Are we required to talk to the parents of a terminated employee?
Question
The parents of a recently terminated employee have called us several times asking us why their son was fired. Are we required to discuss the matter with them?
Answer
No, you have no obligation to explain to them why their son’s employment was terminated, and we would not recommend doing so. If you decide to respond so they’ll stop calling you, you can emphasize that you don’t discuss employment matters with anyone except the employee. You can tell them that their son can reach out to you himself if he has additional questions about his termination.
