It is beneficial for both employers and employees in New York to understand employment law. The laws are not in place to put onerous regulations on employers, nor are they intended to limit the flexibility of workers. They are in place to prevent employment contracts from being violated, to protect from lawsuits and to shield workers from wrongful discharge and other acts of employee mistreatment. When both sides have a grasp on employment law issues, it can help to avoid personal and professional costs later on.
There are different legal problems that can arise for both sides. For employees, there are certain agreements for non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality, intellectual property and severance that might seem complicated when the job first starts. Many people are simply happy to have the job and don’t think about their rights when agreeing to a contract. That can bite them later on if they choose to leave the job or if there is some form of a dispute causing them to want to leave.
Employers face a whole different set of issues when handling a contract. Perhaps there were problems that the new employee has with a former employer and they weren’t disclosed. Employers are sometimes accused of committing acts that are illegal. Cases of harassment, wrongful termination, prejudice and not giving benefits that are mandated by law are filed every day. Employers must be vigilant and protect their interests.
Countless relationships have soured over discrepancies as to contracts, terms and interpretation. The easiest way to avoid this is to make certain that all the legal issues are squared away.