Employee Related Services
Our business lawyers at Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC have experience working closely with employers to provide the proper draft, detailed review, and confident negotiation of employment contracts such as non-compete agreements and severance agreements. In addition, we have experience defending discrimination and other employment-related lawsuits. We also work with our clients to draft employee handbooks and other employment-related materials.
We Can Help You Cover Your Bases When Hiring New Employees
Employee Contracts And Non-Competition Agreements
Employment contracts may be necessary to protect small businesses or protect new and innovative ideas. These include things like non-disclosures, confidentiality clauses, trade secret clauses, and non-compete agreements.
A covenant not to compete is probably one of the more important and litigated employment agreements, or clause in employment agreements, that restricts an employee’s post-employment activities. Texas non-compete agreements prevent an employee from working in the employee’s chosen profession, trade, or industry, soliciting a former employer’s customers, or hiring the former employer’s employees within a specified geographical radius. Texas courts disfavor non-compete agreements, but enforce non-compete covenant if it is executed for valid consideration, contains reasonable geographic, temporal, and activity restrictions, and protects the employer’s legitimate business interests.
Employee Background Checks
Employers, and their employee-related service lawyers in Arlington, recognize the dangers and costs associated with bad hiring decisions that can be somewhat resolved by running a background check on all potential employees. We can run a background check and lawsuit search on all potential employees. Bad hiring decisions hurt businesses and increase lawsuits.
Bad hiring also leads to increased turnover and higher recruitment costs because poor hiring eventually leads to resignation or discharge, lost productivity, decreased employee morale, and increased safety concerns should employers belatedly learn an employee has a history of criminal and/or violent behavior.
Employee Handbooks
Providing the right information in the employee manual can protect your business from laws such as social media regulations, firing disputes, OSHA issues, and data breaches. Working with our firm to develop your employee manual can save your business money and time. A properly drafted employee handbook informs employees of your expectations, policies, and procedures. Also, an employee handbook informs employees of what they can expect from you. A proper employee handbook will reduce liability for the employer and set expectations for employees.
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We Can Also Help With the Following Employee Related Services:
- Resolving Employee Disputes
- Terminating Employment
- Education Regarding Pay Laws
- Non-Disclosure Agreements
- Conducting Internal Investigations
- Independent Contractors
- Development and review of employment policies and procedures
- Training sessions for business owners, executives, and human resources personnel
- Sexual harassment prevention
- Education on properly hiring and discharging employees
- What to do about a nonperforming or problem employee
- Drafting and review of severance agreements
- Counsel regarding wage and benefits policies
- Non-compete agreement disputes
- Contract Litigation
Regardless of where you are on your employee hiring road, we can help you get educated and the proper agreements in place. To arrange a free consultation with an employee-related service lawyer in TX, please call 800-958-4948 or complete our online form.
What Is the Fair Labor Standards Act?
At is most basic, the Fair Labor Standards Act mandates certain wage and labor standards that must be observed in regards to government workers at the federal, state and local levels, as well as both full-time and part-time workers (though not necessarily contractors) in the American private sector. This legislation is both administered and enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the United States Department of Labor with regards to private-sector workers. A number of different federal agencies administer and enforce the Fair Labor Standards Act with regards to government employees.
Why does the Fair Labor Standards Act matter? The minimum wage and labor standards this piece of legislation mandates affects millions of American workers. And when the workers’ rights described in the FLSA are infringed upon, workers may seek compensation for the harm they have suffered and/or to have their rights restored as a result of this critical federal law. When hiring new employees covered by the FLSA, it is therefore important to make sure your business is complying with its terms. If you are unsure of how to comply with this important law, consider reaching out to our team at Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC for help.
Fair Labor Standards Act – The Basics
In general, no private sector or government workers covered under the terms of the FLSA may be paid less than the minimum wage outlined in the framework of the law. In addition, the FLSA mandates overtime rates for nonexempt workers as well. When employers do not meet these minimums and/or they illegally deduct from an eligible worker’s wages or delay minimum required payments past required pay periods, these employers may be held accountable for the financial harm they have caused their workers.
