What
A structured process for gathering feedback from departing employees and completing the administrative steps of offboarding: property return, final pay confirmation, benefits notices, and paperwork.
Who
All employers. No size threshold: a two-person company benefits from a consistent offboarding process just as much as a large one.
When
Shortly before or on the employee's last working day. Feedback interviews are most useful while the employee is still engaged; administrative steps have their own deadlines (COBRA notice, final paycheck) set by other rules.
Risk
No legal penalty for skipping the interview itself, but a missing administrative checklist can lead to unreturned equipment, missed COBRA notice windows, or final pay errors that do carry legal consequences.
| Task | Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exit interview (feedback) | Before or on last day; within 1 to 2 weeks if not possible before departure | Candor drops quickly after the last day; sooner is better. |
| Property return | On or before last day | Laptop, keys, badges, credit cards, uniforms; use a checklist so nothing is missed. |
| Final paycheck | Governed by state law; ranges from last day to next regular payday | Check your state's final pay law. Some states require same-day payment on termination. |
| COBRA qualifying event notice to plan administrator | Within 30 days of separation | This is a legal deadline; missing it starts the COBRA violation clock. See the COBRA Election Notice page. |
Task: Exit interview (feedback)
Timing: Before/on last day; within 1 to 2 weeks otherwise
Notes: Candor drops quickly after the last day.
Task: Property return
Timing: On or before last day
Notes: Use a checklist so nothing is missed.
Task: Final paycheck
Timing: Per state law (last day to next payday)
Notes: Some states require same-day payment on termination.
Task: COBRA qualifying event notice
Timing: Within 30 days of separation
Notes: A legal deadline; missing it starts the violation clock.
- Exit interview question list: A consistent set of open-ended questions covering reasons for leaving, job satisfaction, management, culture, and suggestions. See the Templates & Resources section below.
- Offboarding / property return checklist: A list of every item to collect and every administrative step to complete before the employee walks out. See the Templates & Resources section below.
- Employee's personnel file: For context (tenure, role history, performance notes) before the interview.
- Benefits and final pay information: COBRA election notice timeline, final paycheck details, PTO payout policy, and 401(k) distribution options to explain to the departing employee.
1
Schedule earlyAs soon as you know someone is leaving, schedule the exit meeting. Don't leave it to the last hour of the last day.
2
PrepareReview the employee's file, load the question list, and run through the offboarding checklist in advance so nothing is forgotten.
3
Conduct the interviewUse a neutral HR representative or manager, not the direct supervisor if avoidable. Keep the tone conversational, use open-ended questions, and listen more than you talk. Don't debate their feedback.
4
Complete the administrative checklistCollect all company property, confirm system access has been revoked (or schedule it for end of day), provide the employee with COBRA information, final pay details, and any other required documentation.
5
DocumentRecord interview responses and check off completed administrative steps. Save both in the employee's file.
6
Act on the dataPeriodically review exit interview summaries for patterns. Recurring themes about management, compensation, or culture are worth acting on.
- Who conducts it: HR or a neutral manager, not the direct supervisor. Employees are far more candid when they're not talking to the person they may be leaving because of.
- Confidentiality: Make clear that responses will be used for organizational improvement only and will not be shared with the direct supervisor in any way that identifies the individual. Then honor that commitment.
- Format: In-person or video is ideal for the interview portion. A written survey can supplement or substitute if the employee prefers, or if timing doesn't allow a live conversation.
- Storage: Save the completed form to the personnel file or HR system. Keep it separate from any active-employment performance documents.
- Interview recordCompleted exit interview form or notes summary, saved to the personnel file.
- Signed checklistSigned offboarding checklist confirming property was returned and administrative steps were completed.
- COBRA notice dateRecord of the date COBRA qualifying event was reported to the plan administrator.
- Aggregate summariesAggregate exit interview summaries (stripped of identifying information) for trend analysis, retained as an HR management record.
Common traps
Skipping it entirely: "We're too busy" or "they wouldn't tell us anything anyway" are the most common reasons exit interviews don't happen. Both are usually wrong; most people will share honest feedback in a low-stakes conversation when they're already leaving.
Letting the direct supervisor run it: The supervisor is often part of the reason the person is leaving. Having them conduct the interview guarantees you won't hear about it.
Collecting data and doing nothing with it: Exit interviews only pay off if someone is periodically reviewing the results and looking for patterns. Schedule a quarterly review of exit data.
Confusing the interview with the offboarding checklist: These are two separate things. The checklist (property return, system access, COBRA notice) must happen regardless of whether the interview goes well or happens at all.
FAQs
Are employees required to participate in exit interviews?
No, participation is voluntary. You can make it standard practice, but you cannot require it or tie anything to it. Most departing employees will participate if the tone is respectful and confidentiality is assured.
What do we do with the feedback?
Document it, anonymize it, and look at it in aggregate. A single exit interview is anecdote; five saying the same thing about the same manager is a pattern worth addressing. Share themes, not individual comments, with leadership on a regular cadence.
- DOL: State Final Pay Laws: find your state's deadline for issuing the final paycheck. See also the Final Paycheck Laws page.
- DOL: COBRA Continuation Coverage: qualifying event notice requirements triggered by termination. See also the COBRA Election Notice page.
Two templates below, one for the interview, one for offboarding administration. Use both every time. Customize the property list and question set for your organization.
Exit Interview: Sample Questions
Use open-ended questions and follow up on anything that warrants more detail. Don't rush.
- What prompted you to start looking for a new opportunity?
- What did you enjoy most about working here?
- What could we have done differently to keep you?
- How would you describe the culture here to someone considering joining?
- Did you feel you had the tools, resources, and support to do your job well?
- How would you describe your relationship with your manager? Was there anything that could have been better?
- Did you feel your contributions were recognized and valued?
- Were there growth or advancement opportunities available to you?
- Is there anything about your role or the organization that you think leadership should know?
- Would you consider returning to work here in the future? Would you recommend us to others?
Offboarding Checklist
Complete before or on the employee's last day. Get a signature confirming completion.
- ☐ Company laptop / desktop returned and wiped or secured
- ☐ Mobile phone / tablet returned
- ☐ Keys, access cards, and building badges returned
- ☐ Company credit card(s) returned and account closed or reassigned
- ☐ Uniforms or company-branded items returned
- ☐ [OTHER COMPANY PROPERTY, customize for your organization]
- ☐ System access revoked (email, HRIS, CRM, file systems), scheduled for end of last day
- ☐ Final paycheck issued or confirmed per state law deadline
- ☐ PTO payout confirmed (or forfeiture policy applied per state law)
- ☐ COBRA qualifying event reported to plan administrator (within 30 days)
- ☐ 401(k) distribution/rollover options explained to employee
- ☐ FSA run-out or grace period rules explained
- ☐ Non-disclosure / non-compete / confidentiality obligations reviewed with employee
- ☐ References and employment verification process explained (who to direct inquiries to)
- ☐ Exit interview completed and documented
Employee signature confirming property returned and checklist reviewed: _________________________ Date: _________
HR signature: _________________________ Date: _________