Why Employment Law Training is So Important for Managers and Supervisors
In nearly all businesses, it is the front-line managers and supervisors that have the most contact with employees. The actions and decisions of these front-line managers and supervisors can have a profound effect on company liability in nearly all areas of employment law.
Most managers and supervisors got their jobs not due to their extensive knowledge of employment law, but rather because of their competence or skill at their job duties. However, as managers and supervisors, they now make decisions and take actions every day that can be subject to all sorts of employment laws. Decisions on hiring, discipline, pay, reviews, termination, leave, duties or job assignments and many other things can impact employment laws ranging from the Family Medical Leave Act to discrimination, wrongful discharge and sexual harassment. Being uninformed about these laws can lead to devastating results for a company even when acting in good faith.
It is critically important that managers and supervisors at all levels, and especially front-line managers and supervisors, be properly trained on the fundamentals of employment law. Experience has shown that some of the most egregious employment law problems for a company often have their roots in the interactions between the employee and his or her immediate or department supervisor.
Most skilled training companies will have online courses and conduct will webinars; law seminars for all types of businesses all over the United States, from Minneapolis to New Orleans and New York to San Francisco. A common issue with those who attend the seminars, regardless of their location or the type of business, has been the inability of front-line managers and supervisors to spot potential employment law problems in time to prevent a problem from either occurring or getting bigger. It cannot be overstated how important it is for these managers and supervisors to be properly trained to spot these issues.
The training will often tell businesses that it is not nearly as important that the managers and supervisors know the answers as it is that they know the questions. And they need to have enough knowledge to at least ask whether something might be a problem under a particular law. Experience has shown that if these issues can be spotted early enough, very often they can be prevented entirely or at least dealt with. A simple miscalculation of Wage and Hour, if not handled timely, can get out of hand and become a costly problem.