Termination Process & Documentation

Purpose

Defines how Spartan handles employee terminations — both for cause and without cause — to protect the company legally, treat employees with dignity, and ensure a clean operational handoff.

Who This Applies To

Josh (decision authority) and any manager executing a termination with Josh's approval.

Types of Termination

For Cause — PIP Failure

• PIP milestones were not met within the defined period.
• Full documentation trail exists: Note to File → Verbal Warning → PIP → Termination.

For Cause — Immediate

The following may result in immediate termination without a PIP:

• No-call, no-show (without approved leave)
• Safety violations that endanger others
• Theft, fraud, or dishonesty
• Customer abuse or threatening behavior
• Substance use violation (on-duty)

Without Cause (Layoff)

• Business conditions require headcount reduction.
• Must still follow the documentation and offboarding steps below.

Termination Process — Steps

Step 1 — Josh Approves

No termination proceeds without Josh's explicit approval. Period.

Step 2 — Prepare Documentation Before the Meeting

• Final paycheck calculation (Paylocity) — Ohio requires payment within the next regular pay period
• Return of company property checklist (see Termination & Offboarding card)
• ServiceTitan account deactivation plan
• Paylocity access termination
• Enterprise gas card cancellation
• Tradeshift access removal (if applicable)

Step 3 — Termination Meeting

• Conduct in a private setting. Never in front of other employees.
• Be direct and brief: "We are ending your employment effective today."
• State the reason clearly (for-cause) or use neutral language (without-cause).
• Present the final paycheck or confirm the timeline.
• Do not argue, debate, or over-explain. The decision is final.
• Have a witness present (manager + Josh or another leader).

Step 4 — Collect Company Property

At the termination meeting or immediately after:

• [ ] Company vehicle (keys, gas card, any equipment)
• [ ] ServiceTitan-issued device (tablet, phone if company-issued)
• [ ] Uniforms / Spartan apparel (can be waived at Josh's discretion)
• [ ] Any customer files, documents, or keys in the employee's possession

Step 5 — System Access Termination (Same Day)

• [ ] Deactivate ServiceTitan user account
• [ ] Terminate Paylocity access
• [ ] Remove from Slack workspace
• [ ] Cancel Enterprise gas card
• [ ] Remove from Tradeshift (if applicable)
• [ ] Change any shared passwords the employee had access to

Step 6 — Final Pay and Documentation

• Final paycheck processed through Paylocity per Ohio law.
• Copy of termination documentation placed in personnel file.
• If for-cause: note documentation trail is on file.

No-Show New Hires

From Slack: If a new hire does not show up on Day 1, the hiring manager is the first contact. If the manager no longer needs the employee, remove them from the system immediately. This prevents ghost employees in ServiceTitan and Paylocity.

Important Notes

• Ohio is an at-will employment state — terminations without cause are legal, but documentation is still essential.
• Never tell a terminated employee you will "see what you can do" about rehire. It creates expectations.
• Consult with an employment attorney before terminating any employee who is on FMLA, workers comp, or other protected leave.

Related SOPs

• Termination & Offboarding Process (Employee Handbook card)
• Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) Process
• Background Check & Drug Screening — relevant for for-cause situations