An employment lawyer can work for both the employee and the employer, usually for matters relating to state and federal employment laws. An employment lawyer is a legal professional who makes certain that all of the employees are treated fairly and justly, according to their legal rights. This isn’t to say that the employers have no rights themselves, as in any organization, both parties are equally respected, in the eyes of the law.
Hiring an employment lawyer in any company or business organization ensures a smooth flow of relationships with both the employer and the employee. Any legal documents pertaining to the conditions of work and be made, and matters can also be addressed legally, appropriately, and in the most timely and amicable manner.
This article enumerates five compelling reasons why both employer and employee need to hire an employment lawyer.
As An Employee
To start with, these are the main reasons why an employee will need to hire an employment lawyer:
- You Have Been Wrongfully Terminated
Employees who enjoy the security of tenure can’t be wrongfully terminated. What are the conditions for an employee to be considered to already enjoy the security of tenure? These would matter, depending on the local area you come from. An employment lawyer can, therefore, bring to light what these circumstances are, for you to be able to say that you do enjoy the security of tenure.
Then, that’s where the filing of a case or complaint of wrongful termination comes in. Usually, wrongful termination means you were laid off from work without previous warning or notice, or that there are no grounds to legally support your termination.
- You Can Fight For Your Rights If You Were Unfairly Treated
Unfortunately, there are still many supervisors or department heads who may treat employees unfairly. It’s a part of learning and working to make mistakes, and your attention is going to be called for these lapses. But this doesn’t mean that any of the employers’ superiors can do this in an unfair manner.
There are many ways you can be wrongfully treated while on the job and you may not even be aware of these circumstances. The best place to start is looking through your employee handbook, with the help of an employment lawyer to educate you on what the local laws require.
Unfortunately, it can also be difficult and challenging to prove you were wrongfully or unfairly treated on the job, which is why building a case with your employment lawyer’s help is crucial.
- You Are Exposed To A Toxic Work Environment
Employers are under a legal obligation to ensure a safe working environment. This safety includes the absence of exposure to hazardous chemicals and toxic waste. If you’re in a workplace where your employer is negligent about complying with those standards, then you have a valid claim against your employer.
A lawyer can help you prove your claim and ensure you’re also justly compensated for any diseases you may have acquired, directly due to the exposure to those hazardous chemicals.
As An Employer
On the employer’s side, these are the reasons why hiring an employment lawyer is called for:
- You Are Assured Of Compliance With The Laws
As an employer, the last thing you’ll want is to be running a business whereby you’re usurping the law’s authority. Or, that there are certain legal obligations you aren’t able to meet or legally comply with.
As the laws may change from time to time, it’s important to stay up-to-date. This is what an employment lawyer can do for you. Hiring one on a retainer basis ensures that every single facet of your business operations complies with the latest legal requirements.
- You Need To Protect Your Business Assets
An employment lawyer can also help employers in their pursuit of protecting their business assets. These assets don’t just pertain to the tangible ones, but also those that are intangible. These include your business logo, trademark, and your brand identity in general.
Especially if you’re a first-time entrepreneur, however, it can be a challenge to decide on how you can even start protecting your assets. Or, how do you fight for your business assets’ protection when there are other businesses around you who may be trampling on your trademark, or usurping your business assets.
An employment lawyer can help you protect what’s rightfully yours.
Conclusion
The workplace is a varied mix of professionals, both from the employer’s and the employee’s side. It’s not uncommon that either one of these sides can commit a variety of unlawful actions, where the mediation and assistance of an employment lawyer are called for. Whether you’re the employee or the employer, this fact is immaterial. The whole point as highlighted above is that when there are any gray areas or issues brought up concerning employment, hiring an employment lawyer is always the best recourse. Just be sure you’re putting your faith and trust in a reputable one.
