| Employment laws
and regulations change at a dizzying pace, and employment litigation
is flourishing. Involvement in disputes is time-consuming,
expensive, and a drain on a business’s productivity and
resources. Ironically, many such disputes could have been avoided
through the adoption of relatively inexpensive programs, policies,
and diligent human resources management techniques. Many Waag
and Co. clients have elected to aggressively pursue litigation
prevention measures. Although no technique can eliminate the
risk of litigation, all employers can benefit from an analysis
of their exposure to employment litigation and the adoption
of prevention-oriented policies, practices and employee training.
Below is a brief list of just some of the unique prevention
services available from Waag and Co. |
|
|
| Employment and arbitration
agreements are not just for key individuals, but also for persons
at all levels of pay and responsibility. Employment contracts
that define the rights of employers, employees, and independent
contractors help reduce or eliminate employment disputes, and
limit liability. |
|
Supervisor
and Employee Training
|
|
Quite often, litigation arises
or a case is lost as a result of a front-line manager saying
or doing the wrong thing, even if well intended. Waag and Co.
provides training for managers and employees, or we can work
with your in-house staff.
|
|
|
|
Forms and Guidelines
are available to Waag and Co. clients to deal with both standard
and difficult employment relations issues. They are kept
current to comply with state and federal employment laws,
cover a variety of topics and can be customized for your
company’s special needs.
|
|
Just a few examples:
|
Hiring
and Termination Checklists
|
|
Interviewing
Techniques, Effective Questions, and Do’s and Don’ts
|
|
Discipline
and termination letters
|
|
Unionization
Issues
|
|
ADA Accommodations
|
|
Time and
Attendance Sheets
|
|
Exit Interviews
|
|
Leaves
of Absence
|
Personnel
Transaction Forms
|
|
Performance
Evaluations
|
Trade Secret/Confidential
Information Protection
|
|
Job Descriptions
|
|
Educational
Reimbursement Programs
|
|
Safety
Incentive Programs
|
|
|
|
Personnel Policy Manuals are
among the most effective tools available to an employer to
promote good employee relations and prevent and defend lawsuits.
However, such manuals are not one-size-fits-all, but instead
must be custom tailored to meet the business and legal needs
of your workplace. We work closely with you to develop a set
of policies that meet the needs of your business in a manner
that will be understood by your employees.
|
An employer’s workforce
represents one of its most significant assets. Many employers
wisely establish programs and policies to enhance employee
morale and facilitate performance. Employee discontent can
lead to union organizing efforts, diminished productivity,
lawsuits, and more.
|
A well drafted employee handbook
is among the most important and effective tools available to
an employer to promote good employee relations and to prevent
and defend lawsuits. It clearly tells employees what is expected
of them, and tells them of actions they might expect of management.
A well drafted handbook does this while providing the flexibility
needed to respond to different situations.
Look at just one example: An employer facing a layoff without
a written layoff policy will often be met with a hostile workforce
claiming unfairness. Employees will react strongly to any layoff
selection criteria used (i.e., seniority, merit, job transfers,
bumping, etc.) This situation is one of the most common triggers
of union organizing drives, and one that may be easily avoided
by adopting a layoff policy before any layoffs are needed. Moreover,
the policy can be drafted in a variety of ways, affording the
company the means to effect the layoff while protecting its continued
viability. |
|
