If you have one employee or a thousand, whether you are a mom-and-pop shop or a big developer, you need a skilled legal team who is knowledgeable in Employment and Labor Law to help your business run smoothly. Cobb Cole’s Employment and Labor Law group has you covered no matter the size of your business. Whether you are a new business or a long-established entity, they can assist you in setting up the proper framework for effective and profitable employment relationships.
New Business Services
It is important to start off with the proper hiring practices and follow all the applicable state and federal employment laws. The Employment and Labor Law team at Cobb Cole can set up your hiring system from proper interview questions to background checks. Employment contracts with crucial non-compete and non-disclosure clauses are key to protecting your valuable business assets like Intellectual Property. Non-compete agreements mean employees can’t leave you and set up a competing business or work for a competitor and non-disclosure agreements mean they can’t disclose or tell your business secrets to others. These are just examples that highlight the importance of having proper employment contracts in place. It’s important to note that if you have an existing business, the Cobb Cole Team can also review your contracts and add in these protections. And they will help make sure you know how to properly separate or end employment agreements. There is an art to firing, as well as hiring, and it must be done right to protect your business from legal trouble, such as discrimination claims.
Employee Numbers Matters
There are many complexities within the federal and state employment and labor laws. One is that there are many different employee regulations that apply to your business depending on the number of employees you have. For example, if you have 19 employees, the group health plan law, known as COBRA, does not apply to your business. But, if you hire another employee, bringing you to 20, it does apply and you have to offer extended insurance coverage to former employees. Similarly, the Age Discrimination Law (ADEA), is also triggered by the 20th employee. 15 employees means you must follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) applies if you have 50 or more employees. And those are only the tip of the iceberg of federal regulations. Then there are the state and local regulations too. It is a big task to understand and follow all these laws, and you probably do not have time to keep up with which rules apply to your business or which will apply if you add a new hire. Rest assured that the Employment and Labor Law team at Cobb Cole stays aware of all these employment laws and any changes made to them and will help your business stay on track and not run afoul.
Labor Relations
If you have a large operation with a lot of employees, you may have to deal with unions and other collective groups. It is important to have an Employment and Labor Law Team backing you up in contract negotiations, collective bargaining, and other related labor relations. Working with an experienced Labor Law Team can help you prevent walkouts and strikes. They will also vigorously defend you in any negotiations, complaints, or civil litigation.
Social Media Policy
It is probably not surprising in the current time when social media is so important to business marketing and business success to learn that your business needs a social media policy. Your policy should cover the use of social media during work hours and properly represent your company and brand on social media. However, you cannot just ban employees from posting or commenting about your company on social media. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is vigorous about protecting employees’ right to freedom of speech and to comment honestly about working conditions. This is another area where it’s important to work with an experienced Employment Law Team to ensure that your policy is legally enforceable and works for your specific business needs.
Comprehensive Services for Employers
Cobb Cole has been representing employers in Central Florida for almost 100 years and is ready to provide all-inclusive service for your employment and labor law needs. The services we provide include:
- Employment Contracts including nondisclosure and noncompetition clauses
- Hiring Practices
- Salary/Compensation Negotiation
- Separation and Termination Issues
- Defense of Wrongful Termination Claims
- Defense of Employment Discrimination Claims in Federal, State, and Administrative Agencies
- Labor Negotiations and Collective Bargaining
- Workers’ Compensation
- Health Insurance/Benefits
- Safety Regulations and OSHA Coverage
- Overtime, Wage, and Working Hour Issues
- Dispute Mediation and Litigation
The Cobb Cole Employment and Labor Law Team
The Firm provides a variety of services to address all your Employment and Labor Law concerns. Contact them to protect your business interests today.
