Agreed, how should they have handled it? Retaliation and sabotage is a very real problem, trust me I know.
When I have to let someone go they are not allowed in the building without an escort, whether or not it was on good terms or bad.
Warning them that it is coming is far more harmful to the company than not usually, and they have to put the company first at that stage. Sucks for sure, but just like restaurants that the servers come in to a locked door and a note, the alternative can be very, very bad and owners don’t want to risk a gamble they don’t need to.
Good point. It only takes one or two to do something vindictive/retaliatory to destroy a lot.