As a Colorado business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Whether you are just getting your new business off the ground or you are looking to expand your well-established business, enlisting the assistance of an experienced business law attorney is a great way to ensure that you and your business are set up for success. If your business involves employees, it’s important that you have clear and effective policies in place so that you don’t find yourself embroiled in costly legal battles later on. Let’s take a look at a few ways in which a business attorney can help you minimize the risk of future employment-related legal headaches.
Onboarding New Employees
It’s worth taking some time to examine your current procedure for hiring and onboarding new employees. Your business attorney can look at the employment contract you use and advise you on how to make it even more clear and effective. For instance, a solid employment contract should go into detail about what is expected of each employee, how they will be compensated, and the benefits to which they are entitled. Depending on the nature of your business, you may want to consider including a confidentiality clause and the terms of how employment can be terminated. In general, the more specific your employment contracts are, the less room these documents give to ignite future legal disputes.
Creating an Employee Manual or Handbook
Without well-written and clearly documented employee policies, an employee may unknowingly violate a policy and claim that you failed to sufficiently communicate these standards of practice. When it comes to minimizing the potential for legal disputes, it’s always a good idea to put your practices, policies, and standards in writing. Creating an employee manual and making it a point to distribute these handbooks to all employees signals your commitment to informing your employees of their rights, responsibilities, and obligations. Working with a business law attorney to develop a clear and comprehensive employee handbook can keep the lines of communication between you and your employees open and reduce the likelihood of future misunderstandings or disputes.
Setting Clear Procedures for Termination
Employment termination matters can be sensitive, and employees who feel as if they have been wrongfully terminated could trigger legal action against your business. Before any issues arise, take some time to meet with your business lawyer to ensure that your termination processes and procedures sufficiently protect your business from potential legal issues. Your attorney may suggest keeping thorough records of all employees, including a clear termination agreement in all employee contracts, and other strategies for mitigating the negative effects of employee termination.
Learn more about how to protect your Colorado business today by calling Judex Law LLC at (303) 523-4022 to discuss your goals with a knowledgeable Broomfield business attorney.
