Kingsburg Employment Attorney
When an employee threatens legal action against you as an employer, the resulting backlash and negative attention have the potential to seriously disrupt the flow of business and impact your reputation in the industry. It could even prevent talented prospective employees from seeking work with your company. The last thing you want is a legal claim to cause a ripple effect throughout your business. That’s why you should hire a Kingsburg employment lawyer.
Why Hire an Employment Lawyer?
With the help of an experienced workplace attorney, you can hold your own against legal action that has the potential to negatively impact your business. While it is always important for employers to abide by California labor laws, that doesn’t mean you are required to yield every time an employee attempts to take legal action against you. An employment lawyer can help you hold your ground when it comes to litigation against disgruntled employees.
In addition, a lawyer can assist employers with many different aspects of their ongoing business dealings, including advising employers on compliance with state labor laws, workers’ compensation disputes, drafting employment contracts for new employees, developing employee handbooks for various departments, and providing consistent guidance on hiring practices. An employment lawyer can provide you with peace of mind when it comes to legal matters.
Avoiding Employment Law Litigation
Sometimes, it can be next to impossible to avoid employment law litigation, especially if you have a disgruntled employee who feels like you owe them something. It is important to implement procedures and practices at every level that can help you avoid employment law litigation entirely and make your expectations for employee conduct as clear as possible. Our firm can help you establish the right practices. Here are some ways you can avoid litigation:
- Employee Handbooks: It is vital to your business’s success that you set employee expectations early on and give them everything they need to know to thrive under your employment. If employees are not provided with employment policies and personnel guidelines, they may be more willing to pursue litigation when they feel like they’ve been spurned or taken advantage of.
We can help you develop detailed employee handbooks that provide options for internal conflict resolution for employees who may have a grievance. Above all, you want to keep your employee conflicts from escalating into an all-out legal battle. The most effective way to do that is to set expectations early and provide avenues for resolution in-house.
Harassment Policies: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) requires every employer in the United States to provide their employees with anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies for all employees. You want your employees to feel safe in the workplace by having policies in place that condemn abusive, discriminatory, or inappropriate workplace behaviors.
If an employee believes your policies are not effective, they may decide to escalate this conflict into full-blown litigation. That’s the last thing you want. An employment lawyer can help you develop these policies and make sure all of your employees know that you care about their well-being in the office. Remain open to discussing any potential issues or grievances your employees may have so they do not have the opportunity to escalate.
At-Will Employment: California is an at-will employment state. This means that you can terminate any of your workers’ employment whenever you wish. You do not need to have a valid reason or cause. Still, it is important to ensure that your employment contracts or agreements are ironclad and do not open potential litigation in the form of a wrongful termination claim. It is vital that you make at-will employment status clear to employees.
Workplace Safety: It is vital to your business’s ongoing success that you adhere to federal workplace safety guidelines established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). If a workplace accident occurs and further investigation reveals you were not compliant with OSHA regulations, the resulting litigation could be devastating to your business and your reputation.
We can help you develop proper workplace safety policies that comply with OSHA regulations and protect you from any future liability in the event of a workplace accident.
Drug and Alcohol Screening: If you uncover employees who are abusing drugs and/or alcohol, you are well within your legal rights as their employer to terminate them immediately, thanks to California’s at-will employment policy. These employees may be a persistent danger to your company’s productivity and reputation. An experienced employment lawyer can help you create drug and alcohol screening programs.
Wage and Hour Compliance: It is absolutely crucial to your company’s continued success that you abide by all state and federal regulations in regard to wage and hour compliance. All eligible employees must receive their designated break and meal times, as well as overtime pay if they qualify for it. An experienced employment lawyer can help make sure your company is complying with all the right laws.
Intellectual Property Protection: Depending on your company, you may work with a great deal of trade secrets, confidential information, and intellectual property that require considerable protection. If an employee leaks any of this vital information publicly, it could cause severe consequences to your business. We can help you draft nondisclosure agreements and other legal contracts that protect your IP from exposure.
Reach Out to an Experienced Employment Lawyer Today
As an employer in the state of California, it is vital that you take the proper steps to protect not only yourself but your business from any sort of interference that could cost you in the long run. Establishing proper procedures and guidelines can help prevent future litigation from employees. Retaining the services of an experienced Kingsburg, California employment lawyer can make all the difference for your business’s legal protection.
The legal team at Fishman, Larsen & Callister understands how difficult it can be to deal with employment litigation from disgruntled employees with grievances. We help you foster a working environment where employment litigation can be avoided, taking the steps to defend your business from any legal action. Contact us today to speak with a valued team member about a consultation.