Q: What are your thoughts about severence pay. I have never paid this in the past and an employee that I am releasing has requested this. She has been an employee for 5 years. Due to health reasons, she has missed many days and hours of work. It has become increasingly difficult to run the office short handed all the time. After explaining this to her, and after she got over the initial hurt, she has agreeded to stay on until we find her replacement. She has also agreeded to help train the new employee, but wants additional pay for this. My thoughts are to release her as soon as we find the new one, and train her myself. Sometimes bad feelings are communicated. I feel that I have given her ample notice, so I don't feel severence pay is warranted. I would appreciate your help and thoughts. A: Thanks for the e-mail .. one position I discuss in my class .. chapter four regarding hiring .. training .. firing staff .. is have a locksmith on retainer. I really don't mean this .. but when and if you decide to fire someone .. after repeated attempts to salavge their position .. I tell the class to ask the employee for the office key .. and have them out by either the afternoon break or befor the day ends .. preferrably before lunch. I give them one week's pay if they work after least six months and two week's if they work more than one year. I don't want to go home that day or leave for lunch until the locks are changed .. no matter how you regard this person. Obviously .. if you fire someone they can apply for unemployment .. but it may be worth it .. Furthermore .. if you give them the severance pay (two weeks pay it is like a two week notice) they leave and you make it without them. I always found that if you ask someone to leave .. and have them hang around ..a) their negativity will be transferred to the new person b) you are always suspicious of what is going to happen. Bite the bullet .. give her the money .. and let her go. If you wish to wait until you hire the new one .. okay .. but she leaves and you make the time to train the new one .. get their key and change the locks .. that's my opinion Have a Great Day Dr. M