Employment lawyers can be useful for employers and employees alike. They can be used to resolve workplace disputes, to help ensure you’re protected from lawsuits and other legal issues, and to make sure that you’re following the necessary employment laws.

However, employment law is a notoriously complex subject, and it can be difficult to know when to consult an employment lawyer. In the rest of this article, we’ve looked at a few common situations requiring one from the point of view of both the employer and the employee.

When Should I Speak to an Employment Lawyer as an Employer?

Hiring a good employment lawyer can help you resolve various labour issues and other workplace disputes. In many cases, they will also be able to help you review contracts and other agreements to ensure they are correctly written and legally binding. Some common situations requiring the services of an employment lawyer when you’re the employer include:

• When you need to be represented during a collective bargaining agreement or other legal dispute.
• If an employee or contractor has filed a discrimination or harassment case.
• If you need to fire or lay off employees but aren’t sure if their contracts allow you to.
• To ensure your contracts and other workplace agreements are watertight and legally binding.

In general, employment law tends to favour the employee. Because of this, it’s a good idea to get a decent employment lawyer on your team to ensure you’re doing things by the book.

When Should I Speak to an Employment Lawyer as an Employee?

There are also numerous occasions when employment lawyers could help you as an employee. Some of the most common situations include:

• If you believe that you’ve been unfairly or wrongly dismissed or fired.
• If you feel your employment contract needs reviewing before you sign it.
• When you want to make a sexual harassment, bullying, or discrimination claim.
• If you believe that there are other workplace issues that need dealing with.

Many employment lawyers offer free consultations for employees, so it’s worth speaking to one to determine whether or not they can help.

How Do I Choose the Right Employment Lawyer?

Now, actually choosing the right employment lawyer for your needs can be difficult, especially if you don’t know anything about the world of law. With this in mind, we’ve put together a short list of things to consider, including:

• Look for an employer with a good reputation and experience handling the type of issue you have.
• Go for someone who is friendly and genuinely concerned with your problems.
• Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that more expensive is better. Yes, this is sometimes true, but not always. In many cases, you will be better off using a cheaper lawyer who really cares about your issues.

Unfortunately, employment lawyers can be expensive, but it’s worth at least speaking to one to ensure you’re protected from potential problems in the future. Note that it’s often worth speaking to the other party – to your employer if you’re the employee and vice versa – to try and resolve issues peacefully and without the services of a lawyer.