La Quinta Employment Lawyer For Employers
Employers in California are required to navigate a maze of state and federal employment regulations. It can be difficult to ensure that your company is complying with all applicable laws. A simple oversight can quickly result in expensive litigation, even for well-meaning employers. Every business should hire an attorney to ensure that the company is protecting its interests and establishing proper relationships with employees. As a business owner, you rely on your employees to carry out many business-related practices. However, a disgruntled employee can file a claim against your company that can have long-lasting effects on your business. Of course, many moderately sized or small businesses in California cannot rely on in-house attorneys to handle all of their legal obligations. The Law Office of Karen J. Sloat works with La Quinta, California businesses to counsel and defend them in employment-related legal issues and claims.
Call us today to discuss how we can help you create business documents, including contracts, employee handbooks, and training manuals, that will help you establish beneficial relationships with your workers. Following the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19, our attorneys have worked with businesses to establish best practices and office standards so that those employers can return to work without exposing themselves to new and unprecedented legal risks. Our attorneys also defend businesses against allegations of harassment, discrimination, and violations of wage and hour laws. Call us at 760-779-1313 for a consultation with one of our La Quinta employment lawyers.
Contracts, Agreements, and Legal Documents for La Quinta, California Businesses
The best way to avoid being involved in expensive and stressful litigation is to plan and take steps to establish protections for your business. The Law Office of Karen J. Sloat works with companies by providing training in human resources and other practices to ensure that your business complies with California and federal employment-related laws. If your business enters into employment contracts with employees, our attorneys can help you draft contracts that protect your company’s interests. If you have questions regarding terminating an employee, including how to use severance agreements to protect your business interests, we can help develop strategies that work for your company.
Employers in California must be careful to categorize their employees and independent contractors properly. If your business uses independent contractors, you must establish a relationship with that individual that fits the current California legal description of an independent contractor and does not enter a grey area or miss a requirement of current California laws. Otherwise, the contractor could claim he or she is an employee, entitled to benefits that are not available to independent contractors, and file a charge or complaint against your business.
To learn more about the services the Law Office of Karen J. Sloat can offer to your La Quinta business, call us today.
Defending Allegations of Harassment, Discrimination, and Wage and Hour Violations in La Quinta, California
California protects certain classes of employees from harassment and discrimination. Harassment often occurs when an employer creates an environment that is hostile to an employee based on the employee’s membership in a protected class. Harassing an individual because of that person’s age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability – as some examples – can result in a legal complaint.
Discrimination claims also involve protected classes. Employees are protected from employment discrimination based on the employee’s age, race, ethnicity, gender, sex, pregnancy, disability, or sexual orientation, among other factors. For example, as an employer in California, you cannot fire a person because you learn something about their sexual orientation that makes you uncomfortable. This restriction is true even for employees who are “at will.” While the law says employers can fire an employee who is working on an at-will basis at any time without warning or reason, you still cannot fire a person because of their membership in a protected group.
Of course, sometimes, employees may wrongly believe they were discriminated against or harassed at work. If your business is facing allegations of workplace harassment or discrimination, do not take such claims lightly. Contact a La Quinta, California, employment law attorney to discuss your legal options for protecting yourself and defending against the allegations.
Wage and hour regulations dictate that employers must pay their employees a minimum wage and overtime pay, under certain circumstances. Many employees are also entitled to specified break periods. Violating wage and hour regulations is a serious issue in California.
Settling Employment Disputes in La Quinta, California
Employers may have the ability to resolve claims using alternative dispute resolution methods. Litigating can be expensive for businesses, and sometimes mediation or arbitration are preferred ways to resolve claims. To learn more about whether one of these methods might be available in your case, contact the La Quinta, California employment law attorneys at the Law Office of Karen J. Sloat.
La Quinta Employers, Call the Law Office of Karen J. Sloat Today
At the Law Office of Karen J. Sloat, our attorneys understand the importance of protecting your company and your business interests. Call us today at 760-779-1313 to speak to a La Quinta, California, employment law attorney.
