Hiring an employee can be an exciting time for both your business and future employees. Finding the right person with the right set of skills can be all it takes to get your business moving in the right direction.
Before you start, it is important to consider a few important things, such as the needs of your business, the type of person you would like to employ, the position you would like to offer and their obligations to your business.
When hiring an employee you must have the following documents in place to safeguard your employees and your business. With LawPath’s quick quotes service you can engage an experienced employment lawyer to assist with your employment law needs.
What Legal Services do I need to Hire an Employee?
Employment Agreement
All employees should have some form of written employment agreement. The agreement can be simple or detailed depending on the needs of your business. An employment agreement clearly sets out the rights and duties between you and your employees, and can also be used help avoid any future conflicts. The agreement ensures that the work carried out by your employees fulfils the needs of your business.
Agreements will vary depending on the nature of your business, the number of employees you employ and the frequency with which staff join and leave. If you have full time, casual and part-time employees, you will need them to a sign an agreement that is appropriate to their employment status.
Workplace Policies
It is important when hiring employees that you have workplace policies in place to protect your employees and your business. Workplace policies set out the values of your organisation, the expectations of employees and how certain issues and conflicts within the workplace will be resolved.
Some of the workplace policies you will need for your business include:
- Harassment and bullying policy;
- A social media policy;
- Acceptable IT use policy;
- A drug and alcohol policy; and
- An anti-discrimination policy.
Having these policies in place can also significantly reduce your business’s liability for any acts of discrimination, harassment or online abuse committed by an employee within the workplace.
Engage an Employment Lawyer
Employment law is complex. It is important that when hiring employees for your business that you consult with an employment lawyer. Without proper legal guidance and the correct legal documentation, a full-time employee may be misclassified as casual, part-time or as an independent contractor. This can result in a long and costly litigation process.
Engaging an employment lawyer will ensure that your business is legally compliant and has the right legal documentation in place. An employment lawyer can also provide legal advice on your employment relationships and review any existing employment agreements of your business.
Final Thoughts
If you are about to hire employees for your business, your employment agreements and workplace policies must be up-to-date. To ensure that your business is protected and legally compliant you should contact a LawPath consultant today. With LawPath you can get in touch with an employment lawyer and have these legal documents reviewed.
LawPath has access to experienced employment lawyers that can assist you with hiring employees. Contact a LawPath consultant on 1800LAWPATH to learn more about customising legal documents, obtaining a fixed-fee quote from our network of 600+ expert lawyers or to get answers to your legal questions.
