In yesterday’s Advisor, we offered tips for lowering fees relates to charges and lawsuits. Today, more tips from the Holland & Hart LLC attorneys’ Nevada Employment Law Letter, plus an introduction to a great HR timesaver—SmartPolicies.
The Nevada Employment Law Letter is one of 51 such newsletters written by members of the Employers Counsel Network, a select group of lawyers from all 50 states and Canada.
[Go here for tips 1 through 8.]
9. Use Your Time Wisely
You should know that if you call your attorney or drop in without making an appointment, he or she may not be prepared and you might be charged for some unproductive time. If you expect to have a substantive discussion, make arrangements ahead of time to call or visit. That way, your attorney—and you—will be prepared to focus on the case. Your attorney does this stuff every day; you don’t. Be sure to ask if something confuses you.
10. Keep Communicating
You must keep your attorney informed of any developments in your case, and your attorney should be keeping you informed as well. If you’re unhappy with the attorney’s services, let him or her know! If you have to find a new attorney, the court will require the first attorney to formally withdraw from the case. Never simply quit communicating.
11. Think About a Resolution
At first, you’ll probably feel angry or defensive. As time goes by, though, you’ll start to realize that the case is taking up a lot of time and money that might be better spent attending to business. At that point, the employee’s attorney and the insurance company may begin exploring the idea of settling, or the court or agency might encourage mediation to resolve the dispute. Since most employment lawsuits settle before trial, it’s not unrealistic to think that your matter might settle as well. Be open to that, but realize that a good settlement is a compromise that often leaves both sides with a little heartburn.
BLR’s SmartPolicies gives you 350 HR policies, prewritten for you, ready to customize or use as is. Plus, for a limited time receive the complimentary special report 5 Tips For Creating HR Policies That Hold Up In Court. Click Here
12. Listen to your lawyer
You’re paying your lawyer to provide you with advice based on his or her experience and knowledge. Consider all the advice your attorney gives you when you’re deciding on strategy and trial tactics, especially if you’re called to be a witness at a deposition or trial. More than one case has been lost because a key witness didn’t take time to prepare or didn’t cooperate with counsel. If you are that witness, you’ll hate yourself in the morning.
Dealing with charges and lawsuits, always a challenge, but certainly not the only challenge you’re facing! Fortunately, there is a good way to make a lot of HR headaches go away—clearly-written policies. Actually, our editors estimate that for most companies, there are 50 or so policies that need regular updating (or maybe need to be written). It’s easy to let it slide, but you can’t afford to—your policies are your only hope for consistent and compliant management that avoids lawsuits.
Fortunately, BLR’s editors have done most of the work for you in their extraordinary program called SmartPolicies.
Don’t struggle with creating compliant HR policies! We’ve already written them for you, and at less than $1 each. Plus, for a limited time receive a bonus special report. Click Here.
SmartPolicies’ expert authors have already worked through the critical issues on some 100 policy topics and have prewritten the policies for you.
In all, SmartPolicies contains some 350 policies, arranged alphabetically from absenteeism and blogging to cell phone safety, EEO, voice mail, and workers’ compensation. What’s more, the CD format makes these policies easily customizable. Just add your company specifics or use as is.
Just as important, as regulations and court decisions clarify your responsibilities on workplace issues, the policies are updated—or new ones are added—as needed, every quarter, as a standard part of the program.
SmartPolicies is available to HR Daily Advisor subscribers on a 30-day evaluation basis at no cost or risk … even for return postage. If you’d like to have a look at it, let us know, and we’ll be happy to arrange it.
Good point about thinking about a resolution. Too often, in realms of life, we stubbornly dig in our heels and it just ends us costing us more in the end.
Tip #13 — Review every invoice/bill line by line. Unfortunately, in my experience, they are not always accurate. Note: Some attorneys may charge in 15 minute increments. Assume at least a 15 minute minimum charge at that hourly rate for every email message you send.