Susana, I agree with your response. The one thought that comes to mind in terms of "less painful for everyone involved," is that it is important to recognize the fact that there are other employees who will continue in your employ who have to be comfortable remaining loyal to you as an employer. If the dismissal is performance based, there should have been a performance improvement plan with followup so that the termination is really no surprise. Regardless of the reason for the termination, I agree that it is important that the employee be allowed to maintain their dignity and respect even in the toughest of situations. Pat