What this is
A line-by-line script and coordination checklist for delivering a termination decision, plus exact language to use and avoid so the wrong phrase in the room doesn't become evidence later.
When to use it
Use it to prep in the hours before the conversation, after HR has confirmed the decision, effective date, and final pay, not to improvise once you're in the room.
Common mistake
Apologizing, or explaining who made the call, both read as the manager believing the decision was wrong, which is exactly what can later be used to argue it wasn't warranted.
How to use this
- Download the Word doc, or copy the script above.
- Run every line past your own HR and legal counsel before the meeting, word choices here carry legal weight.
- Rehearse the five lines so you can say them without reading off a page in the room.
Short, direct, defensible. This is one of the hardest conversations a manager has to have, and preparation matters more here than almost anywhere else. Every "Legal/HR tip" below exists because the wrong phrase in this room becomes evidence, run it by your own HR and legal counsel before using it.
Your role in this conversation
You own delivering the decision. You listen. You hand off. That's it. You are not there to explain, justify, negotiate, or process their reaction with them, HR owns pay, benefits, equipment, agreements, and every question with legal weight. The whole conversation, start to finish, should take a few minutes. Long conversations create more risk, not less.
☐ Before you walk in — HR has confirmed the decision, effective date, and final pay are ready
Don't have this conversation until HR tells you it's a go.
☐ IT knows the exact time to cut access
Email, systems, badge, VPN, all cut at or immediately after the conversation, not before, not hours later.
☐ Room is booked (in person) or the call is set (remote)
Private. Not a glass conference room in the middle of the floor.
☐ A second person is with you
HR or another witness. Never do this alone.
☐ HR is present or reachable immediately after
The employee should move straight from you to HR, same day, same sitting if possible.
☐ You know the exit plan
In office: route out, personal items in a box, escort if your company requires it. Remote: equipment return process and timing.
☐ Timing is deliberate
Early in the week, early in the day. Never end of day Friday, never right before a holiday, the employee needs hours where support is actually reachable.
☐ You are not carrying any new information into this room
If it's not already documented and reviewed with HR, it does not belong in this conversation.
The Script
Say your part. Do not soften it into a longer conversation than it needs to be.
1. Say it directly, first
"Today is your last day with [Company]. This decision is final."
Why: No preamble, no small talk. Say the hardest sentence first so there is no ambiguity about why you're in the room.
Legal/HR tip: Confirm the effective date and that all approvals are final with HR before you walk in. Never announce a date you haven't had verified in writing.
Why: No preamble, no small talk. Say the hardest sentence first so there is no ambiguity about why you're in the room.
Legal/HR tip: Confirm the effective date and that all approvals are final with HR before you walk in. Never announce a date you haven't had verified in writing.
2. One line tying it to the documented history
"This follows the performance improvement plan and the timeline we discussed on [date]."
Why: Reference the documentation, don't re-explain it. This is not the moment to relitigate the PIP.
Legal/HR tip: Reference the PIP by date only. Don't hand over, read from, or summarize its contents live, if paperwork needs to be given to the employee, let HR do it.
Why: Reference the documentation, don't re-explain it. This is not the moment to relitigate the PIP.
Legal/HR tip: Reference the PIP by date only. Don't hand over, read from, or summarize its contents live, if paperwork needs to be given to the employee, let HR do it.
3. Hand off to HR
"[HR name] is going to walk you through pay, benefits, and next steps right now."
4. Give space, briefly
"I don't have anything to add beyond that. Do you have any questions for [HR name]?"
Why: Offer space without inviting a debate. You're directing them to HR, not opening the decision back up.
Legal/HR tip: If a question has any legal weight, benefits, pay, why them specifically, don't answer live even if you think you know the answer. "I don't have that, HR will cover it" is always the safe response.
Why: Offer space without inviting a debate. You're directing them to HR, not opening the decision back up.
Legal/HR tip: If a question has any legal weight, benefits, pay, why them specifically, don't answer live even if you think you know the answer. "I don't have that, HR will cover it" is always the safe response.
5. Close
"That's it from me. [HR name], I'll hand it to you."
Exact language: what to say, what never to say
These aren't style preferences. The wrong phrase here becomes evidence.
| Say this | Never say this |
|---|---|
| "Today is your last day." | "I'm so sorry about this." |
| "We made this decision based on the performance documented over the last [timeframe]." | "This wasn't my call, it came from [executives/HR/leadership]." |
| "This is based on the concerns and expectations we documented together." | Any comparison to a coworker, or "everyone agreed you weren't a fit." |
| "That's something HR will cover with you right after this." | Guessing at severance, benefits end dates, unemployment eligibility, or anything you're not certain of. |
| Nothing. Redirect to HR. | Any reference to age, health, family or leave status, a complaint they filed, or anything protected, even said sympathetically. |
Why it matters
An apology reads as the manager believing the decision was wrong or unjustified, it can be used to argue the termination wasn't warranted. If you need to acknowledge the moment is hard, use neutral phrasing like "I know this isn't easy" instead.
