Livonia, Northville, and Plymouth’s Employment Law Attorney
As Stephen R. Covey famously said “always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customer.” With the new challenges small business owners face from online competition, very low unemployment in Michigan, and continued margin pressures the hiring and retaining great employees has never been more important.
Matt Devitt Law, PLC can help with all employment negotiations, policies and contracts from hiring to separation agreements and everything in between.
Hiring Process and Policy Support
The relationship between employer and employee is one of the most important for any entrepreneur. An attorney’s primary concern for employment and service contracts is limiting entity liability by ensuring compliance with Federal and State Labor Laws. However, a thoughtful attorney can also provide a set of professional application another preliminary forms including;
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credit report authorization,
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certification of acknowledgement,
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drug testing consent, and
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offer letter
The hiring process is the first touch-point that great employees have with a potential employer and having a professional set of documents and process may be the differentiator.
Employment Agreements
Michigan has "at-will" employment laws, meaning employment can usually be terminated at any time, with the exception of unlawful reasons such as discrimination or retaliation.
Both employers and employees seek to create employment agreements, however, to provide a sense of structure to the arrangement. These agreements can be oral or written, and they cover a wide range of conditions and terms. This includes duties of the job, titles, compensation and benefits. In many cases, the employee gives up rights to taking employment disputes to court by signing the agreement.
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Other types of employment agreements include noncompete and nondisclosure agreements. These dictate what an employee can and cannot disclose after leaving the company or business. These agreements can often be disputed and overturned.
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An employee has the right to negotiate the terms of the employment contract before signing it. Matt is available to review any employment contract you have been asked to sign, helping you understand if your rights are being violated. We will also assist in negotiating the terms of the agreement to be agreeable and advantageous.
Employment Handbook Policies
Well written employee handbooks do more than ensuring compliance with Federal and State Laws. They should also introduce employees, to your culture, mission, and values; communicate to employees what is expected of them; and help ensure that policies are clearly and consistently communicated.
Properly drafted and executed policies and procedures are the employer’s first line of defense against claims of discrimination, improper treatment, or wrongful discharge. Matt will work with you to develop personnel policies—including, most importantly, the company’s Employee Handbook — to help them address the tangled web of state and federal workplace regulations.
Matt Devitt Law, PLC can help with the above by creating and maintaining a broad set of policies including:
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Rules of employee conduct,
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Workplace harassment policy,
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Computer network, electronic device and internet usage policy,
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Social media policy,
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Arbitration agreements,
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Confidential information and invention agreement,
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Confidentially, noncompetition, and non-solicitation agreements, and Indemnification agreements.
Free Initial Consultation
Proudly Serving Livonia and Surrounding Areas
Employment Termination & Separation Agreement
The hiring process is not an exact science and most entrepreneurs will deal with amicable separations or employee terminations. Matt will help draft well thought out, Michigan specific, release and other separation agreements. These agreement are key to ensuring that you have properly allocated risk.
While Michigan is a right to work state, it is important to have a comprehensive separation agreement and general release, settlement agreement and general release, and severance benefit agreement should the need arise.
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When your business needs employment contract assistance, we can give you the legal tools, advice and guidance you need. Contact us to arrange a free consultation. You can reach us at (734)-335-0713