Staying current on employment law is a constant challenge for HR departments, from keeping up-to-date on hiring and firing practices to complying with state, federal, and international regulations on everything from severance agreements to biometric privacy. Legal issues in the workplace can arise regularly that could impact business operations negatively.
Legal issues related to employees can range from the obvious (such as making false
statements that harm the company’s reputation) to less obvious ones, like not paying employees minimum wage and overtime pay unless exempt (such as salaried workers who do not qualify for regular rates of pay).
Other employment laws protect worker safety, workplace privacy, discrimination and harassment as well as FMLA. Employers cannot fire someone for whistleblowing, cooperating with prosecutors or being the subject of sexual harassment; furthermore it is unlawful for an employer to forbid an employee from taking time off to vote, serve on juries or participate in military service, as well as to claim their rights under FMLA.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration establishes workplace safety standards, while the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability as well as mandating reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Furthermore, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act forbids discrimination on any basis such as age, race or color, national origin, sex (including gender identity/sexual orientation/pregnancy preference/gender preference or retaliation.
Employers and employees must both understand employment laws so that they do not inadvertently violate them. Training on these topics is beneficial, while conducting an annual review to make sure policies meet current legal requirements. New hire orientation can provide employees with essential employment law information.
When an employment law issue arises, both sides should seek the guidance of an experienced attorney who can explain their options and represent them if litigation ensues. We welcome inquiries related to employment law and would be more than glad to assist! If you need any help regarding employment law matters. We welcome inquiries here at LegalVision – contact us and let us help guide your way! Reach out to us right now by telephone or online – our offices in Boston and Braintree, Massachusetts provide services throughout the U.S. and internationally. At our firm, the attorneys are licensed to practice in all 50 states and DC, boasting more than 80 years of combined employment law experience. At our firm, we represent employees and businesses across numerous industries such as health care, technology, banking, insurance, manufacturing and more. Our focus is always on getting our clients the results they want and deserve – with personalized care and aggressive representation provided for each of them.