Steer clear of these 7 red flags before you terminate

Before firing anyone, ask yourself the following seven questions. If you answer “Yes” to any, your risk of sparking a lawsuit rises greatly, so contact your HR department before proceeding with a termination.

Question Yes No

1. Is the employee over age 40?

2. Is the employee disabled in any way?

3. Has the employee been injured on the job or filed a workers’ comp claim?

4. Is the employee a minority or a woman with any conceivable discrimination claim?

5. Is the employee able to claim any discrimination based

on religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual preference or other grounds?

6. Has the employee been involved in a sexual harassment dispute?

7. Has the worker been a whistle-blower?