When starting a business or running a Human Resource department in your company, one of the least thoughts is often hiring an employment lawyer. You hope to never find your business into any employment law issues, but having experienced employment lawyers in your company is necessary. Employment laws can be tricky to understand. Therefore, here are reasons why employers also need employment lawyers.
1. Discipline Issues
Employers might sometimes get the temptation to immediately dismiss a troublesome employee. However, you might find yourself in trouble because the employment law stipulates how and when to dismiss employees. It’s advisable to talk to an employment lawyer to help you formulate the right strategies and progressive discipline policy for violations. It helps to make terminations easier and fix workplace performance issues.
2. Employment Contracts
While employment contracts might seem like a formality, their impact on your hiring process and your company’s health is vital. Employment lawyers can assist in drafting a legally abiding employment contract. They set out the rules and relationships between employees and the employer. Additionally, these legal experts can review the contracts regularly to ensure that they are updated with current employment laws.
3. Employee Handbook
Employers need employment lawyers Toronto to help them draft their employee handbooks. The legal experts help employers to draft unique policies that don’t violate the employment law. The lawyer also comes in handy to review the employee handbook regularly, especially when you hit 15 or 50 employees. Ensure to hire a licensed lawyer in your state reviews so that you remain in line with your state employment laws.
4. Workplace Policies
Employers don’t often embrace workplace policies until they encounter some issues in their companies. Employment laws require employers to have workplace policies in place to avoid stiff penalties. That’s why employers require an employment lawyer. The lawyer helps to formulate workplace policies that meet your company’s needs while still abiding by the employment laws in your state.
5. Being Served With Legal Papers
Employers need an employment attorney when they face summons when an official notice of legal proceedings is delivered to their address. It’s important to know how to deal with the documents. An employer should talk to an employment attorney on the phone before handling the documents, especially if it’s an employee issue. Please don’t assume that you can handle the situation without the help of employment lawyers.
6. When Laying Off Employees
While layoffs might be straightforward, it’s vital to consult with an employment attorney to ensure that you comply with employment laws. The lawyer will advise you on the necessary actions to comply with before laying off an employee, depending on your state laws. If you give your employees severance pay during a layoff, ensure that they sign a general release of claims under the guidance of an employment attorney.
