Employee offboarding process: resignation or termination to last day

US offboarding steps for managers and HR: confirm the exit type, final pay by state, COBRA notice, benefits, equipment return and access removal.

Employee offboarding process: resignation or termination to last dayManagerHRITCONFIRM THE SEPARATIONPAY AND BENEFITSLAST DAYResignationWork the noticeEnd it earlyTerminationNoYes or not sureYesNoYesYesNoNoRemoteOn-siteYesNoEmployee is leavingFor US managers and HR: steps froma resignation or termination to thelast day, covering final pay, COBRA,equipment and access.Federal rules as of October 2026.Final pay deadlines and somenotices depend on your state.Is it a resignation ora termination?Get the resignation in writingAn email is enough. Reply toacknowledge it and confirm the lastday.How will you handle thenotice period?Many employers ask for two weeks.Your policy decides whether theemployee works it or leaves sooner.Plan the handover across thenotice periodSet an earlier last day withHRDecide whether you will pay the restof the notice period. An earlier enddate can affect final pay timing andunemployment claims.Review the decision with HRbefore telling the employeeCheck the documentation, that thedecision matches how similar caseswere treated, and timing near anycomplaint, leave request oraccommodation request.Any sign ofdiscrimination orretaliation risk?Decision is ready to deliverAsk employment counsel toreview itDoes counsel clearit?Counsel signs off on the planPause the termination andfollow counsel's adviceHold a short, privatetermination meetingHave HR attend. State the decisionand the last day, explain final pay andbenefits, and collect equipment andbadge.Record the separation type,reason and last dayKeep the resignation email or thetermination documents, the datesand who approved.Set the final paycheck dateunder your state's rulesFederal law does not requireimmediate final pay, but some statesdo. Deadlines can differ forresignations and terminations.Check your state labor departmentfor the deadline and whether unusedvacation must be paid out.Is the employee onthe group healthplan?Is the employer subject tofederal COBRA?COBRA generally applies to privateemployers with 20 or moreemployees on more than half of theirtypical business days in the lastcalendar year.Notify the plan administratorwithin 30 daysTermination and a cut in hours arequalifying events. The plan then has14 days to send the COBRA electionnotice. If your company is also theplan administrator, check your plandocuments for the combineddeadline.The employee gets at least 60 daysto elect. Coverage after a job losscan last up to 18 months.Check your state'scontinuation coverage lawNo health continuationnotice neededExplain the other benefitsRetirement plan options, lifeinsurance conversion, FSA or HSAdeadlines, and any severance terms.Put severance terms in writing.Plan the knowledgehandoverList open work, key contacts,recurring tasks and where files live.Give each item a named new owner.Schedule access removal forthe end of the last dayCover email, single sign-on, VPN,admin accounts, shared passwordsand badges. For a termination, cutaccess during the meeting.Remote or on-site?Send a prepaid return kitwith a deadlineCollect laptop, badge, keysand cards in personDid all theequipment comeback?Log the returned itemsFollow up in writing and lockthe device remotelyCheck your state's rules beforededucting anything from final pay.Revoke all remaining accessat the agreed timeTransfer ownership of files andshared mailboxes first. Rotate anyshared passwords the person knew.Offer an exit interviewUsually for resignations. Ask whythey are leaving, what to keep andwhat to change. Look for trendsacross exits.Pay the final paycheck ontimeEmployee offboarded andaccess closed

Confirm the separation

  1. Employee is leavingManager

    For US managers and HR: steps from a resignation or termination to the last day, covering final pay, COBRA, equipment and access.

    Federal rules as of October 2026. Final pay deadlines and some notices depend on your state.

  2. Is it a resignation or a termination?Manager
  3. Get the resignation in writingManager

    An email is enough. Reply to acknowledge it and confirm the last day.

  4. How will you handle the notice period?Manager

    Many employers ask for two weeks. Your policy decides whether the employee works it or leaves sooner.

  5. Plan the handover across the notice periodManager

    Then go to step 15, Record the separation type, reason and last day

  6. Set an earlier last day with HRHR

    Decide whether you will pay the rest of the notice period. An earlier end date can affect final pay timing and unemployment claims.

    Then go to step 15, Record the separation type, reason and last day

  7. Review the decision with HR before telling the employeeHR

    Check the documentation, that the decision matches how similar cases were treated, and timing near any complaint, leave request or accommodation request.

  8. Any sign of discrimination or retaliation risk?HR
  9. Decision is ready to deliverHR

    Then go to step 14, Hold a short, private termination meeting

  10. Ask employment counsel to review itHR
  11. Does counsel clear it?HR
  12. Counsel signs off on the planHR

    Then go to step 14, Hold a short, private termination meeting

  13. Pause the termination and follow counsel's adviceHR
  14. Hold a short, private termination meetingManager

    Have HR attend. State the decision and the last day, explain final pay and benefits, and collect equipment and badge.

  15. Record the separation type, reason and last dayHR

    Keep the resignation email or the termination documents, the dates and who approved.

Pay and benefits

  1. Set the final paycheck date under your state's rulesHR

    Federal law does not require immediate final pay, but some states do. Deadlines can differ for resignations and terminations.

    Check your state labor department for the deadline and whether unused vacation must be paid out.

  2. Is the employee on the group health plan?HR
  3. Is the employer subject to federal COBRA?HR

    COBRA generally applies to private employers with 20 or more employees on more than half of their typical business days in the last calendar year.

  4. Notify the plan administrator within 30 daysHR

    Termination and a cut in hours are qualifying events. The plan then has 14 days to send the COBRA election notice. If your company is also the plan administrator, check your plan documents for the combined deadline.

    The employee gets at least 60 days to elect. Coverage after a job loss can last up to 18 months.

    Then go to step 22, Explain the other benefits

  5. Check your state's continuation coverage lawHR

    Then go to step 22, Explain the other benefits

  6. No health continuation notice neededHR
  7. Explain the other benefitsHR

    Retirement plan options, life insurance conversion, FSA or HSA deadlines, and any severance terms. Put severance terms in writing.

Last day

  1. Plan the knowledge handoverManager

    List open work, key contacts, recurring tasks and where files live. Give each item a named new owner.

  2. Schedule access removal for the end of the last dayIT

    Cover email, single sign-on, VPN, admin accounts, shared passwords and badges. For a termination, cut access during the meeting.

  3. Remote or on-site?IT
  4. Send a prepaid return kit with a deadlineIT

    Then go to step 28, Did all the equipment come back?

  5. Collect laptop, badge, keys and cards in personIT
  6. Did all the equipment come back?IT
  7. Log the returned itemsIT

    Then go to step 31, Revoke all remaining access at the agreed time

  8. Follow up in writing and lock the device remotelyIT

    Check your state's rules before deducting anything from final pay.

  9. Revoke all remaining access at the agreed timeIT

    Transfer ownership of files and shared mailboxes first. Rotate any shared passwords the person knew.

  10. Offer an exit interviewHR

    Usually for resignations. Ask why they are leaving, what to keep and what to change. Look for trends across exits.

  11. Pay the final paycheck on timeHR
  12. Employee offboarded and access closedHR

Outcomes

Pause the termination and follow counsel's advice

You get here from step 11, Does counsel clear it? (No).

Employee offboarded and access closed

You get here from step 33, Pay the final paycheck on time.