HR gets bad rep—so much so that Google is overflowing with questions like “Can HR fire me?” or the more bizarre “Can HR fire you for eating chalk and coughing up a duster?”. It’s the kind of late-night anxiety projection that keeps employees up at night, wondering if HR is out to get them. Now let’s flip the perspective for a moment—being an HR isn’t exactly a walk in the park. No one grows up dreaming of joining a profession that’s universally misunderstood.
Let’s get a little more serious here for a moment and unpack the answer.
How much power does HR have?
Unless you work in HR yourself, the short answer to “Can HR fire me?” is a no. HR isn’t a medieval executioner. Their role is more akin to a legal guardian, ensuring that company policies are rightly followed for a more positive and engaging working experience. The role of HR is to facilitate the termination process, but the real decision-markers are usually the supervisor or department heads.
If you’re concerned about getting fired by HR, the first place you should turn isn’t the HR’s office. It’s actually your employee manual and the employment contract. In these documents, you’ll find:
- The terms of your employment
- The disciplinary procedures
- The rights you have as an employee
- The steps that must be taken before termination
HR’s role in firing an employee
People who work in human resources play a crucial role in the firing process. Here’s what they do, and what they don’t do:
Investigate: If there’s a workplace conflict, HR often steps in to investigate and resolve the issue.
Advise: It is the HR’s role to guide managers through the disciplinary process, making sure everything is fair.
Document: To ensure that all necessary paperwork is completed.
Attends: HR is usually present at meetings where termination is discussed.
So, can HR fire you?
Now, here’s where things get interesting. If you’re an HR professional, and someone asks, “Can HR fire people?” the answer changes. If an HR employee is the one being fired, then yes, HR can fire one of their own team members.
If you’re worried about your HR meeting, relax. Unless you’ve given your manager a solid reason to fire you, HR isn’t the one making the dreadful call. Their job is to ensure company policies and employment laws are followed.