NOTICE OF TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT

(Tennessee – At-Will Employment)

[// GUIDANCE: This template is intentionally structured in numbered, contract‐style sections to maximize clarity, cross-referencing, and enforceability. Feel free to adjust stylistic elements to reflect your firm’s letterhead or preferred formatting conventions.]

I. DOCUMENT HEADER

1. Parties.
   This Notice of Termination of Employment (the “Notice”) is issued by [Employer Legal Name], a [State of Organization] [Entity Type] having its principal place of business at [Address] (the “Company”), to [Employee Name], residing at [Address] (the “Employee”).

2. Effective Dates.
   a. Date of Notice: [Date Notice Delivered]
   b. Termination Date: [Termination Effective Date] (the “Termination Date”)

3. Governing Law & Venue.
   This Notice and any dispute arising hereunder shall be governed by the laws of the State of Tennessee, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules, and adjudicated exclusively in the state courts located in [County, Tennessee].

II. DEFINITIONS

For ease of reference, capitalized terms used herein have the meanings set forth below:

“Accrued Benefits” – Any unused, vested, and payable vacation, PTO, commissions, or other wage-based compensation earned through the Termination Date, calculated in accordance with Company policy and applicable law.

“COBRA” – The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, and the corresponding continuation health-care coverage requirements.

“Final Pay” – All wages, salary, and Accrued Benefits owed to Employee as of the Termination Date.

III. OPERATIVE PROVISIONS

1. At-Will Employment Confirmation.
   Employee’s employment with the Company has always been on an at-will basis. Accordingly, the Company hereby terminates Employee’s employment effective as of the Termination Date for [Insert: “business reasons,” “performance-related reasons,” “reduction in force,” etc.].

2. Final Pay Timing.
   In accordance with Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103, the Company will tender Employee’s Final Pay no later than (a) the next regularly scheduled payday or (b) twenty-one (21) calendar days after the Termination Date, whichever occurs later. Final Pay will be delivered via [direct deposit/check] and will include a statement itemizing all deductions as required by law.

3. Benefits & COBRA Continuation.
   a. Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance. Coverage under the Company’s group health plans will cease at 11:59 p.m. on the Termination Date.
   b. COBRA Notice. Under federal law, Employee may be eligible to continue group health-care coverage at Employee’s expense. A separate COBRA Election Notice, detailing rights, costs, and deadlines, will be provided within the statutorily required timeframe.
   c. Other Benefits. Eligibility for all other Company-sponsored benefits (e.g., life insurance, disability, 401(k)) will terminate in accordance with the applicable plan documents. Employee will receive plan-specific notices where required.

4. Unemployment Insurance.
   Employee may be entitled to apply for unemployment compensation through the Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development. Eligibility determinations are made solely by the State. The Company will comply with all information requests from the agency.

5. Return of Company Property.
   Employee must, on or before the Termination Date (or by [Return Date] if later agreed in writing), return all Company property in Employee’s possession or control, including but not limited to: keys, access cards, computers, mobile devices, documents (electronic and hard copy), and Intellectual Property.
   [// GUIDANCE: Attach a schedule for itemized property if appropriate.]

6. Confidentiality & Post-Employment Obligations.
   Employee remains bound by any confidentiality, non-disclosure, proprietary rights, non-competition, or non-solicitation obligations previously agreed to, each of which survives termination in accordance with its terms.

7. Reference Inquiries.
   The Company’s policy is to disclose only dates of employment and last position held, unless otherwise required by law or with Employee’s written authorization.

8. Company Records & Acknowledgment.
   Employee is asked to acknowledge receipt of this Notice by signing in the space provided below. Failure or refusal to sign does not invalidate the effectiveness of this Notice.

IV. REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES & DISCLAIMERS

1. No Further Compensation.
   Other than the Final Pay and Accrued Benefits expressly described herein and any vested benefits under qualified retirement plans, Employee acknowledges that no further wages, bonuses, severance, or other compensation is owed.

2. Accuracy of Information.
   The Company represents that the wage information contained herein is accurate to the best of its knowledge as of the Date of Notice.

3. Non-Admission.
   This Notice shall not be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing by either party.

V. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. Entire Notice.
   This Notice, together with any surviving agreements referenced in Section III.6, constitutes the entire understanding between the parties concerning termination of employment and supersedes any prior oral or written statements regarding the subject matter hereof.

2. Severability.
   If any provision of this Notice is held unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

3. Amendments.
   No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Notice shall be valid unless in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the Company.

4. Electronic Signatures.
   Electronic signatures (including PDF, DocuSign®, or similar) shall be deemed originals for all purposes.

VI. EXECUTION BLOCK

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Notice as of the Date of Notice set forth above.

[// GUIDANCE: Notarization is not required for a Tennessee termination letter, but you may add a notary block if your client desires additional formality.]

OPTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

1. COBRA Election Notice (if employer is plan administrator)
2. Tennessee Department of Labor – How to File for Unemployment Benefits
3. Itemized List of Company Property to be Returned
4. Copy of Post-Employment Confidentiality/Restrictive Covenant Agreement

[// GUIDANCE:
1. Before issuing, confirm compliance with any internal policies or collective bargaining agreements.
2. If offering severance, integrate a separate Severance Agreement with a valid waiver of claims under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (29 U.S.C. § 626(f)).
3. Maintain documentation of delivery (e.g., certified mail, email read receipt) for evidentiary purposes.
4. Verify that the timing of Final Pay aligns with your payroll vendor’s processing deadlines to meet Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103.]