I guess I must just be lucky because I've never worked at a company where HR had any real say at all over the normal hiring/termination process. They're there to make sure the paperwork is filed properly and has the right font and that's about it. My only interactions with HR over 20+ years have been on my first day of work where they hand me brochures about the health insurance, 401(k) and other benefits, and then on my last day when I return my badge.

I don't doubt that these places exist, where HR inserts themselves and becomes part of the hiring process--just never saw one myself.