The legal landscape of employment law is always changing. As an employer, it is almost inevitable that you will ask yourself at some point: “Do I need a corporate labor lawyer?” Many companies still do not have one due to costs. It may be true that it would be impractical to hire a lawyer for every small uncertainty. However, you will surely need this figure to effectively handle certain situations.
When to Hire A Business Labor Lawyer?
It is not always easy to determine when you need an employment lawyer. Therefore, it is advisable to go to one in case of doubts. Your fees for a consultation are going to be lower than what could result from poor practice. There are many situations in which you should hire them. Below, we tell you some of the most important ones.
Fire an Employee
Firing an employee should be done after careful consideration and after seeking advice from a business employment attorney. Even when dismissal occurs for disciplinary reasons, you must cover all the bases.
Employment law can be complex and you need to make sure things like applying the same sanctions to all employees if their action is the same. If you don’t, you can be sued for discrimination. These are some situations in which you should consider asking an attorney to review your decision to terminate:
- The worker has a written or oral employment contract that limits his or her right to dismissal.
- The employee has benefits, stock options, or retirement money that will be awarded to him or her shortly.
- The worker recently filed a complaint or grievance with a government agency or complained to you about illegal or unethical activities in the workplace.
- The employee recently filed a complaint of discrimination or harassment.
- The employee recently disclosed that he is in a protected class, for example, a pregnancy.
- The worker has access to the company’s high-level trade secrets or competitive information.
- The employee denies committing the acts for which you are firing him, even after an investigation.
- The employee has hired an attorney to represent him or her.
Review Contracts, Agreements, Manuals And Policies
A business employment lawyer can review your employment contracts and agreements to ensure that all information is legal. You must analyze its application in a court, the necessary terms, and their tax burdens.
Similar to contracts and agreements, the information contained in your manual and policies has legal implications for the business. Freeman LovellP LLC can help you be sure about issues such as pay for sick leave, overtime, doubts about schedules, health and safety in the company, etc.
Dealing with a Government Agency
If your company is visited by someone from a government agency, your first action should be to contact a business employment lawyer.
Initial contact with government agencies is crucial. You need to make sure you take all the right steps to protect your business. Even if you have carried out your activities legally, you need to defend your interests by seeking advice on what a government agent can and cannot demand of you.
Legal documents of an Employee
Most employers will immediately seek the services of a business employment lawyer if they are sued by an employee. However, there may be some who believe that they are equipped to handle this situation on their own. But, for example, do you know all the null dismissal clauses?
All communication should pass from our Freeman Lovell, PLLC attorney to the employee. Do not try to contact the worker to reason, since any conversation without the presence of lawyers can cause problems. Instead of focusing on trying to dissuade your employee from continuing to take legal action, spend time working with your attorney to file a legal response to the lawsuit.
When You Are Going To Try Something New
Many cases can be included here. Some examples are if you are going to test a new piece of technology, use an analysis tool, change your structure, or implement a new policy. Any minimal change will be related to some law. Therefore, it is recommended that they be supervised by a corporate labor lawyer. They can point out problems with the proposal and give some necessary guidelines that will reduce risks.
When You Need To Do An Investigation Or Audit
If you have to look under your practices or have filed a complaint, it is advisable to contact a business employment lawyer. They are trained to test compliance and investigate possible wrongdoing.
How To Hire A Company Labor Lawyer
You already know many cases in which you will need the help of a business labor lawyer. Possibly you are already convinced of how important it is for your business to have one of these professionals. But how to find the best ones? This process is not always a simple task.
In it, you will only have to answer a few brief questions, such as where you are looking and what you need, and the platform will offer you several results near you. In addition, through it, you can carry out negotiations with different lawyers. That way, you will know in advance how they can help you, rates, and more. There is no better way to find the ideal corporate labor lawyer for you!