Deflecting ownership suggests the decision wasn't justified or was made arbitrarily. Own it as a company decision without naming who specifically decided, "This was a company decision" is as far as you go.
Comparisons invite the employee to argue relative fairness. Never say another employee's name in this meeting, for any reason, even a positive one.
A wrong guess from you can become a commitment the company has to honor, or a contradiction HR has to walk back. Treat every dollar figure, date, and eligibility question as HR's to answer, even ones you're fairly confident about.
Even a sympathetic, well-meaning reference to a protected characteristic can be read as evidence it factored into the decision. If the employee brings it up themselves, don't engage substantively, note exactly what was said and report it to HR in writing within 24 hours.
Deflecting ownership suggests the decision wasn't justified or was made arbitrarily. Own it as a company decision without naming who specifically decided, "This was a company decision" is as far as you go.
Comparisons invite the employee to argue relative fairness. Never say another employee's name in this meeting, for any reason, even a positive one.
A wrong guess from you can become a commitment the company has to honor, or a contradiction HR has to walk back. Treat every dollar figure, date, and eligibility question as HR's to answer, even ones you're fairly confident about.
Even a sympathetic, well-meaning reference to a protected characteristic can be read as evidence it factored into the decision. If the employee brings it up themselves, don't engage substantively, note exactly what was said and report it to HR in writing within 24 hours.
Handling pushback
Know in advance what you can answer and what you can't. Freezing or improvising here is where risk gets created.
If they say: "Why me? This isn't fair."
"This is based on the performance conversations and documentation we've reviewed together."
Don't elaborate further and don't compare to anyone else. Repeat once if needed, then redirect to HR. Resist the urge to soften this with reassurance about their skills or character, stick to the documented facts and stop there.
Don't elaborate further and don't compare to anyone else. Repeat once if needed, then redirect to HR. Resist the urge to soften this with reassurance about their skills or character, stick to the documented facts and stop there.
If they say: "Is this because of [my age / my leave / a complaint I filed / something protected]?"
Nothing. Redirect to HR.
Do not confirm, deny, or debate this in the room. This is the single highest legal risk moment in the conversation, if you have any reason to expect it might come up, talk it through with HR before the meeting, not during. Flag it to HR immediately after, regardless of how it was said.
Do not confirm, deny, or debate this in the room. This is the single highest legal risk moment in the conversation, if you have any reason to expect it might come up, talk it through with HR before the meeting, not during. Flag it to HR immediately after, regardless of how it was said.
If they say: "Can I get another chance / fix this?"
"This decision is based on documented performance. That's what I can speak to."
Say it once, plainly. Repeating it more than twice starts to sound like a negotiation is possible. Don't imply any possibility of reconsideration, even to be kind, "Let me see what I can do" doesn't belong in this meeting.
Say it once, plainly. Repeating it more than twice starts to sound like a negotiation is possible. Don't imply any possibility of reconsideration, even to be kind, "Let me see what I can do" doesn't belong in this meeting.
If they get angry or raise their voice
"I understand. The decision is final."
Stay calm and brief. Don't match their energy, don't defend yourself, don't debate the decision itself. If it escalates past what you can safely manage, end the meeting and loop in HR or security immediately rather than trying to talk it down alone.
Stay calm and brief. Don't match their energy, don't defend yourself, don't debate the decision itself. If it escalates past what you can safely manage, end the meeting and loop in HR or security immediately rather than trying to talk it down alone.
If they go quiet or start crying
Give them a moment. Don't fill the silence with new information or reassurance you can't back up. Have tissues in the room ahead of time, and don't rush them out the door.
If they say: "Can I say goodbye to my team / grab my things myself?"
This should already be decided before you walk in, not improvised live. Confirm your company's actual offboarding policy with HR ahead of time so you're relaying a real answer.
Coordination checklist
IT
☐ Exact cutoff time confirmed for email, internal systems, VPN, and badge access, timed to the conversation, not before it starts and not left open after.
HR
☐ Final pay figures, benefits summary, and any separation agreement ready to hand over
☐ Present in the room or on the call, or reachable the moment the conversation ends
☐ Present in the room or on the call, or reachable the moment the conversation ends
Facilities / security (in office)
☐ Route out of the building planned, avoid walking back through the main floor
☐ Personal items ready to go, or a plan for them to be shipped
☐ Personal items ready to go, or a plan for them to be shipped
Remote
☐ Equipment return process and shipping label ready
☐ Remote access disabled at the agreed time
☐ Remote access disabled at the agreed time
Team communication
☐ One neutral sentence prepared in advance for the rest of the team, something like: "[Name] is no longer with the company. Reach out to me if you have questions about the transition." No detail, no explanation, no speculation.
After the conversation
☐ Any further questions from the employee go to HR, not you, don't continue discussing the decision one on one afterward
☐ Deliver the prepared team message the same day
☐ If anything protected came up during pushback, flag it to HR in writing right away, timestamped, while it's fresh
☐ Deliver the prepared team message the same day
☐ If anything protected came up during pushback, flag it to HR in writing right away, timestamped, while it's fresh