off before they can receive short-term
disability benefits
 After this period and after the whole of the elimination period has elapsed, the employee may start
collecting short-term disability checks
 The employee may be required to report on their condition periodically
 The disability leave may be extended without additional pay, if the employee’s disability falls is covered
under relevant law (e.g. ADA)
 When an employee returns to work after a short-term disability leave, their condition must be evaluated. If they are
fully recovered no further action is necessary and they may return to their previous jobs with the same
responsibilities and conditions. If, however, they suffer from a permanent implication from the short-term disability
that hinders their ability to function, the company may have to arrange accommodations to help them. In this case,
our accessibility policy will be in effect.
In cases where there is a relapse or recurrence of a disability, the company and insurance provider will assess the
situation and decide on benefits.
 
Separation/Termination of Employment Policy Sample

This Termination/Separation of Employment Policy template is ready to be tailored to your company’s needs and

should be considered a starting point for setting up your employment policies. A termination/separation of
employment policy may also be referred to as an employee termination policy or termination of employment
policy.
Policy brief & purpose
Our Termination/Separation of Employment policy refers to the event that an employee ceases to be part of the
company’s workforce. It is beneficial for all parties that the employment separation process is as clear as possible so
misunderstandings and distrust between the employee and the company can be avoided. The company is bound to
handle any cases of termination of employment as dictated by law with discretion, professionalism and official
documentation.
Scope
This termination/separation of employment policy applies to all prospective or current employees of the company in
regards to possible separation of employment.
Policy elements
The company will observe all legal dictations referring to termination/separation of employment and will avoid
“implied contracts” and unnecessary terminations.
What is termination of employment?
Termination of employment happens when the contract of an employee is discontinued due to their or the
company’s actions.
The dismissal of an employee from their job duties may be categorized as voluntary or involuntary.
Voluntary dismissal may include the following:

 Resignation
 Retirement
 Failure to show for a specified number of days without notice
 Expiration or completion of contract
Involuntary dismissal may include the following:

 Discharge for cause

 Discharge without cause
Discharge for cause refers to immediate termination of employment due to an employee’s misconduct. Any kind of
disciplinary action or progressive discipline that results in termination may be considered “for cause”. Other
wrongful behaviors or actions that result in immediate dismissal are also considered “for cause”. Examples of such
termination of employees include circumstances where an employee:

 Breaches their contract of employment

 Is discovered guilty of fraud, embezzlement or other kinds of illegal actions against the company
 Is guilty of discriminatory behavior or harassment
 Is guilty of unlawful or immoral behavior on the job
 Is guilty of willful neglect of job responsibilities
 Is discovered to have caused intentional damage to company’s assets
 Continuously disregards company policy
 The list is not exhaustive therefore, discharge for cause remains at our company’s discretion. It must however
always reflect an unacceptable behavior or action that violates legal or company guidelines and may result in
financial and non-financial damages for the company, other employees or society.
Discharge without cause can occur when the company decides that the services of an employee are no longer
needed. In general, this does not refer to an employee’s conduct. Reasons for discharge without cause may
be layoffs, rearrangement of a department or redefining of a position. In cases an employee must be terminated
without cause, the company is obliged to give notice a specified amount of time prior to the date of termination
depending on time of service, age of employee or position. If the employee has to stop working before the date of
termination, the company will still provide compensation for the time remaining, specified as “pay in lieu of notice”.
The company may compensate the terminated employee for accrued vacation time when appropriate. Severance pay
may apply to cases of discharge without cause but not discharge for cause.
The company is bound by the law to refrain from wrongful dismissals of employees. Wrongful dismissal may occur
in cases when:

 An employee is terminated unfairly for cause

 An employee is terminated without cause and is not given prior notice
 An employee is forced into constructive dismissal
The company expects all employees with the right of terminating subordinates to strictly refrain from discharging
someone without adequate reason or without giving notice. Such an occurrence may be damaging for the company’s
respectability and may result in disciplinary action. Discharge on grounds of discrimination or filed health and safety
complaints is unlawful termination prohibited by legislation.
Constructive dismissal refers to an employee that has been forced to resign due to an employer’s intentional or
unintentional unlawful or hostile behavior (e.g. breach of contract). It will not be practiced by any means by the
company which is committed to maintain a relationship of honesty and fairness between itself and employees.
Procedure
In cases of resignation, the employee must submit an official written resignation letter to the immediate supervisor.
A notice is expected by the employee consistent with the minimum notice requirement, so the company can arrange
alternatives for handling the remaining workload of the position. The resignation letter must be copied and
submitted to the Human Resources department.
In cases of involuntary dismissal, the supervisor must submit an employee termination document to the human
resources department at the date of separation or before that. Discharge for cause justifies immediate suspension
until the necessary documentation for termination has been gathered. In some instances, a termination meeting with
the employee, supervisor and a human resources officer may be scheduled.
In cases of discharge without cause, the employer must officially notify the employee of the termination a specified
amount of time in advance. When severance pay is appropriate it will be officially stated in writing.
At all times, proper employee records will be kept containing all relevant documentation. A lawyer will be consulted
prior to termination so the company can ensure the legality of its actions.
 
