Commercial Litigation Attorney
No matter what kind of business you run, you are never 100 percent protected against litigation. Lawsuits can cost your company a lot of money and potentially damage its reputation. The idea of getting sued can be quite stressful to think about. However, you can take certain steps to reduce your risk of being sued by employees.
Here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind.
Provide Training On Important Policies
Employers are required to provide a safe workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. However, that does not mean discrimination and harassment never occurs in the modern day workplace. That is why it is essential for businesses to provide periodic training on topics like sexual harassment and discrimination. Let it be known that your business will not tolerate it. If your managers and employees have a clear understanding of your policies, they may be more likely to follow them.
Be Fair With Employee Wages
Few things will upset employees more than not getting paid correctly. Whether it is requiring employees to work off the clock or misclassifying them as independent contractors when they are employees, you risk getting sued by an employee. That is why you should always pay your employees correctly.
Do not Terminate Employees Without Warning
Unless it is for something severe, like stealing from the company or committing an act of violence, you should avoid firing employees without warning. For example, if an employee is underperforming at work, you should give the worker warnings and even provide additional training to improve performance.
Document Everything
The legal professionals at Eric Lindh Foster Law, LLC may advise you to document every interaction you have with an employee. For example, if you have to reprimand an employee for being tardy, you should document it. If you have a paper trail, it will be very useful should you get sued in the future.
Be Consistent
It is important to be consistent with all of your employees. Otherwise, you may find yourself in legal hot water. For instance, if you always write up female employees for being late while never reprimanding male employees for the same thing, it may be considered gender discrimination. Enforce your company rules evenly and establish fair policies for all of your workers.
Hire an Experienced Lawyer
Even if you are not currently being sued by an employee, it is a wise move to have a commercial litigation attorney on retainer. An attorney can inform you of all the different laws you have to follow and answer all of your questions. If you have reason to believe that you will be sued in the near future, an attorney can provide you with the steps to take next and minimize damage.
If your business is facing a lawsuit from an employee, you should schedule an appointment with a qualified attorney as soon as possible. Having someone skilled and experienced on your side can give you peace of mind.
