Disputes with employees are an unavoidable part of being an employer. Although they are not the most pleasant of situations to be in, they can be handled professionally and maturely once you have done the adequate research and know the appropriate protocol.
Consider the following information to help prevent employee/employer disputes:
Arbitration agreements prevent disputes
Often, employees sign agreements at the beginning of their employment that will state the agreements in place to avoid jury trails. This is a great idea for both parties to mutually agree to avoid lengthy and costly trials in the future.
Create open door policies
A great way to prevent small conflicts from getting out-of-hand is to create an environment that makes employees feel safe and free to report any issues that they have at the earliest possible date. It is a great idea to specify which managers will have an “open door”, and what type of issues they will be equipped to deal with.
Beware of using severance packages in the promise of the releasing of claims
For many employers, it might seem like a logical idea to offer a severance package in order to prevent an employee from making a claim against you. However, this can be dangerous water. Offering a severance package in response to their promise to release claims cannot always prevent the employee from making a claim, and it may also be used as an admission of some wrongdoing on your part.
Handling disputes is never easy, but it is vital to have a thorough knowledge of employment law in order to resolve them and prevent litigation in a professional manner.
Source: Findlaw, “Resolving employment disputes,” accessed Oct. 27, 2017