Human resource professionals can be a very important part of your firm. Smaller businesses can often go without an HR department, but medium to larger sized businesses usually rely heavily on HR professionals. HR professionals are involved in a wide range of functions, including hiring, employee retention, resolving inter-office issues, employee complaints, termination and other related matters. One particularly important function which HR professionals can serve is the prevention of employment disputes. In this post, we will discuss a few ways in which HR professionals can prevent potentially costly disputes among employees.
HR Professionals Can Ensure Compliance with Contractual Obligations
In many cases, businesses here in Florida hire employees on a contractual basis, rather than an “at will.” When you create an employment contract with an employee, typically this restricts the ability of the employer to terminate the employee. The employer will usually need to cite certain grounds which are included within the contract. What’s more, the employment contract will include other items, such as the scope of the work involved, workplace policies and standards, and so forth. Your HR professionals can help to ensure that the terms of the employment contract are observed. This will prevent any potential disputes between your business and an employee.
HR Professionals Can Enforce Anti-Harassment & Anti-Discrimination Policies
Perhaps the largest sources of disputes are anti-harassment and anti-discrimination claims. Federal laws protect employees from workplace harassment, as well as various forms of discrimination. For instance, for employees with disabilities, employers are not allowed to discriminate on the basis of the disability when it comes to hiring, promotion, and termination. Employers are required by law to make “reasonable accommodation” for disabilities, or else face possible claims. HR professionals can prevent disputes by ensuring that reasonable accommodations are attempted, and that other potential forms of discrimination are prevented. Enforcing anti-harassment and anti-discrimination laws is all the more critical in today’s climate given the troubles brought about by COVID-19.
HR Professionals Can Implement Safety Precautions
HR professionals can also play an important role in making sure that your physical work space remains safe for employees. Employers are required by law to maintain a certain standard of safety in their workplaces. Employers have to meet certain basic standards, and then COVID-19 has brought about additional safety rules as well. Grappling with a workplace safety dispute could be potentially very costly. Even if you decide to settle a lawsuit out-of-court, this can still be very expensive. As with most things, prevention is the best solution, and this is where your HR professionals can shine. Your HR professionals can prepare periodic reports which show that your work space is up to par with all applicable safety standards, including those recently created during the pandemic.
Contact the Trembly Law Firm for Additional Information
These are just a few ways in which HR professionals can demonstrate their value and prevent potential disputes. Dealing with employment contract disputes, anti-discrimination disputes, or any other type of dispute can be a very serious matter. Even if you manage to defeat a claim, the toll on your physical and mental resources can be severe. Be sure to hire talented HR professionals and give them proper education if you want to prevent disputes at the outset. For more information, contact the Trembly Law Firm today by calling (305) 431-5678.
