How to fire a programmer

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2183258

by bob_slydell • 15 years ago

7 6 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Ignoring the issues surrounding the decision to let a programmer go. What should the team/management do when firing a programmer?

* What do you tell the rest of the team? * How do you actually go about firing someone? * What do you do if they have copies of code/data on their laptops? * How does the team move forward after this decision?

warmwaffles• 15 years ago

If they signed a Non-Disclosure Act then you are covered legally to sue the living crap out of them should they use or distribute the code.

If they have code on their laptops make sure they delete it obviously and get with your attorney.

Just let them go, and let the team know along with the programmer in question as to why you let them go.

nika2• 15 years ago

There really is no practical way to "make sure" they delete anything. They could have seen the writing on the wall weeks ago and smuggled code out.

If I was bringing my own laptop into a job, and they fired me and wanted to see what was on my laptop, the response I'd give them is "show me a court order."

This is one of the reasons why it is a good idea to provide your employees with the equipment they need to do the job.

If it is their laptop, then you do not have the right to go snooping around in it, you pretty much (absent prior written agreement) have to take their word that they have or will delete anything proprietary.

tst• 15 years ago

Nonetheless, many people steal data from their former employer: http://www.cio.com/article/481883/More_Than_Half_of_Fired_Em...

[...] employees on the day they were laid off all tried to grab corporate information about high-worth individuals thinking it could help them in the future.

Maybe this should be taken in consideration for your firing process.

nika2• 15 years ago

Firing someone is one of the situations where you can get into legal trouble. So the best advice I can give is to not be heavy handed, and be respectful of the subjects rights and feelings.

The best opportunity to do it would be if they stay later than the rest of the team, or come in earlier, to do it away from the rest of the team. It is humiliating to fire someone and then parade them in front of the team. Asking them to stay late (Eg: 5:30 if the team goes home at 5) on a friday night might be a good way to do it.

You inform them that they have signed a confidentiality agreement and need to delete any copies of proprietary code or data they may have.

Be sure to give them some severance, unless they committed a heinous crime. Some companies make you sign an agreement not to sue as part of severance. Have all this work out after you fire them, rather than on the spot. (You don't want to force them to give up rights in an emotional situation, where they are ambushed by the firing and thus, by definition, have not had an opportunity to consult with a lawyer.)

Whatever they have done, realize this is a failure on your part. Treat them respectfully, and do not fall into the trap of attempting to rationalize or justify it. IF you can give them an honest answer as to why (assuming this is not for cause) then do so. Otherwise they may well assume it is for age, religion, skin color, etc.

Having a letter of recommendation written "To whom it may concern" beforehand and signed by signficiant people in the company (if this is a startup, that means the CEO) would be a classy thing to do. (again assuming it is not for cause.)

If it is for cause then you have to tell them the cause. If they dispute it, then say that decision to fire is made and if they wish to they can of course consult a lawyer.

The team will move forward even if you do everything wrong. But how you treat the employee, no matter what they did, will affect how the team sees you. So, treat them as you would want to be treated.

shortlived• 15 years ago

Regarding "how" - do it fast and quick. We recently had some drawn out reorg at my company and it was really stressful knowing something might happen to you. When a firing does it happen, it should be as quick and painless as possible. To move forward, do just that. Give the team a quick explanation of what happened, and then move on with life and start searching for a replacement.

PS - I am not a manager. This is just from observation.

khanm• 15 years ago

You should make it as quick and painless as possible, first thing in the morning and on a Friday. (so that they have the weekend to think about what happened and so that they dont show up on say tuesday if you fired them on monday...awkward)

Get everyone who sits around them first to be occupied in a meeting somewhere else.

5-10 min later...

Then arrive at the employee's desk and tell them that you would like to speak with them for a moment outside. just make a remark as they get up to get any personal belongings.

walk them out the door and let them know that you appreciate their efforts but seem to come to a conclusion that they will not be needed anymore and that HR will have anything they really need from their personal work desk at the end of the day.

First thing Monday let everyone know in a one on one meeting that the employee has been discharged in a serious way.

No one should be making a big deal out of this.

the end...

How to fire a programmer

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