Solicitation company policy
Policy brief & purpose
Our solicitation company policy outlines our restrictions for distributing materials and soliciting funds, donations
and signatures in activities or groups.
Scope
This policy applies to all employees as well as external visitors, partners and customers that may be on company
premises during working hours.
“Workplace” refers to any area on premises where employees work (offices, meeting rooms, reception etc.) This
definition excludes cafeterias, common rooms, hallways or other places where employees don’t usually carry out
their job duties.
“Working hours” are any time during which an employee is expected to carry out their job duties. This definition
excludes meal or rest breaks.
This policy does not refer to any kind of work-related matters. Employees can discuss and request assistance or
participation in work-related projects. Discussions that fall under the purview of laws protecting unionizing are also
excluded from this policy.
Policy elements
 Solicitation is any form of requesting money, support or participation for products, groups, organizations or
causes which are unrelated to our company. These include but are not limited to:

 Seeking funds or donations for a non-profit organization

 Asking for signatures for a petition
 Selling merchandise or services
 Requesting support for a political candidate
 Engaging in religious proselytism
Distribution refers to disseminating literature or material for commercial or political purposes.
Non-employees
All of these forms of solicitation and distribution are strictly prohibited for non-employees on company premises,
unless previously authorized by senior management.
Former employees are prohibited from soliciting customers or other employees for business purposes and to their
benefit in and outside of company premises. The company may require employees to sign a non-solicitation
agreement before they leave the company.
Employees
As an employee, you may solicit from your colleagues only when you want to:

 Ask colleagues to help organize events for another employee (e.g. adoption/birth of a child, promotion,
retiring.)
 Seek support for a cause, charity or fundraising event sponsored, funded, organized or authorized by our
company.
 Invite colleagues to employee activities for an authorized non-business purpose (e.g. recreation,
volunteering.)
 Ask colleagues to participate in employment-related activities or groups protected by law (e.g. trade
unions.)
In all cases, we ask that you do not disturb or distract colleagues from their work. We also prohibit offensive
solicitation or solicitation for personal profit:

 Selling goods for personal profit.

 Requesting support or funding for political campaigns.
 Unauthorized posting of non-work related material on company bulletin boards.
 Solicitation or distribution of non-business literature towards customers, partners and vendors.
 Proselytizing others to groups or initiatives that violate non-discrimination and equal opportunity policies.
Employees have the legal right to refuse assistance or participation to any kind of activities or organizations.
Employees should not be forced or harassed to support fundraising events, collections, purchasing of merchandise or
other activities.
This policy applies in the same manner to all individuals or groups. Our company and managers must not allow one
group or person to engage in solicitation, while excluding others.
Employees may refer any questions or doubts to [their supervisor/ HR.]
Disciplinary Consequences
We may take disciplinary action ranging from reprimand to termination against employees who don’t conform to
this policy. Issues that may trigger disciplinary action include but are not limited to:

 Soliciting in our workplace during working hours for illegitimate reasons.

 Making colleagues uncomfortable by being overly persistent
 Distributing material that contain hate or other offensive speech
 Embezzling or mishandling donations by other employees for events or causes

Grievance procedure company policy

Policy brief & purpose
Our grievance procedure policy explains how employees can voice their complaints in a constructive way.
Supervisors and senior management should know everything that annoys employees or hinders their work, so they
 can resolve it as quickly as possible. Employees should be able to follow a fair grievance procedure to be heard and
avoid conflicts.
The company encourages employees to communicate their grievances. That way we can foster a supportive and
pleasant workplace for everyone.
Scope
This policy refers to everyone in the company regardless of position or status.
Policy elements
Grievance definition
We define grievance as any complaint, problem or concern of an employee regarding their workplace, job or
coworker relationships.
Employees can file grievances for any of the following reasons:

 Workplace harassment
 Health and safety
 Supervisor behavior
 Adverse changes in employment conditions
This list in not exhaustive. However, employees should try to resolve less important issues informally before they
resort to a formal grievance.
Employees who file grievances can:

 Reach out to their direct supervisor or HR department

 File a grievance form explaining the situation in detail
 Refuse to attend formal meetings on their own
 Appeal on any formal decision
Employees who face allegation have the right to:

 Receive a copy of the allegations against them

 Respond to the allegations
 Appeal on any formal decision
The company is obliged to:

 Have a formal grievance procedure in place

 Communicate the procedure
 Investigate all grievances promptly
 Treat all employees who file grievances equally
 Preserve confidentiality at any stage of the process
 Resolve all grievances when possible
 Respect its no-retaliation policy when employees file grievances with the company or external agencies
(e.g. equal employment opportunity committee)
Procedures
Employees are encouraged to talk to each other to resolve their problems. When this isn’t possible, employees
should know how to file a grievance:

