10.2190/4KBH-BM86-MLHE-CVLH 4KBHBM86MLHECVLH 39 USE CAUTION: AVOID WRONGFUL DISCHARGE, A COSTING APPROACH 39 51 20040922 20040922 20040922 20040922 4KBHBM86MLHECVLH.pdf http://baywood.metapress.com/link.asp?target=contribution&id=4KBHBM86MLHECVLH 1 JAMES L. NIMNICHT WOLFGANG W. FRANZ NANCY GRABER PIGEON Central Washington University, Ellensburg Using the framework of employee turnover, this article first discusses wrongful discharge and then attempts to provide a detailed path that may be used to determine likely economic and noneconomic costs associated with a charge of wrongful termination. The types of economic losses that are recoverable are past and future earnings, supplementary benefits, and prejudgment interest. Most laws also require the employer to cover employee legal expenses and payment for intangible losses as well as for liquidated and punitive damages. To avoid these unnecessary costs, employers are encouraged to use caution and follow prescribed human resource procedures when terminating an employee.