Employment Law

Running a small business requires you to make dozens of crucial daily decisions about managing your employees, controlling your company assets, and protecting your financial interests. A single thoughtless mistake could lead to a lawsuit or substantial government fines. The dedicated employment law attorneys at A.Y. Gross Law can guide you through the nuances of employment law and ensure that all your documents are legally compliant. Read on to learn more about how we protect our clients.

Do I Need An Employee Handbook?

While there are no federal or Maryland laws requiring small businesses to write an employee handbook, providing one of these helpful resources to every employee is crucial to keep your business operating efficiently and effectively. An informative, well-written handbook can answer your employees’ most common questions without requiring a visit to your HR representative, saving administrative time and money. Most include legally mandated information such as employee rights, along with company benefits, staff conduct expectations, timekeeping, and other important matters.

There are also legal advantages to providing a clear and concise employee handbook. If your company’s administrative policies or employment practices are ever challenged in a court of law or questioned by regulatory agencies, it may be helpful to have documentation of precisely the information that you have officially conveyed to your employees. In these situations, however, having noncompliant or outdated policies on your company’s books is almost as harmful as having no policies at all.

While your handbook can be written to reflect the needs of your workplace, the requirements of the Maryland employment law, and the policies that suit your company’s size and mission, it must still be written in accordance with employment law. That is why it is so crucial to find a business attorney who is familiar with state labor and employment laws, who can help you draft a strong legal document, and who can review your handbook for accuracy and compliance.

Understanding Employment Contracts

If you own a small business, you are probably intimately familiar with the process of negotiating, drafting and signing employee contracts. These important legal documents are not only a contract that sets expectations between an employer and an employee, but also a valuable way to protect your business interests and resources. Most businesses choose to draw up employment contracts for any positions that are responsible for managing sensitive client information, learning trade secrets, or undergoing a significant amount of specialized training or upfront relocation costs.

Other employment contracts manage the relationship between an employer and an employee as they part ways. Non-compete, non-solicitation, severance and separation agreements secure the employee’s needs while protecting the company’s future business interests, in addition to declaring exactly what will happen in the case of a disagreement or dispute.

No matter the purpose, every employment contract is legally binding toward the business. It is best to have each one drafted and reviewed by an experienced employment law attorney, who can point out any weaknesses in your documents and offer valuable advice about legal compliance.

Contact Us

If you own a small- to medium-sized company, then keeping an attorney on retainer is clearly a smart business move. The experienced employment law attorneys at A.Y. Gross Law bring an extensive knowledge of Maryland employment law, years of litigation experience, and a fierce commitment to protecting our clients’ interests. If you have questions about employment contracts and employee handbooks, or simply need assistance with your day-to-day legal operations, please call us at (443) 990-0001 or contact us to find out how we can serve you!