Employment Law & HR Compliance

Build your HR infrastructure for growth. Attorneys help growing businesses develop compliant policies, agreements, and practices that protect your company and support your team.

HR Infrastructure

Your people are your greatest asset, and your greatest exposure.

Employment law is one of the most complex and constantly changing areas of business law. From hiring through separation, every employment relationship creates legal obligations and potential liability.

Attorneys help growing businesses build the HR infrastructure they need, handbooks, agreements, policies, and practices that are legally compliant, operationally practical, and appropriate for your culture.

Whether you're a startup hiring your first employees, a growing company updating outdated policies, or a business navigating a specific employment situation, attorneys provide the guidance you need.

Why It Matters

Legal Compliance

Employment law is complex and constantly changing. Proper policies and agreements keep you compliant and reduce liability exposure.

Dispute Prevention

Clear expectations prevent misunderstandings. When disputes arise, documentation provides protection and clarity.

Business Protection

Confidentiality, non-compete, and IP agreements protect what you've built from departing employees and competitors.

Talent Attraction

Professional HR infrastructure signals that you're a serious employer. Top talent expects clear terms and fair policies.

Operational Consistency

Written policies ensure consistent treatment across managers and locations, reducing friction and claims.

Growth Readiness

Scalable HR infrastructure supports growth. Building it right now prevents costly corrections later.

Services

Complete employment law support.

From handbooks to individual agreements, the team provides comprehensive employment law services for growing businesses.

Employee Handbooks

Policy documentationLegal complianceClear communicationRegular updates

Comprehensive employee handbooks that communicate policies, set expectations, and protect your business. Attorneys draft handbooks that are legally compliant while being practical and readable for employees.

Employment Agreements

Compensation termsIP protectionTermination provisionsNon-compete provisions

Employment agreements that protect your business while attracting talent. Attorneys draft agreements covering compensation, duties, confidentiality, intellectual property, and separation terms.

Executive Compensation

Equity arrangementsBonus structuresDeferred compensationChange-in-control

Complex compensation arrangements for executives, equity participation, bonus structures, deferred compensation, and change-in-control provisions. Attorneys structure packages that attract and retain leadership.

Offer Letters

Clear termsAt-will protectionBenefits summaryStart date logistics

Clear, professional offer letters that communicate terms while protecting your flexibility. Attorneys draft letters that set appropriate expectations without creating unintended obligations.

Separation Agreements

General releasesConfidentialityNon-disparagementOWBPA compliance

Separation agreements that provide clean exits while protecting your business. Attorneys draft releases, confidentiality provisions, and non-disparagement terms that hold up.

Contractor Classification

Classification analysisAgreement draftingCompliance reviewRestructuring guidance

Proper classification of workers as employees or independent contractors, critical for compliance and avoiding misclassification liability. Attorneys assess relationships and structure arrangements appropriately.

Non-Compete Agreements

Scope definitionGeographic limitsDuration termsEnforcement focus

Restrictive covenants that actually protect your business. Attorneys draft non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-interference agreements that are enforceable under applicable state law.

Confidentiality Agreements

Trade secret protectionInformation categoriesDuration termsRemedies

Protect your proprietary information with confidentiality agreements tailored to your business. Attorneys address trade secrets, customer information, business methods, and other sensitive materials.

Commission Plans

Calculation clarityPayment timingQuota structuresDispute prevention

Clear, legally compliant commission plans that motivate sales teams while protecting against disputes. Attorneys draft plans with clear calculation methods, payment timing, and termination provisions.

HR Compliance Audits

Policy reviewDocumentation auditGap analysisRemediation planning

Comprehensive review of your HR practices, policies, and documentation. Attorneys identify compliance gaps, prioritize risks, and provide practical remediation plans.

Workplace Policies

Anti-harassmentSocial mediaDrug testingAttendance policies

Individual policies addressing specific workplace issues, anti-harassment, social media, drug testing, attendance, and more. Attorneys draft policies that are compliant, clear, and appropriate for your culture.

Remote Work Policies

Equipment & expensesTime trackingMulti-state issuesData security

Policies addressing the unique challenges of remote and hybrid work, equipment, expenses, time tracking, multi-state compliance, and data security. Attorneys help you navigate the new world of distributed work.

Virtual-First HR Support

Build your HR infrastructure from anywhere.