The FLSA is a complex law. As a result, it can be helpful to consult a TX employee-related service lawyer in if you have questions about a specific situation you are currently attempting to navigate. For example, perhaps you hire workers who receive tips. You may not understand all of your rights and their rights concerning base wages as well as tips. Our team can help to explain how the FLSA protects you, your workers and to what extent its protections extend.
Similarly, while the FLSA does permit employers to pay teens less than the federal minimum wage for a brief number of calendar days during the starting period of a teen’s employment, we can clarify whether you are properly adhering to all provisions of the FLSA if you hire teens. Teen workers are too frequently taken advantage of, despite the fact that the law often protects them in clearly defined ways.
Support For Those Just Getting Started
When you are looking to start your own business, a business plan is an important aspect to the process. Before you begin operating or hiring employees, you will first need to execute a business plan to outline your business, strategies, goals and prepare for hardship. A business is more than just an idea, it takes hard work. The start of this process is by developing a business plan with the help of our team.
Provide a Brief Summary of Your Business
The brief summary of your business is also known as an executive summary. The executive summary will prove a snapshot of your business. A summary should be only 1-2 pages, although this can be challenging, it’s essential that you are able to summarize your business, how you will manage problems, turn a profit, and obtain success.
Describe Your Company
The description of your company generally outlines the nuts and bolts of your company. Generally, this will depict the direction of your business and should be as clear and concise as possible, including:
- The Name of Your Company
- Location
- Your Business Structure
- Organizational Company
- Mission Statement
- Services Offered
- Vision Statement
Conduct a Market Analysis
Market analysis includes your experience in this particular market. You will want to show investors that you understand and know the market, and that your business can be successful within the perfect market.
Determine the Structure of Your Business
As an employee-related service lawyer from Texas may tell you, the key component to developing a business plan is determining the structure of your business. Working with a business lawyer is essential in helping business owners to choose a business that works to their benefit. Types of business structures prospective business owners may form include:
- Sole Proprietorship
- Partnership
- Corporation
- Non Profit
- Limited Liability Company
Outline the Products You Are Offering
This component to a business plan will clearly outline your products or services that your business will be offering. Additionally, you will need to describe how the products and services that you are offering will be successful in the current marketplace. It’s also important to include price points and the cost for providing the type of product that you are offering.
Provide a Sales Strategy
Your target market is a specific group of consumers who will purchase the product or service that you are offering. Your sales strategy will outline how you will successfully sell to your target market in order to achieve success.
Financial Projections
Predicting financial success of your business over the course of the next 3-5 years can be difficult to determine. However, financial projections are key if you are looking to draw investors to your business. You should include within your financials a number of key elements, including:
- Expenses
- Budget
- Cash Flow
- Balance Sheet
- Profits and Losses
Additional Documents
Finally, you will want to include any additional documents that should support your business plan. This should include relevant information such as:
- Rental Information
- Charts/Graphs
- Permits
- Credit Reports
- Marketing Studies
- Resumes
The appendix isn’t necessarily a requirement. However, the documents within the appendix include any supporting documents that help the readers of the business plan have a clearer understanding of how you will turn your idea into a reality.
FLSA Assistance Is Available
A Texas employee related service lawyer at Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC knows that a business plan is the foundational component to starting any business, no matter how big or small. When you have an idea that you would like to execute into a business that is profitable, you will want to take every step in making sure that you have taken the proper steps towards success. Connect with our team as soon as possible so that we can provide you with the guidance you need when developing a business plan.
Please do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with our team in order to explore your rights and responsibilities under the FLSA. Speaking with an attorney does not compel you to take any legal action. Scheduling a consultation simply allows you to have your questions answered so that you can make an informed decision about how best to proceed. Workers and employers have numerous rights. Speaking with an Arlington, Texas employee-related service lawyer at Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC can help you to clarify yours.
