If you have to write a letter of recommendation for a fired employee, here are a few suggested phrases:

• For the chronically absent:
  "A man like him is hard to find."
  "It seemed his career was just taking off."

• For the office drunk:
  "I feel his real talent is wasted here."
  "We generally found him loaded with work to do."
  "Every hour with him was a happy hour."

• For an employee with no ambition:
  "He could not care less about the number of hours he had to put in."
  "You would indeed be fortunate to get this person to work for you."

• For an employee who is so unproductive that the job is better left unfilled:
  "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."

• For an employee who is not worth further consideration as a job candidate:
  "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."
  "All in all, I cannot say enough good things about this candidate or recommend him too highly."

• For a stupid employee:
  "There is nothing you can teach a man like him."
  "I most enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."

• For a dishonest employee:
  "His true ability was deceiving."
  "He's an unbelievable worker."