Employment Termination Letter Template to Communicate Clearly and Protect Your Organization

Create clear, compliant termination letters in minutes with Winslow’s free, editable template. Designed for HR teams and managers handling employee separations, layoffs, or dismissals.

How It Works: Write a Termination of Employment Letter in Three Simple Steps

Creating a downloadable termination of employment letter is simple and fast:

Enter Employee and Termination Details

Fill in the employee’s name, position, department, and termination date.

Download Your Letter

Instantly export your employment termination letter template in Word format for easy editing and record-keeping.

Customize and Send

Add the reason for termination, final paycheck details, and required company property returns, then send to the employee and update your records.

What Is an Employment Termination Letter Template?

An employment termination letter template is a formal document used by employers to notify an employee that their employment is ending. It specifies the effective date, reason for termination, final pay and benefits, and next steps for offboarding.

A well-designed termination letter template includes:

Employee & Company Details

Full names, job title, department, and company contact information.

Clear Statement of Termination

Directly states the employment is ending and the effective date.

Reason for Termination

Editable section for performance, policy violation, layoff, or at-will termination.

Severance & Benefits

Outlines final paycheck, accrued leave, severance, and benefits continuation (e.g., COBRA).

Return of Company Property

Checklist for laptops, ID cards, keys, and other assets.

Post-Employment Obligations

Reminders about ongoing confidentiality or non-compete agreements.

Why HR Teams Need a Termination Letter Template

A professionally crafted termination of employment letter is essential for:

Legal Protection

Documenting the reason and process for termination reduces risk of disputes or claims.

Consistency

Ensures every termination is handled with the same standards and professionalism.

Clarity for Employees

Clearly communicates the decision, final pay, benefits, and next steps, reducing confusion and stress.

Efficiency

Cuts drafting time from 30+ minutes to under 4 minutes, freeing up HR resources.

Simplify HR Documentation with Winslow

Winslow automates routine HR tasks like employee questions and onboarding, boosting efficiency. It integrates seamlessly with Slack, Teams, and email, allowing HR teams to focus on strategic priorities.

How HR Managers Use Our Employment Termination Letter Template

HR managers rely on our offer letter generator for creating termination of employment letter for diverse positions, including:

Communicate dismissals for cause or without cause

Document layoffs and workforce reductions

Provide clear instructions for final pay and benefits

Maintain compliance and clear records

Editable templates for any industry or position

Handle terminations with clarity and professionalism

Don’t see your position? Don’t worry – our templates are customizable for any role.

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Frequently asked questions

Have further questions about Winslow, contact us at sales@usewinslow.com

Can the template handle all types of termination?

Yes, our template is fully editable for performance, misconduct, layoffs, redundancy, contract end, or at-will terminations.

Is the termination letter template free to use?

Yes! The basic template is free.

When should HR managers send termination letters?

Best practice is to send the letter immediately after the termination meeting, confirming the decision and outlining next steps.

How does the template support compliance?

It includes all key legal elements (reason, final pay, benefits, property return, confidentiality), helping protect your organization from disputes.

Ready to streamline your offboarding?

Create your termination letter in minutes with Winslow’s free template-trusted by HR professionals for clarity, compliance, and professionalism.

Trusted by Modern HR Teams

Built to lighten HR’s workload, Winslow ensures employees get fast answers while HR focuses on what matters most. Guided by HR industry experts from Xerox, BetterUp, and more, and backed by investors like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Reid Hoffman.