District of Columbia Employee Termination Letter
NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
[COMPANY LETTERHEAD]
1. NOTICE INFORMATION
| Field | Information |
|---|---|
| Company | [COMPANY LEGAL NAME] |
| Employee | [EMPLOYEE LEGAL NAME] |
| Position | [JOB TITLE] |
| Date of Issuance | [DATE OF ISSUANCE] |
| Separation Date | [SEPARATION DATE] |
| Nature of Separation | [DISCHARGE / RESIGNATION / LABOR-DISPUTE SUSPENSION / OTHER] |
| Prior Employment Status | [AT-WILL / WRITTEN CONTRACT / COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT / OTHER] |
Company is ending or confirming the end of Employee's employment on the Separation Date. This document is a unilateral notice, not a separation agreement, release, restrictive covenant, or waiver.
2. FINAL PAY
Unless a collective agreement with a bona fide union specifies otherwise, D.C. Code § 32-1303 provides these rules:
- After discharge, earned wages are due no later than the working day following discharge.
- If a discharged or resigning employee is responsible for employer monies, the employer has four days after discharge or resignation to determine the accuracy of the employee's accounts, after which all earned wages must be paid.
- An employee who quits or resigns and does not have a written employment contract for more than 30 days must be paid on the next regular payday or within seven days after quitting or resigning, whichever is earlier.
- Wages earned before work is suspended because of a labor dispute are due no later than the next regular payday.
Applicable payment date: [DATE CALCULATED UNDER THE APPLICABLE RULE]. Payment method: [CHECK / DIRECT DEPOSIT / OTHER].
| Compensation item | Amount or treatment |
|---|---|
| Earned wages through Separation Date | $[AMOUNT] |
| Earned commission, bonus, or other compensation | [AMOUNT / CALCULATION / NOT APPLICABLE] |
| Vacation or paid leave | [TREATMENT UNDER CONTROLLING POLICY OR AGREEMENT] |
| Lawful deductions | [ITEMIZE / NONE] |
3. BENEFITS AND COBRA
Active-employee benefit coverage will end on [PLAN-SPECIFIC DATE] under the governing plan documents.
If the plan and separation are subject to federal COBRA, the separate election notice controls eligibility, duration, deadlines, premiums, and payment terms. Under 29 U.S.C. § 1166, the employer generally must notify the plan administrator within 30 days of the qualifying event, and the administrator generally must notify qualified beneficiaries within 14 days after receiving notice.
4. UNEMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
The D.C. Department of Employment Services—not Company—determines eligibility. Employee may review current information and begin the claim process at https://does.dc.gov/page/unemployment-compensation.
Company will provide accurate separation information and respond to agency requests as required.
5. COMPANY PROPERTY
Please return Company property to [CONTACT] by [DATE/TIME], or contact that person to arrange return. Property disputes will be handled separately from final-pay obligations.
6. SEPARATE AGREEMENTS AND PROTECTED ACTIVITY
This Notice does not create, expand, incorporate, or reaffirm a confidentiality or restrictive covenant. Any separate agreement must be reviewed independently for current enforceability.
This Notice does not restrict communications or activities protected by applicable law, including rights under 29 U.S.C. § 157 where applicable.
7. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT
Employee's signature acknowledges receipt only. It is not an agreement, representation, release, or waiver and is not required for payment of wages.
| Company | Employee (Receipt Only) |
|---|---|
| By: ___________________________ | ______________________________ |
| Name: [AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY] | [EMPLOYEE NAME] |
| Title: [TITLE] | |
| Date: _________________________ | Date: _________________________ |
SOURCES AND REFERENCES
- D.C. Code § 32-1303: https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/32-1303
- D.C. unemployment information: https://does.dc.gov/page/unemployment-compensation
- 29 U.S.C. § 157: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title29/USCODE-2024-title29-chap7-subchapII-sec157
- 29 U.S.C. § 1161: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title29/USCODE-2024-title29-chap18-subchapI-subtitleB-part6-sec1161
- 29 U.S.C. § 1166: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title29/USCODE-2024-title29-chap18-subchapI-subtitleB-part6-sec1166
About this template
- Last updated
- July 28, 2026
- Citations checked
- July 28, 2026
- Jurisdiction
- District of Columbia
- Category
- Employment & HR
Legal authority
- D.C. Code § 32-1303(1)-(3) (payment after discharge, resignation, or labor-dispute suspension)
- 29 U.S.C. § 157 (protected concerted activity, where applicable)
- 29 U.S.C. §§ 1161 and 1166 (federal COBRA coverage and notice framework)
Employment documents govern the relationship between a company and its workers, from offer letters and employment agreements through handbooks, performance reviews, and separations. Done right, they set clear expectations, protect against wrongful termination and discrimination claims, and give both sides a record to rely on. Done poorly, they invite lawsuits, agency complaints, and costly disputes.
Not legal advice
This template is provided for informational purposes. We recommend having an attorney review any legal document before signing, especially for high-value or complex matters.
Checked against the law it cites
A reviewer verified this template's legal citations against the official source on July 28, 2026.
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