Counseling & Preventive Practices

Preventing HR Problems Before They Happen

Sometimes the most valuable advice we offer clients relates to ordinary, day-to-day questions and concerns that arise in the normal course of running a business. Early intervention often can prevent expensive problems. We advise clients on the full range of employment issues, including wage and hour compliance, hiring and retention practices, discipline and discharge, reductions-in-force, sexual and other forms of unlawful harassment, leaves of absence, and workplace privacy.

Policies & Practices

We work closely with clients to draft and review their employee handbooks and to implement best practices in the areas of compensation, medical and family leave, PTO, reasonable accommodation for disabilities, computer and internet use and social media, and workplace misconduct.

Employment Agreements & Audits

Often in collaboration with our corporate, tax, and IP partners, we help clients to put in place key agreements, including employment, independent contractor, restrictive covenant, separation, and retention agreements.

To help clients assess their employment practices, we conduct audits to review wage-and-hour compliance, performance management practices, and computer and internet policies. The audits include specific recommendations for full legal compliance and the creation of best practices.

Training

We also offer discrimination and harassment prevention training, management skills training, and various customized training programs for specific client needs.

News & Insights

FTC Bans Non-Compete Agreements; Federal Department of Labor Issues New Overtime Exemption Rules Employment Law Alert: MA Announces Major Changes to the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act An Employer’s Guide to Layoffs and Reductions in Force Employment Law Alert: The FTC’s New Proposed Rule on Non-Competes Employment Law Alert: Employer’s Watch List for 2023 COVID-19 Resource Collection COVID-19 Alert: Step 1 of Phase IV Employment Law Round-Up: Inflection Points COVID-19 Alert: FFCRA Update COVID-19 Alert: Employment Law Regulations COVID-19 Alert: Employer Guidance Update COVID-19 Alert: “Higher Risk” Employees COVID-19 Alert: Re-Call of Employees to the Worksite COVID-19 Alert: Interim Final Rule on Affiliation COVID-19 Alert: Families First Coronavirus Response Act COVID-19 Alert: Paycheck Protection Program COVID-19 Alert: Emergency Paid Sick Leave Guidance COVID-19 Alert: The CARES Act COVID-19 Alert: Federal & State Resources Employment Law Alert: Paid Family Medical Leave and Sick Time Employment Law Alert: Emergency Orders Court Broadly Interprets Ban on Physician Noncompetition Restrictions VIDEO: Employment Law Clips Employment Law Advisor Responding to Personnel Record Requests in Massachusetts Employment Law Advisor: Final Wages Upon Termination New Treble Damages Requirement Makes Compliance with Wage/Hour Laws Even More Critical Should Employers Require that Workplace Disputes Be Arbitrated? The Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law