> One of those (one of the first to join) has been an issue for quite a while. Lots of time off, low effort at work, minimal hours. Felt like squeezing water ou

> One of those (one of the first to join) has been an issue for quite a while. Lots of time off, low effort at work, minimal hours. Felt like squeezing water out of a stone to get a result from them. The real issue here is that this wasn't properly addressed by the company when it was a going concern. Now there's a "reason" to do it, the vesting event, you are attempting to fit a round peg in a square hole with this type of rationalization. And thus, you then find yourself questioning it and putting it up for public consideration. It would be expected that a person's behavior will "double down" when they get closer to vesting. They can "be themselves" the closer the event comes. That said, they also "stuck and stayed" at the company through all this. The best thing is to not discuss this further and do the right thing even though it's difficult. You've already made up your mind to let them go. What can also help is to let go of the blame you've applied to them over the years and give them what they have earned by staying: their stock in the company.