{"attribution":{"name":"InterObservers Employer Desk","url":"https://interobservers.com/desk/"},"license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","applies_to":"The compilation: selection, structure, summaries and field names, by InterObservers Employer Desk.","official_sources":"Quoted statutes and agency text are reproduced verbatim from official government sources and remain the works of those governments. U.S. federal government works are in the public domain; state and local government material is quoted for reference with a link to the source.","attribution_required":"Credit \"InterObservers Employer Desk\" with a link to https://interobservers.com/desk/."},"disclaimer":"General information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the official source linked.","generated_at":"2026-09-24T23:28:24Z","api_version":"1.0.0","slug":"termination-letter","name":"Termination letter","description":"A plain, neutral termination letter: the decision, the last day, final pay, benefits, company property and a contact. Pick your state to see the final-pay rule that applies, with its official source.","page_url":"https://interobservers.com/desk/templates/termination-letter/","api_url":"https://interobservers.com/api/v1/templates/termination-letter.json","variant_of":null,"situation":{"slug":"fire-an-employee","name":"Fire an employee","page_url":"https://interobservers.com/desk/fire-an-employee/"},"fields":[{"key":"employee_name","label":"Employee name","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"job_title","label":"Employee job title","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"manager_name","label":"Your name (signs the letter)","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"manager_title","label":"Your job title","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"company_name","label":"Company name","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"letter_date","label":"Date of the letter","type":"date","required":true},{"key":"last_day","label":"Last day of employment","type":"date","required":true},{"key":"reason","label":"Reason stated in the letter","type":"select","required":true,"options":["This decision follows the performance concerns discussed with you and documented in earlier warnings.","This decision follows the conduct issues discussed with you and documented in earlier warnings.","Your position is being eliminated. This decision is not a reflection of your performance.","(Do not state a reason in the letter)"]},{"key":"reason_detail","label":"Additional detail (optional)","type":"textarea","required":false},{"key":"final_pay_date","label":"Date the final paycheck will be paid","type":"date","required":true},{"key":"benefits_contact","label":"Who to contact about benefits","type":"text","required":true},{"key":"property","label":"Company property to return","type":"textarea","required":true},{"key":"return_by","label":"Return property by","type":"date","required":false},{"key":"severance_detail","label":"Severance terms (only if you offer severance)","type":"textarea","required":false}],"clauses":[{"id":"severance","label":"Include severance paragraph","default":false},{"id":"state_notes","label":"Keep state-rule notes in the download (remove them before sending)","default":true}],"placeholder_syntax":"{{field_key}}","document":[{"type":"meta","text":"{{company_name}}"},{"type":"meta","text":"{{letter_date}}"},{"type":"meta","text":"To: {{employee_name}}, {{job_title}}"},{"type":"title","text":"Notice of Termination of Employment"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Dear {{employee_name}},"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"This letter confirms our conversation today. Your employment with {{company_name}} will end on {{last_day}}."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"{{reason}}","only_if_field":"reason"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"{{reason_detail}}","only_if_field":"reason_detail"},{"type":"heading","text":"Final pay"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Your final paycheck, covering wages earned through your last day, will be paid on {{final_pay_date}}."},{"type":"state_rule_note","rule_topic":"final_pay_fired","text":"[Note for you: check your state's rule on final pay after a termination before you send this. Verified rules by state: https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/final_pay_fired.json. State labor offices: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts]","clause":"state_notes"},{"type":"state_rule_note","rule_topic":"pto_payout","text":"[Note for you: check your state's rule on paying out unused vacation or PTO before you send this. Verified rules by state: https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/pto_payout.json. State labor offices: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts]","clause":"state_notes"},{"type":"heading","text":"Benefits"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Information about any benefits that continue after your last day, and about any options to continue health coverage, will be sent to you separately. For questions, contact {{benefits_contact}}."},{"type":"heading","text":"Company property"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Please return the following company property: {{property}}"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Please return it by {{return_by}}.","only_if_field":"return_by"},{"type":"heading","text":"Severance","clause":"severance"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"{{severance_detail}}","clause":"severance"},{"type":"state_rule_note","rule_topic":"separation_notice","text":"[Note for you: check your state's rule on notices to give a departing employee about unemployment benefits before you send this. Verified rules by state: https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/separation_notice.json. State labor offices: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts]","clause":"state_notes"},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Please confirm the mailing address where you would like to receive your final pay documents and year-end tax forms."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"If you have questions about this letter, please contact {{benefits_contact}}."},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Sincerely,"},{"type":"signature","lines":["{{manager_name}}, {{manager_title}}"]},{"type":"paragraph","text":"Received by employee (confirms receipt only): ______________________ Date: __________"}],"state_rules":[{"topic":"final_pay_fired","api_url":"https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/final_pay_fired.json"},{"topic":"pto_payout","api_url":"https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/pto_payout.json"},{"topic":"separation_notice","api_url":"https://interobservers.com/api/v1/rules/separation_notice.json"}],"sources":[{"name":"U.S. Department of Labor: Last paycheck","url":"https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/lastpaycheck"},{"name":"U.S. Department of Labor: Termination","url":"https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/termination"},{"name":"U.S. Department of Labor: Continuation of health coverage (COBRA)","url":"https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/health-plans/cobra"},{"name":"U.S. Department of Labor: State labor offices","url":"https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/state/contacts"},{"name":"EEOC: Recordkeeping requirements","url":"https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/recordkeeping-requirements"}],"license_note":"Free self-help template, not legal advice."}