Holiday “No-Fire” Season? Yes…But Not Always

Suzanne Lucas (“Evil HR Lady”) makes a compelling case in a recent Inc. article for a holiday moratorium on terminations, echoing attorney Todd Stanton’s wisdom that “surprised people get angry, and angry people sue.”

I agree—particularly on two fronts. First, avoid mass layoffs between Thanksgiving and New Year’s if you can; the optics, morale hit, and litigation risk are all amplified when people are with family and the press is watching.

Second, terminations in the days right around Christmas are almost always ill‑timed. The human, reputational, and even customer‑facing costs usually outweigh any short‑term operational benefit.

When in doubt on timing, move non‑urgent actions into January and invest those weeks in planning and communication.

Where I Diverge: Early December Isn’t Off-Limits

A blanket ban though in early December can create its own problems. Performance-based terminations that are the culmination of a documented process—coaching, a PIP, clear expectations, and notice—often belong on the timeline you set, not one dictated by the calendar.

Delaying an inevitable decision can:

• Undercut credibility with managers who did the work: documented expectations, provided support, and met the PIP standard.
• Prolong harm to team morale and productivity, especially where underperformance is visible to coworkers carrying extra load.
• Complicate Q1 planning—targets, budgets, and recruiting—by keeping seats filled that you know you must backfill.
• Create mixed messages if a PIP end date passes with no consequence, weakening your ability to enforce standards later and inviting “deadline slippage.”

A quick example: Sales rep “A” has a PIP ending December 8 with clear, missed milestones. Your revenue plan kicks off January 2, territories lock December 15, and onboarding a replacement takes six weeks. Pushing to January means the team starts behind, top performers shoulder more, and the message becomes that PIPs don’t matter.

Executing in early December—respectfully and with support—can be the most responsible choice for the broader team.

If You Proceed, Do It Thoughtfully

If you must terminate in early December, do it right. Ensure the file is solid, the rationale is clear, and the conversation is respectful.

Leading with dignity can help; consider reasonable severance, benefits information (including COBRA timing), neutral references where appropriate, and a concise explanation that matches the documents.

And you can still be considerate of the situation. Avoid the final week before Christmas, coordinate IT and building access quietly, and extending benefits when feasible. Communicate internally on a need‑to‑know basis, stick to consistent talking points, and avoid celebratory optics that can inflame emotions.

When it’s a close call, just push to January. (And obviously, for egregious misconduct, there’s no need to wait — that misbehavior at the holiday party should not go unaddressed.)

But when a fair, well‑documented decision is ready, executing in early December can be both lawful and the right call for the culture you’re trying to build.

In short: Suzanne’s caution is well taken—and wise. Just don’t let the calendar override good process, clear communication, and sound management.