Employment law support works perfectly in a virtual model. Document development, policy discussions, and situation advice all happen efficiently through video and portal communication.

Video consultations allow in-depth discussions about policies, situations, and strategy without travel.

Portal document review makes it easy to review drafts, provide feedback, and track revisions through MyRelevant.

Quick questions get answered promptly, critical when you need guidance on a developing situation.

MyRelevant for Employment

HR Document Library

All your employment documents, handbooks, agreements, policies, organized and accessible.

Quick Questions

Get answers about policy application or specific situations without scheduling calls.

Update Reminders

Automatic reminders for annual reviews and alerts when law changes affect your policies.

Virtual Meetings

Review sessions and strategy discussions via video conference from anywhere.

Template Access

Access to agreement templates for routine hiring situations.

Secure Storage

Sensitive HR documents stored securely with controlled access.

The Process

How attorneys build your HR infrastructure.

From needs assessment through ongoing updates, here's how attorneys develop employment documents and policies for your business.

01

Needs Assessment

Your attorney discusses your current HR infrastructure, workforce, challenges, and goals. This helps the team understand what you need and prioritize the most important issues.

45-60 minutes

02

Document Review

If you have existing documents, your attorney reviews them to identify gaps, compliance issues, and improvement opportunities. For new documents, your attorney gathers the information needed to draft.

1-5 business days

03

Drafting & Development

Attorneys prepare documents tailored to your business, handbooks, agreements, or policies, incorporating your input and reflecting your culture while ensuring legal compliance.

5-15 business days

04

Review & Refinement

You review drafts through your MyRelevant portal. A follow-up meeting covers questions, incorporate feedback, and finalize documents that work for your business.

As needed

05

Implementation Support

Your attorney provides guidance on rolling out new policies and agreements, employee communications, acknowledgment processes, and training considerations.

1-2 weeks

06

Ongoing Updates

Employment law evolves constantly. Your documents are stored in MyRelevant with reminders for periodic review and updates when laws change.

Ongoing

Common Questions

Employment law questions answered.

When do I need an employee handbook?

Most businesses benefit from a handbook once they have 5-10 employees. Beyond that threshold, informal practices become harder to manage, and written policies become essential for consistency, communication, and legal protection. If you're experiencing more employee questions, inconsistent practices, or growing compliance concerns, it's time for a handbook.

Are non-compete agreements enforceable?

Enforceability varies significantly by state. Some states like California generally prohibit non-competes, while others enforce reasonable restrictions. Attorneys draft agreements tailored to applicable state law with appropriate scope, duration, and geographic limits. Importantly, the focus is on protections that actually work, overly broad agreements often aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

How do I know if someone is an employee or independent contractor?

Classification depends on the actual working relationship, not what you call it. Key factors include behavioral control, financial control, and relationship type. The IRS, DOL, and states have different tests. Attorneys analyze your specific situations and help structure relationships appropriately, or restructure existing arrangements if needed.

What should be in an employment agreement?

At minimum: position, compensation, at-will status (if applicable), confidentiality, and IP assignment. For key employees, consider non-compete/non-solicitation, incentive compensation, severance, and dispute resolution. The right provisions depend on the role, seniority, and your specific concerns.

How often should I update my handbook?

Review annually for potential updates, and revise when laws change or when you modify policies. Major legal changes, like updated leave laws or harassment requirements, require prompt updates. Relevant changes are tracked and clients are alerted when updates are needed.

Do I need different policies for remote workers?

Yes, remote work raises unique issues, equipment and expenses, time tracking, multi-state tax and employment law, data security, and workplace safety. Your attorney helps you develop remote work policies that address these challenges while maintaining flexibility.

What's the risk of getting classification wrong?

Misclassification can result in liability for unpaid wages, overtime, benefits, employment taxes, and penalties. Beyond financial exposure, it creates operational disruption and reputational risk. Proper classification upfront is far less expensive than correcting mistakes later.

Can you help with a specific employment situation?

Yes. Beyond policy and document work, attorneys advise on specific situations, disciplining or terminating employees, investigating complaints, responding to agency claims, and other HR challenges. Attorneys can help you navigate difficult situations while minimizing legal exposure.

Related Services

Related business services.

Ready to build your HR infrastructure?

Whether you need a complete handbook, specific agreements, or help with a particular situation, attorneys are ready to help build employment practices that protect and support your business.