What About Voluntary Resignations?

If one of your employees informs you that he or she is leaving, you should set up a time to discuss the matter, and then follow basically the same procedures that you would follow if you were the one who was ending the relationship.

Find out why employee is leaving. It's important to find out the worker's true reason for leaving, because:

• If there is a legal challenge by any party, you may need the information to prepare a defense.
• In a government investigation, you might have to compare your past record with the action in question, or compare future actions with this one.
• The information may be useful if the employee later files for unemployment benefits, and you want to contest them.
• If more than one employee leaves, you want to know if there is a pattern. Turnover is costly, especially for small business owners who have to take time away from their customers to search for, hire and train a replacement. If possible, you want to get the worker's reasons for leaving in writing and keep them in your permanent records.

The Business Tools area contains a sample exit interview questionnaire that you may use to gather information from departing employees.