Employment law in the 21st century is so complex that every business needs to have a good working relationship with a local employment attorney. It is this kind of partnership that protects a business from potentially catastrophic lawsuits.

Many employment laws are in place to give business owners and managers the specific guidance and legal framework they need to make important decisions regarding employees or general employment policies. Employment attorneys help employers manage risks and control costs so that they can focus their time and resources on their businesses.

The Need for Employment Lawyers

While many businesses continue to operate under a common misconception - that they are too small to need an employment lawyer – in today's more litigious business climate this misconception is more problematic than ever. Any company today that has employees needs to have legal counsel in order to stay informed and aware of laws pertaining to this specialized area. Every employer needs to understand the impact of such things as family or pregnancy leave, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, or how to apply the law when it comes to such seemingly routine things as lunch times or break times. A good employment attorney can assist in writing up policies that are created by the human resource department. Attorneys whose focus is employment and labor law, can advise clients in matters of employment discrimination, harassment, wrongful discharge, severance issues, and employment law compliance.

Employment Law and Proactive Management

Although that kind of employment lawyer participation in a business is easily affordable, it can potentially save a company tremendous amounts of money. When an employment lawyer is there to consult with management, legal communication between management and employees is improved. That kind of work environment can in turn, improve retention rates and performance – and those factors contribute directly to a more robust bottom line. Human resource professionals also need input from employment lawyers to ensure that they are making decisions that are good for retaining and supporting employees, and these decisions are therefore good for the company as well. Otherwise companies open themselves up to potential legal problems related to everything from age or disability discrimination, or perceived wrongful termination, to disputes over overtime pay.

Selecting an Experienced Employment Attorney

When choosing an employment lawyer, it is important to first locate a law firm that has employment attorneys with verifiable credentials. When you meet with the prospective employment attorneys, ask them what kinds of cases they have handled, and what the outcomes were for the companies in each case. Ideally, the employment lawyer you choose will be experienced at providing legal advice at all stages of a problem – situational and policy advice, litigation avoidance, and skilled representation in court and before administrative agencies.

Choose an employment attorney who not only has stellar credentials but also has a strong commitment to continuing education. Those reliable employment attorneys who have solid past experience combined with a forward-looking passion for the law will be able to serve their clients well, both now and in the future.