Termination Letter Template

Blank termination letter

[Company letterhead] [Date] PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL [Employee full name] [Employee address] Dear [Employee first name], This letter confirms our conversation today. Your employment with [Company name] as [Job title] will end effective [Termination date]. Reason. [One or two factual sentences, matching the version below. For an at-will termination where you choose not to give a reason, leave this out.] Final pay. Your final paycheck, including wages through [Termination date] [and payment for N hours of accrued, unused PTO], will be [given to you today / paid on Date by direct deposit / mailed to the address above]. You will receive your Form W-2 for [Year] by January 31. Benefits. Your [medical, dental and vision] coverage will end on [date]. You will receive a separate notice explaining how to continue coverage under COBRA [or state continuation law]. [Life and disability insurance end on Date; conversion options are described in the enclosed materials.] Your 401(k) balance remains yours; [Plan provider] will contact you about your options. Severance. [If offered: We are offering you severance of Amount in exchange for signing the enclosed separation agreement and release. You have N days to review it. / Omit if not offered.] Company property. Please return [laptop, badge, keys, phone, documents] by [date] to [person or address]. [We will send a prepaid shipping box.] Confidentiality. Your obligations under the [Confidentiality / Invention Assignment Agreement] you signed on [date] continue after your employment ends. A copy is enclosed. Unemployment. [Include your state's required unemployment notice; see the table below.] If you have questions about final pay or benefits, contact [HR name] at [phone] or [email]. Sincerely, [Name] [Title] Enclosures: [state unemployment notice, benefits information, separation agreement if any]

Worked example: performance termination after a PIP (Texas)

October 8, 2026 Dear Jordan, This letter confirms our conversation today. Your employment with Northfield Logistics, Inc. as Account Executive will end effective today, October 8, 2026. On July 13, 2026, we started a 60-day performance improvement plan with three goals: eight discovery calls per month, $150,000 in qualified pipeline, and weekly opportunity updates. The plan was extended once, to September 30. By that date, qualified pipeline was $71,000 and discovery calls averaged five per month. Your final paycheck, including wages through today and 36 hours of accrued, unused PTO under our policy, will be paid by direct deposit on October 14, 2026, within the six days Texas law requires. Your health, dental and vision coverage ends on October 31, 2026. Our COBRA administrator will send you an election notice by mail. Please return your laptop and badge using the prepaid box we will send to your home address this week. If you have questions, contact Sam Patel in HR at (512) 555-0190. Sincerely, Dana Whitfield, Sales Director

Details to confirm before drafting

Employee name, title and home address

Work state— sets final pay timing and the unemployment notice

Termination date and last day worked

Reason category— misconduct / performance / position eliminated / introductory period / job abandonment / contract end

Version 1: Termination for misconduct (for cause)

Reason paragraph: "On [date], you [specific conduct, e.g. used a colleague's login to approve your own expense claims totaling $1,840]. This violates our [Policy name], which you acknowledged on [date]. We investigated, including meeting with you on [date] to hear your account, and concluded that the policy was violated. As a result, your employment is terminated effective immediately." Keep it to the facts the investigation established. Don't use words like "theft" or "fraud" unless counsel agrees; describe the conduct instead.

Version 2: Termination for poor performance

Reason paragraph: "Since [date], we have discussed concerns about [specific area] in [1:1s on dates / a written warning on date / a performance improvement plan from date to date]. The plan set these goals: [goals]. By [end date], [results against each goal]. Because the required improvement was not achieved, your employment will end on [date]."