Mercedes,
You are right. Dismissing an employee is never a pleasant task, but it is sometimes necessary. I agree with having another person/manager in the room just in case there is an issue. But a termination should never come as a surprise if the dismissal is performance related. The supervisor should have been working with the employee all along in an attempt to improve performance. Stating the reason for the dismissal in a clear, concise manner is the most effective way to complete the task. Be factual keeping the emotion out of the process.
Pat
