Our employment
attorneys
regularly help
companies on all
employment
matters,
including, the
preparation of
employment
agreements,
enacting
employee
policies and
procedures,
advising on
labor and
employment law
and regulations,
implementing
workforce
reductions and
employee
terminations,
preparing
severance
agreements and
defending
employers
against lawsuits
for
discrimination
or wrongful
termination.
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS & EMPLOYMENT
POLICIES
We regularly advise
employers on employment policies and
procedures, advise employers on labor
and employment law and regulatory
developments, prepare, review and update
employment handbooks, and draft
employment agreements, non-competition
agreements, confidentiality agreements,
work-for-hire agreements to assign the
ownership of employee innovations, as
well as independent contractor
agreements.
REDUCTIONS IN
FORCE
As the economy
continues to
falter, jobless
claims continue
to rise. Employers
considering
terminating
employees,
job cuts,
reduction in
force, plant
closings or mass
layoffs should
be aware of
certain employee
rights and
potential risks
involved with
employment
terminations.
Employers should
be aware of the
heightened risk
of liability the
present economic
climate presents,
and should have
legal counsel
prepare or
review all
correspondence
or documentation
related to the
termination of
the employees.
Severance
Agreement &
Mutual Release
of Claims
As part of any
employee
termination or
mass layoff, it
is critical that
the employer
prepare and
execute a
severance
agreement with
the terminated
employee in
which the
employee
releases all
claims against
the employer
(such as claims
for
wrongful
termination or
discrimination).
It is often
necessary that
the release of
claims, or
settlement
agreement,
contain a mutual
release of
claims in which
both the
employer and
employee release
all claims
against each
other. It is
important that
such agreements
are carefully
drafted to
ensure that they
are enforceable
and cover all
possible claims.
Our employment
attorneys can
prepare, review
and negotiate
severance
packages
including
termination
letters,
settlement and
releases of
claims, and
various
statutory
notices.
Notices
and termination
letters
Our attorneys
can help you
determine if it
is necessary to
issue a warning letter
notifying an
employee of
potential future
termination.
Based on a
review of your
employee
guidelines or
handbook,
we can help you
determine
the
procedure
for terminating
employees. We
can prepare the
termination
letter, as well
as a severance
and mutual
release of
claims
agreement.
