Employment Law
Peters & Kappenman's employment attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience advising and representing employers throughout the United States in virtually every industry. Whether you are a small family businesses or a Fortune 500 company, you can rely on us for honest advice, practical strategies and aggressive representation.
Policies and Compliance Training
When it comes to enterprise risk management, prevention is better than cure. Accordingly, any company looking to mitigate its employment law risk should start with legally-compliant policies and proper administrative procedures.
Peters & Kappenman helps clients manage risk up-front by (1) comprehensively auditing company policies and procedures, (2) updating or generating policies to cover a wide array of legal issues, and (3) training and counseling managerial and human resources staff on implementing and administering those policies. At all times, our goals mirror those of our clients: to promote management objectives and establish and maintain positive employee relations.
First, our attorneys partner with clients to develop proactive, legally-sound workplace policies. Some companies prefer to promulgate general Employee Handbooks or Substance Abuse Policies, which we can provide on a flat-fee basis. Others prefer to implement customized policies addressing specific topics – for example:
- Hiring Practices
- Discrimination and Harassment
- Whistleblowing and Retaliation
- Paid Time Off
- Disability and Family/Medical Leave Matters
- Workplace Safety
- Conduct and Ethics
In any case, our legal team draws on years of legal expertise and client service experience to help clients generate appropriate and effective policy documents.
Employment policies function best when administered by trained personnel. Accordingly, our attorneys are equipped to provide information and training for managerial and human resources staff. By helping clients understand the basis for company policies – i.e., the rationales behind, and laws governing, them – we empower clients to manage workforce issues and employee relations in compliance with overarching state and federal laws.
In addition, we offer a wide variety of skills training workshops designed to develop the supervisory awareness and skills necessary to effectively manage a workforce. For example, we offer dynamic training programs on such topics as:
- Workplace Law For Supervisors and Managers
- Developing An Issue-Free Workplace
- Substance Abuse and Drug Testing In The Workplace
- Effectively Managing Workplace Absences
- Eliminating and Responding to Workplace Harassment
- Conducting Effective Performance Reviews
- Conducting Internal Investigations
- Reclaiming Your Management Rights – Employee Relations In The Union Environment
- Preventing and Responding to Workplace Violence
- Union Avoidance Strategies
Advice and Counseling
While proper policies and training form the backbone of a risk-management system, workforce administration is an ongoing and perpetual process. When employment law matters intensify beyond clients’ internal capacities, Peters & Kappenman partners with them to develop creative and practical solutions.
Our attorneys stand ready to guide clients through thorny matters involving (for example) discrimination or retaliation allegations, employee benefits and leave questions, disability accommodations, hiring practices, non-disclosure and non-competition issues, sales compensation agreements, internal investigations, wage and hour compliance, workplace safety and OSHA issues, employee discipline and discharge, severance and release agreements, workforce reductions and restructures, and independent contractor issues. In all cases, we work with clients to help them navigate a course properly balancing business objectives with risk tolerances.
Employment Litigation
Peters, Revnew, Kappenman & Anderson also represents clients in employment disputes, agency actions, and lawsuits.
We welcome you to learn more about all of our legal services for employers. Contact Peters & Kappenman for additional information about our employment law practice.