Employer's Toolbox

Assouline & Berlowe is able to present training on a variety of employment-related topics such as recognizing and reporting sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination in the work place, practicing sensitivity to others, respecting diversity between employees and the like.  The firm also offers training specifically for managers on such topics as do’s and don’ts for interviewing job applicants, handling and investigating employee complaints, and ensuring compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act.  Assouline & Berlowe can easily tailor these presentations to your work environment and will come to your work place before or after working hours to minimize imposition on the work day.

Assouline & Berlowe is also available to work directly with human resource managers and other personnel to ensure proper record keeping practices and documentation in order to best defend the company from employee claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation and other forms of wrongful termination.

Many businesses have been using the same employment applications, employee handbooks and other forms for years without regard to changes in the law.  Similarly, many businesses have never considered whether employees are properly classified as exempt from being paid overtime or non-exempt and thus entitled to overtime.

Assouline & Berlowe is available to review policies, procedures, systems and documentation in use by the company to ensure compliance with all applicable local, state and federal employment laws.  Similarly, the firm can undertake an analysis of the jobs performed in the company and determine whether employees in these jobs should be classified as exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA.  These type of preventative exercises can help all employers reduce the costs of non-compliance and avoid litigation in the future.     

Employee handbooks are not “one size fits all.”  Companies who use another company’s employee handbook or download a “form” from the Internet may be establishing policies wholly inapplicable to their business or may be missing crucial employment policies that the business needs to run efficiently.  Assouline & Berlowe can draft employee handbooks specifically tailored to your company, or the firm can review any preexisting handbooks to advise of necessary additions, deletions and updates.  As laws change, so too must employment policies, and an outdated handbook is a sure sign that a business is not in compliance with employment laws.  This can lead to even bigger headaches down the road. 

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By taking proactive steps to comply with local, state and federal employment laws, you are taking the right steps to protect your company from litigation in the future. If you would like to talk to us about your needs as an employer, please contact our Labor and Employment Practice Group.