So you have just had the unfortunate news that you have been fired, what now? First things first do you have your employee handbook? It’s probably under a pile of old papers in a desk drawer or at home in the office but it would be wise to find it. Everyone should do their due diligence and read it from time to time. A good employee is a knowledgeable employee. Ever wonder why its hard to fire certain coworkers even when they mess up, it’s because they know the policies and procedures of the organization better than all of their counterparts. Those policies are there to enforce the company mission but also to help you but only if you know what your rights are.

Here are a few tips hopefully you wont ever need but even good employees get fired!

1. Stay Calm, your actions (or reactions) can come back to haunt you, be professional even in the worst of times
2. Get your employee handbook, read it, make sure your manager is playing by the rules.
3. Get it in writing…. At the end of the day you won’t win any “he said she said” arguments. On the flip side HR professionals we need to do our jobs right, give them the courtesy and time by out-processing these individuals correctly.
4. Make sure you always keep copies of any performance related emails or appraisals; these could be your saving grace.
5. Dust yourself off and starting looking for your next opportunity. Sometimes it could be the best thing for you, some of us have a tendency to stay in bad situations far too long and are scared of change.

Note to fellow HR Professionals: Firing anyone is not easy, it’s a tough situation, but having to rehire an individual for not following policy makes for a very bad situation plus damage to your credibility. Lets do it right the first time.