There is no doubt that the current state of politics is affecting the mood of the entire country. Many social justice and human rights issues are front and center, on the minds of many. What this means for business is having solid policies and protocols in human resources (HR) planning. It may not be enough simply to know what the law says. Every business should seek the guidance of an experienced legal professional to help them outline a compliant framework that is effective in identifying and resolving problems. Otherwise, a company could find themselves in court being sued. 

The Handbook: The importance of this little gem, a company policy handbook, can't be stressed enough. This is every employee's go-to resource, their first point of reference should an issue in the workplace arise. A legal counsel team, skilled in labor law and familiar with a client's business, can craft a custom handbook that is compliant, enforceable and easy to understand.

Sophisticated Support: Everyone knows that professionalism should guide a person's behavior in the workplace. Still, the complexity of the human element is never eradicated from the business equation. Having the right policies in place allow a worker to speak up about an issue in a supportive environment. That is the first step toward avoiding litigation. From there, a sophisticated support system should have a clearly defined path of travel should the initial discussion not resolve the problem. An attorney experienced in HR planning will help a company outline all of the necessary steps.

Training: A business owner may wonder why on-going training should be necessary. After all, once an employee becomes aware of workplace policies and expectations, shouldn't that be enough? Labor laws change. New hires enter the mix. People forget or become lax. On-going training creates opportunities to introduce new legal guidelines, brush-up on old ones, inform new employees and remind everyone that a workplace is no place for harassment or discrimination. Legal consultants provide the most important points to emphasize in an HR training program.

If you are ready to strengthen your company's HR bulwark and minimize risk for complaints and litigation, please contact us. Jake Posey and the team at The Posey Law Firm has the expertise in labor and employment law your company needs.