Managing a work force in compliance with the law but at the same time developing a committed and effective work force is not easy. An employer may think that treating employees consistently and fairly should be enough to comply with the law. But, even fairness and consistency won’t protect an employer:
- The law requires that some employees be given special rights, such as the right to reasonable accommodation of a disability, to light duty for employees recovering from a workplace injury, or rights to be reinstated to a job under Family and Medical Leave Acts. So, one employee could have a right to a light duty position, and another not, depending on a particular law.
- Even if an employer has a legitimate business reason for an action, if the employer can’t prove that motive in court, the employer could be subject to substantial liability. ZNC’s employment lawyers can assess the legal risk. If the action involves a potential liability, they can develop a strategy commensurate with the risk to achieve the employer’s business goal.
- Employers are subject to investigation and audit by many government agencies, such as the Connecticut Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. ZNC’s employment lawyers know how to minimize the cost and the business disruption caused by the investigation.
- Employment laws regulate many aspects of the day-to-day employment relation, from payroll practices, medical leaves, workplace injuries, personnel files, health insurance and hiring and firing procedures. Clients rely on ZNC’s employment lawyers to help them comply with these laws in a way that promotes the employer’s business goals.
For ZNC’s employment lawyers, compliance with the law and reducing legal risk is not their primary goal. The primary goal is promoting a work force that is effective and committed and that furthers the business interest of the employer. Sometimes that means an employer may take on some legal risk if the potential benefit is worth it. With ZNC, employers can make these decisions to serve their ultimate business interest with knowledge of the risks and rewards of an employment action.
A ten-minute phone call with a lawyer can save an employer from a lawsuit that could last for years, but only if the lawyer is available when a legal issue arises. ZNC’s employment lawyers know that a lawyer is only as useful as the lawyer is available. They strive to make it easy for their clients to communicate with them. We work hard to return phone calls and emails the same day, but we urge our clients to call or email us again if they need to speak with us before we call them.
ZNC has offices in Bridgeport and Stamford, and its employment lawyers serve client throughout Fairfield County and the State of Connecticut.
