Exit interview questions

When someone leaves, they can tell you things that people still working with you may not: what made the job hard, what would have kept them, and what the next person needs to know. A short, kind exit conversation turns a departure into useful advice. Use these questions for staff and, with small changes, for long-time volunteers and board members rotating off.

How to run it

• Offer it; don't require it. Say it's voluntary and that the answers won't affect their final pay or a reference.
• Pick the right person. Ideally someone other than their direct supervisor, such as a board member or the director's own manager. In a very small charity, a board member is often best.
• Do it near the end, in the last week, in private, for 30 to 45 minutes. Some people prefer a written form; offer both.
• Listen more than you talk. Don't argue or explain. Thank them.
• Share themes, not names. Report patterns to the director or board, not who said what.

The practical side of leaving

The exit interview is a conversation. Leaving also has paperwork, and the rules vary by state:

• Final pay. The Department of Labor says federal law doesn't require you to give a former employee their final paycheck immediately, but "some states, however, may require immediate payment." Check your state labor department for the deadline and whether unused vacation must be paid.
• Health coverage. If you offer a group health plan and had 20 or more employees in the prior year, the federal COBRA law may let the person keep coverage "for limited periods of time under certain circumstances." Ask your insurer or broker what applies, including any state rules.
• State notices. Some states ask you to give departing employees written information. New York's labor department, for example, says to give separated employees its Record of Employment (Form IA 12.3) to help them apply for unemployment benefits. Check your state labor agency.
• Records. Keep the person's Form I-9 for three years after the date of hire or one year after employment ends, whichever is later. Keep payroll records for at least three years.
• Access and property. Collect keys, devices and documents; turn off accounts; change shared passwords; update bank signers if they were one. Our succession planning guide covers handing over passwords and accounts.