1. Communicate informally with their direct supervisor. The supervisor will try to resolve the problem. When
employees want to complain about their supervisor, they should first try to discuss the matter and resolve it between
them. In that case, they’re advised to request an informal meeting. Supervisors should try to resolve any grievance as
quickly as possible. When they’re unable to do so, they should refer to the HR department and cooperate with all
other procedures.
2. If the grievance relates to a supervisor behavior that can bring disciplinary action (e.g. sexual harassment or
violence), employees should refer directly to the HR department or the next level supervisor.
3. Accommodate the procedure outlined below
The HR department (or any appropriate person in the absence of an HR department) should follow the procedure
below:
1. Ask employee to fill out a grievance form
2. Talk with the employee to ensure the matter is understood completely
3. Provide the employee who faces allegations with a copy of the grievance
4. Organize mediation procedures (e.g. arranging a formal meeting)
5. Investigate the matter or ask the help of an investigator when needed
6. Keep employees informed throughout the process
7. Communicate the formal decision to all employees involved
8. Take actions to ensure the formal decision is adhered to
9. Deal with appeals by gathering more information and investigating further
10. Keep accurate records
This procedure may vary according to the nature of a grievance. For example, if an employee is found guilty of
racial discrimination, the company will begin disciplinary procedures.
 
Employee Attendance Policy
Policy brief & purpose
Our employee attendance policy outlines our expectations about our employees’ coming to work. Being punctual
when coming to work helps maintain efficiency in our workplace.
Scope
This company attendance policy applies to all nonexempt employees regardless of position or type of employment.
Policy elements
Most employees need to collaborate with their colleagues to do their job. To make this collaboration easier, we
expect you to be punctual and follow the schedule you and your manager have agreed on. If you are absent or late on
occasion, you should have a good reason.
Being consistently tardy or absent can cause problems to your colleagues who may have to shoulder your work. This
behavior may bring about a “bad attendance” record and you may need to go through progressive discipline.
What is absenteeism and tardiness?
Absenteeism refers to frequent absence from an employee’s job responsibilities. This includes not coming to work
frequently or taking excessive sick leave without being able to submit doctor’s notes. 
Presenteeism refers to being present at work beyond your schedule even when we don’t require overtime. This can
cause you to overwork and have an impact on your productivity and job satisfaction. We want to ensure that you
keep your schedule both when coming to work and leaving.
Tardiness refers to coming in late, taking longer breaks than you’re entitled to and constantly leaving earlier from
work without reason. We probably won’t mind if you’re a bit late one morning or leave a little earlier on a Friday.
But, we want to make sure you generally follow your schedule and you don’t cause disruption in our workplace.
You are responsible for monitoring your working hours through our [timekeeping system/ software.] Please be
diligent in recording your hours, so you can receive your due payment.
Unforeseen absences
If you can’t come in to work one day, notify your manager as soon as possible. If your manager is in a different time
zone, contact HR instead. Afterwards, you should draw from your remaining PTO or sick leave to cover this
absence. Please record this in our [HR software] as quickly as possible. Unexcused or unreported absence for more
than three days will be considered job abandonment. If you need to leave work early one day, inform your manager. 
We will understand if you have good reasons for being absent, even if you don’t report it. Those reasons usually
involve serious accidents and family or acute medical emergencies. We may ask you to bring us doctor’s notes or
other verification. In these cases, we will record your absence as “excused.”
The following list, although not exhaustive, includes reasons that we don’t consider excused absence:

 Waking up late.
 Stopping on the way to work for personal reasons.
 Traffic or public transportation delays excluding situations that result in closing of roads.
 Bad weather, excluding extreme weather conditions like blizzards, hurricanes and floods.
 Holidays that haven’t been approved.
Good attendance
Employees who have less than [three incidents] of absenteeism or tardiness in a year will receive an additional paid
day off for next year. You have a good attendance record when you:
 Report consistently to work.
 Come to work at the scheduled shift start time.
 Leave work at the scheduled shift end time (except when paid overtime is required.)
 Remaining at work during working hours (excluding breaks.)
 Take breaks that don’t exceed an expected length.
 Notify your manager when you need to be absent or late.
 Be absent or late with good reasons only.
Manager’s responsibility
If you manage employees you are responsible to monitor their attendance. If you notice that a team member is
consistently late or absent, arrange a private meeting to discuss. Ask your team member whether they experience
issues with their schedule or whether they need help balancing their personal lives with work. Flexible hours, work
from home or time management training options may provide a solution. If you perceive a possible mental health
issue that results in absenteeism or tardiness, ask your team member to contact our [mental health professional] and
discuss what you can do to help them.
If you suspect that your team member abuses their sick leave or is wilfully tardy, you should inform HR and start a
progressive discipline process.
Disciplinary action
If your manager suspects you abuse your sick leave, you may need to submit doctor’s notes to avoid our progressive
discipline process. If you’re being tardy unintentionally, corrective counseling will be our first attempt at a solution.
We may take disciplinary action that goes up to and including termination if:

 Corrective counseling doesn’t work.

 We find that you are wilfully tardy.
 Your tardiness or absenteeism impacts your work.
Unexcused and unreported absences don’t count as hours worked, so we won’t compensate them.