You may or may not know that different types of lawyers work in significantly different fields. For example, criminal lawyers are primarily concerned with the criminal offences, family lawyers deal with everything family-related, and workplace lawyers can help with any legal issues arising in the workplace.
But what does a workplace lawyer do? And when should you think about using one?
Well, that’s a question we get asked a lot. And, it’s exactly what we’ve looked at in the rest of this article. You should use a workplace lawyer if you:
- Need Help Drafting or Negotiating Employment Contracts
Employment contracts are legally binding documents which are often treated quite carelessly. A lot of people don’t realise how important they are, and a large percentage of employees don’t even consider negotiating new contracts.
However, this is a bad idea. You should always attempt to negotiate a contract to ensure you’re happy with the terms of employment. And a workplace lawyer can help ensure a positive outcome for both parties.
- Have to Deal With Messy Contract Terminations
Contract termination could be required for any one of a number of reasons. In most cases, dismissing an employee is as simple as providing the required notice in writing and ensuring you’ve paid out any outstanding entitlements.
However, difficult cases can arise. As an employer, you might decide to use a workplace lawyer to ensure you’re following the law and doing things properly. Otherwise, you may be subject to an unfair or unlawful dismissal claim in the future.
On the other hand, employees might choose to use a workplace lawyer to make said claims. If you feel that your employment has been terminated unfairly or outside the terms of your contract, you may be entitled to significant financial or other compensation – and a good lawyer will help you get this.
- Are Having Issues With Bullying, Discrimination, or Harassment
Finally, a good workplace lawyer will be able to help you deal with any harassment, discrimination, or bullying cases that arise within the workplace. These include, but certainly aren’t limited to:
- Problems between employees, including sexual harassment and racial discrimination.
- Cases where an employee accuses an employer of harassment, discrimination, or bullying.
- Things like pay gaps based on ethnicity or gender, selective treatment, and other serious issues of this nature.
Any and all workplace discrimination or harassment problems can have serious legal consequences if not dealt with appropriately, so it’s definitely worth speaking with a workplace lawyer.
Workplace lawyers are useful for countless reasons. If your company is large enough, you may decide to hire one on a full-time basis. If not, your best option might be to form a lasting long-term relationship.
Some of the things workplace lawyers can help with include contract negotiation and drafting, employment termination issues, and anything related to discrimination, bullying, and harassment in the workplace. Note, however, that this is by no means an exhaustive list.
In short, if you have legal issues that are related to your business and/or workplace, a workplace lawyer will probably be able to help!