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When Might I Need an Employment Lawyer?
Disputes arise all the time in our career paths, and though most of them can be handled without the help of legal professionals, some instances require it.
As business law can change rapidly, sometimes what may have seemed transparent when you started your business may no longer be black-and-white, and you may find yourself needing the experience of a business lawyer to help you navigate the situation.
Business lawyers can help with a myriad of issues, saving you or your business time, frustration, and, in many cases, significant money.
Read on to learn more about when and how a business attorney may be appropriate for you.
Contracts and Agreements
When running a business, contracts, and agreements help lay the foundation and expectations for those employed there. Without sound or strong business contracts in place, you are leaving far too much room for errors and disputes in the future.
Business attorneys have a vast knowledge of necessary contracts that can assist any industry in closing the gaps or avoiding room for errors. Whether it be an employment contract, a severance agreement, a non-compete agreement, or more, having these documents regularly reviewed by a business attorney can help ensure you are protected and can avoid unnecessary disputes with employees.
Employee Policies, Handbooks and Training
Similar to ensuring you have strong contracts in place to protect your business, you want to ensure that your policies, handbooks, and training materials are clear and concise and leave very little room for error.
Establishing policies that employees are expected to adhere to is crucial to sustaining a healthy workplace and growing as a business. Without an effective employee policy or handbook in place, employees can destroy the company culture and leave you at risk of significant legal issues such as sexual harassment lawsuits, misuse of company funds, discrimination allegations, and more.
Furthermore, ensuring that training materials clearly communicate how to do the jobs your employees are assigned can help avoid safety concerns or disputes between employees.
Your business attorney can regularly review these documents to ensure they are up-to-date with any applicable laws and safety regulations and that you are in compliance.
Terminating an Employee
If you are considering terminating an employee, this is a crucial time to consult an experienced business attorney. They can assist you with ensuring you are compliant with local laws and that you are not inadvertently subjecting yourself to legal issues.
For example, if you are considering firing an employee but have a written or oral contract in place regarding their employment, you may want to seek legal guidance on this matter.
Suppose the employee is in a protected class, is pregnant, or has a disability. In that case, you must ensure you are firing them within the legal parameters specific to their protected status.
If, through the inability to resolve disputes and the employee denies any allegations you are making regarding necessary termination, you may want to seek legal guidance.
Discrimination Allegations
Contact your business attorney immediately if you are facing discrimination allegations or a lawsuit. Discrimination in the workplace can cause secondary issues with those who are frustrated by the claims or actions, significant shifts in the company culture, and more.
It’s also important to note that discrimination issues can and typically will broach federally protected classes, exponentially increasing potential penalties you may face if they aren’t handled correctly.
Consulting an experienced business attorney can ensure that you are compliant and aren’t inadvertently subjecting yourself to crucial legal issues that may put your company at risk.
Wage Disputes
Wage disputes may be more common than we think. Problems arise quickly with employees who feel they aren’t being paid what they are worth or that they are not being paid equally based on their sex or race.
If you have an employee who is disputing their salary, contact your business attorney promptly to assist you in navigating this issue.
Furthermore, if you have an employee who isn’t adhering to company policies or reporting their work hours inappropriately, thereby stealing from your company, contact your business attorney for assistance.
For example, an employee could be logging overtime but has exaggerated their hours to get them to the overtime threshold.
It’s common for employers to run into issues regarding misclassifying their employees as well. If an employee is classified as an independent contractor incorrectly, it can lead to many problems for you, unnecessarily costing you time and money.
A Strong and Capable Business Ally
Workplace disputes are common, unfortunately. However, this means that since they are expected, there is vast experience and knowledge regarding your issues and ways to overcome them.
With decades of experience, I thoroughly enjoy helping my clients navigate complex or straightforward business disputes and helping ease their minds throughout all phases of running their business.
As I work together with my clients, I begin to learn the entire picture of their business and can help them avoid time-consuming or expensive issues and plan for the unknown, ultimately saving them significant costs and frustrations.
With decades of experience as a business attorney in the Daytona Beach area, I have developed strong connections with business leaders and gained knowledge and skills that have become invaluable to my clients.
Whether it’s business consulting, helping to establish or revamp business contracts, resolving disputes, offering legal guidance when facing discrimination or harassment allegations, and more, I enjoy a challenge and take pride in formulating strategies that help my clients with their bottom line. Call us at (850) 888-8992 or contact us online to schedule a consultation.
