Before you jump headfirst into recruiting remote employees, you must commit to putting a recruitment and hiring playbook in place. It needs to provide a road map for your recruiting practices. If you don’t develop a playbook, chances are high that someone on your team - probably someone with great intentions - will do something, ask something, or post something that puts your company at risk.

The FLSA is complicated. The terms “exempt” and “non-exempt” sound foreign. Sophisticated employers make mistakes. Even the Department of Labor, the agency responsible for enforcing the FLSA, has been accused of FLSA violations against its own employees. But being aware of common mistakes can be one of the best ways for business owners to limit liability.

The personnel file is one of the most critical parts of an employment case. When a current or former employee sues or is considering legal action, you’ll probably get a written request from the employee (or his attorney) for his personnel file. In some states, you must provide it even if your employee never files a lawsuit. In all states, you can expect that you’ll have to turn it over once a lawsuit begins.

Arbitration has many advantages for employers. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right approach in all situations. However, all companies should consider dispute resolution agreements so that if an employee files a lawsuit, the employee doesn’t drag the business into court on the other side of the country in a hostile jurisdiction.

Even if you have an employee handbook adapted to remote work, a standalone remote work policy often makes sense. Why? There are a couple of reasons.

Who writes your employee handbook will determine its quality and tone. You can get an employee handbook by downloading one online or cutting and pasting. But I don’t recommend it. Ultimately, that approach will probably cost you more.

Refreshing and updating your handbook is like routine vehicle maintenance. It doesn’t take much effort or cost. But neglect can be catastrophic. When your company embraces remote work, the legal risks go up. The importance of a well-written and updated employee handbook goes up too.

Multi-state employment law compliance is critical in an a remote work world where your employees work in different states. Some states favor employees. Others favor employers. You must consider these biases in a remote work environment and factor them into your employment policies and practices. As an employment attorney, here are what I see as some factors every business should consider

An employee handbook can’t cover everything. But some companies with remote employees will try. These well-intended companies want to follow every state and local law. Unfortunately, drafting policies with this intent is difficult when employees work nationwide. Plus, the more words your handbook has, the less likely your employees will read and follow the handbook’s policies.

Before your company fully embraces remote work, you need the right people, technology, information, and policies. As an employment attorney, here are a few practical things I think you should consider.

From a business and legal perspective, there are compelling reasons why you should consider remote work. Let’s look at some of the most important reasons your business should consider remote work.

In today's dynamic business environment, staying compliant with ever-evolving employment laws and regulations is crucial. Many Traverse City businesses are discovering that having an employment attorney on call is not just a legal safeguard but also a strategic advantage.

Employee classification is an important issue that can have a significant impact on a worker's rights and benefits. In Michigan, the law uses a multi-factor test to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The factors include:

Most of the time, even if your remote employee is sick, they’ll want to continue to work to avoid burning through sick leave. That’s ok if the work can be done well and the employee is not further compromising his health. But you should always encourage your remote employees to use sick and personal leave, just like an in-person employee would. You don’t need to adopt a militant approach to this issue.

Employment law is a complex and ever-changing field. As a result, it can be difficult for businesses to stay up-to-date on the latest regulations and avoid costly mistakes. That's where an employment attorney comes in.

An employment attorney can provide your business with the legal guidance and support it needs to comply with employment laws and avoid costly lawsuits. They can also help you develop and implement policies and procedures that protect your business from legal liability.

Tip pooling is a practice where all employees who receive tips share them. This can be a great way to ensure that all employees are fairly compensated for their hard work. However, there are a few dangers you should consider before implementing a tip-pooling policy. An employment attorney can help.

Let's face it. Nobody likes reading an employee handbook. That's why most haven't. So why does it make sense to have one? Here are a few reasons.