Kaufman Law Group

Human Resources & Employment Policies

Increasingly, businesses have to comply with a myriad of sometimes conflicting state and federal agencies in their hiring and firing practices.  These include not only state departments of unemployment security, but the state department of labor and the state department of human rights.  Oftentimes, rules enforced by state department of insurance are involved as well.  Several federal agencies are involved in enforcement of personnel policies including the Department of Labor, the Occupational and Safety Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and sometimes even the Internal Revenue Service.   This overlapping regulation scheme can be overwhelming to the small business owner.

Family-owned businesses often do not have the resources and in-house professional staff that large companies have.  Yet, smaller firms face many of the same day-to-day staffing, personnel and employment policy issues, including:

 

  • Urgent issues involved in the difficult process of terminating or “laying off” employees.
  • Hiring employees to ensure long term success while minimizing legal risk
  • Negotiating enforceable employment agreements with new employees
  • Development of compliance policies for legislation acts including Americans with Disabilities Act, various nondiscrimination acts including the Civil Rights Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and other.
  • Communicating a comprehensive employee handbook of employment policies and procedures.

 

How can the owner of a closely held business keep up with all of this, and effectively run her business?

 

At Kaufman Law Group, we have nearly 30 years of experience in assisting our clients both in planning effective and comprehensive personnel policies and in advising clients during those times when crisis occurs.

A company’s people are its life’s blood.  The business owner has to keep his employees happy.  Yet, at the same time, that business owner must take steps to minimize personnel-related risks by implementing comprehensive policies.  It is important to implement policies and procedures before a problem happens.  An experienced attorney who understands the unique needs of the family owned business can be instrumental to a company’s success with its employees.

Large firms have their in-house counsel to provide both planning advice and urgent advice when needed.  Family owned businesses rely on Kaufman Law Group LLC.