HunterMaclean employment attorney Wade Herring made this presentation at the Brunswick-Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce Lunch and Learn on October 6, 2015. In the presentation Mr. Herring also covered updates in employment law.

1. SAVANNAH tel 912.236.0261
BRUNSWICK tel 912.262.5996
H U N T E R M A C L E A N . C O M
Employment Law for
Businesses of Any Size
Brunswick-Golden Isles
Chamber of Commerce
October 6, 2015

5. Documents Summary
• Application
• Consent forms
• I-9
• Handbook, including employee acknowledgement
• Periodic Evaluation
• Discipline/Coaching
• “Form” not important, but Employee needs to sign
• Separation (includes GA DOL form)

7. Business Considerations
• Can this person be trusted?
• Can this person’s job be saved?
• Does this person make everyone else’s job easier or
harder?
• How much time and effort are we spending on this
person?
• Does this person advance the goals of the
organization?
• Does this person put the organization at risk?

8. Hiring – Slow to Hire

10. Focus on actual job requirements and spend some
time with the candidate
• Do you have reliable transportation to work?
• Can you get to work on time?
• Are you able to work overtime on nights or weekends
on short notice?
• Do you have specialized experience or training?
Hiring

11. Hiring
• Here are the job requirements – can you do this
job?
• How?
• Show me.
• Warning – Is the job description accurate? Are
you consistent with this screening device?
• What did you like best about your old job?
• What did you like least?
• What was the grievance procedure at your old job?

13. Hiring
• What do you want out of this job?
• What can you do for us?

14. Background Checks

17. Discipline/Coaching
Be consistent – treat similarly situated people the
same
• Consistency is a bench mark of employment law
• Variances in performance, conduct, outcomes, and
business requirements are valid reasons for
business decisions that treat people differently
• The reason for the business decision should be
clear at the time, not after the fact

20. Discipline/Coaching
How have you handled this problem in the past?
Unwritten policies may be just as important as written ones.

21. Discipline/Coaching
Do not avoid the problem – it will usually get worse

24. Discipline/Coaching
Avoid false emergencies – use suspensions to buy you
time
• Gather the facts
• Minimize emotions
• Consult with others

25. Discipline/Coaching
• Do not meet with employee alone
• Do not tape record

27. Discipline/Coaching
• No warnings for clear rules infractions
• For “softer” performance problems, progressive
discipline is appropriate.

29. SAVANNAH tel 912.236.0261
BRUNSWICK tel 912.262.5996
H U N T E R M A C L E A N . C O M
Presented by:
Wade Herring
HunterMaclean