Do I Need to Tell an Employee Why She is Being Fired?

Not initially at least. In general, employers are free to say – or not say – as much or as little as they want to departing employees. Employees often ask for a reason in the termination meeting, but that by itself does not mean an employer needs to give them one.

But there are a lot of exceptions in employment law, this being one. In Minnesota, if within 15 business days of her involuntary termination, the employee requests in writing the reason for her termination, the company must provide her with the truthful reason(s) within 10 business days of receipt of her request.

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