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Employment Contracts

Make sure employment contract language spells out employees’ ‘at will’ status

02/01/2008

Does your organization use an employment contract for some employees? If so, does that contract specify that either party can terminate the agreement for any or no reason at all? If not, insert that language right away. It will help you retain maximum control over the work force while benefiting from having the other terms and conditions in writing …

Arbitration may not bar class action

02/01/2008

Two managers at Dynamics Research brought a wage-and-hour class-action suit under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Massachusetts law. The company asked the court to throw out the class action because it said it had a “Dispute Resolution Program” that required arbitration and disallowed class-action suits. The managers said the way the company instituted the dispute resolution process made it invalid …

A Georgia employer’s guide to creating restrictive covenants

02/01/2008

Georgia employees are generally free to compete against their former employers, solicit their customers and employees, and even use or disclose any confidential information that can’t be classified as a “trade secret.” This can be disastrous for employers. But there’s some good news for employers …

Make sure you pay what contract states

02/01/2008

Indiana employers, listen up! Pay your workers what you say you will pay them, or get ready to pay a lot more. Employees can sue for unpaid wages under the Indiana Wage Payment Act and collect three times their unpaid wages. That can add up quickly …

Pay commission? Make sure contracts are clear about terms

02/01/2008

Commissions are a great way to motivate some employees to work harder. Usually a contract spells out the commission terms and how the payments work. But if the contract is the least bit unclear, expect trouble—especially if someday you have to discharge a commissioned salesman for poor performance …

Make sure written employment contracts exclude oral promises

02/01/2008

It’s tempting for hiring managers to oversell positions they desperately want to fill. Although HR should warn them not to make promises the organization can’t keep, it happens. That’s why every written employment agreement and offer letter should contain explicit language limiting the terms to what actually appears in writing …

Contract requires lengthy advance notice of resignation? It may not be valid

01/01/2008

For key personnel, it’s customary to have employment contracts specifying the terms and conditions under which the employees will work, compensation terms and other details, such as a noncompete and trade secrets clause. Plus, the agreements may specify how much notice key employees must give before they leave for other jobs. Before the contract is signed, make sure it meets with Georgia contract law …

Can disclaimers keep handbooks from becoming employment contracts?

01/01/2008

Q. Are disclaimers in employee handbooks valid in North Carolina? …

Arbitration agreements must be specific and conspicuous

01/01/2008

If, like many employers, you want to avoid the risk of a jury trial or a judge’s unpredictable decision, you may have considered requiring employees to agree to use arbitration to settle workplace disputes. But if the agreement doesn’t conform to New Jersey’s contract laws, you may end up spending time and money defending the agreement instead of arbitrating disputes …

Sample Policy: Internet Usage

01/01/2008
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