Employment Contracts

Fort Lauderdale Employment Contract Law Firm

Similar to the old adage, “good fences make good neighbors,” good employment contracts can help establish important expectations and boundaries between your business and your employees. Unfortunately, many business owners don’t realize the value of a good employment contract until after the employer-employee relationship has erupted into conflict. While the employment contract may not prevent the conflict, it could very likely help you reach a resolution in your favor. 

If you’re a business owner, you should consider working with an employment contract lawyer to ensure that your business is protected. Any Fort Lauderdale employment contract lawyer at Olive Judd can help. We have extensive experience representing small and large companies in a wide variety of interests. If you would like to meet with one of our employment contract attorneys, call us at (954) 334-2250 or contact us online to schedule a consultation. 

Are Your Employment Contracts Offering You the Protection You Need?

Many business owners mistakenly think that their employment contracts only need to address the basic details such as the employee’s start date, compensation, and benefits package. They later discover how inadequate the contract is only once there is a dispute. There are many other topics that the contract should address. An experienced Fort Lauderdale employment contract attorney will review and draft employment agreements with a focus on the following: 

• To ensure that the contract is clear and unambiguous
• To ensure that the contract is consistent with and enforceable under Florida state law
• To protect your business rights
• To clarify the rights and responsibilities of the employee

Ambiguous language or unenforceable provisions can be an unpleasant surprise. An experienced employment contract lawyer can draft the contracts you need to protect yourself and your business. 

Confidentiality Provisions

Confidentiality concerning products or business operations is an important issue for many businesses. If you’re concerned about confidentiality, our lawyers can incorporate a confidentiality provision into your employment agreements. The provision can be drafted so that it is enforceable even after the employee has left your company.

Forum Selection Clauses 

If you hire employees that are located and work out of state, it is a good idea for your employment contracts to specify where any legal disputes will be handled. Of course, we recommend that you choose a court which is convenient for you. By specifying the location in the employment agreement, you can later prevent the employee from trying to sue you in some other jurisdiction. The contract should also state which state’s laws will govern the disputes in addition to where the case will be heard. 

You can also specify whether disputes must be submitted to arbitration or mediation before filing a lawsuit. This can be an important decision as there are advantages and disadvantages to pursuing alternative dispute resolution. Your Fort Lauderdale employment contract lawyer can help you decide whether arbitration or mediation is right for you based on your business needs. 

Intellectual Property & Trade Secrets

Provisions concerning intellectual property or trade secrets are becoming more and more common. If your business involves various creative efforts, your employment contract should address the ownership of any intellectual property that is created. Otherwise, you risk an employee claiming ownership of something that should belong to you. A well-drafted provision that addresses intellectual property ownership can protect you even after the employee has left the company. 

You can also use your employment contracts to protect your trade secrets. Specific clauses that expressly prohibit employees from disclosing, misappropriating, using, or threatening to disclose any business secrets that you wish to be kept secret. An experienced employment contract attorney can draft a trade secret provision that addresses your company’s needs. 

Non-Compete Clauses

Non-compete clauses are also becoming increasingly common. Their purpose is to protect against employees leaving your company to go work for a competitor. While this may seem like an ideal solution, it’s important to recognize that overly-restrictive non-compete clauses are often found to be unenforceable by the courts. If you believe a non-compete clause would be beneficial to your business, you should consult with a knowledgeable employment contract lawyer to ensure that your non-compete clause is enforceable while also offering the protection you need. 

Termination Provisions 

Termination provisions are arguably one of the most important elements of your employment contracts. This provision will govern exactly how and when you can terminate an employee, so it’s important for it to be clear. It should also lay out what kind of notice will be required and how it should be delivered. Your employment contract lawyer can draft this provision to meet the unique needs of your business and help you avoid wrongful termination claims in the future. 

Our Fort Lauderdale Employment Contract Lawyers Do More Than Draft Employment Agreements

The employment contract is only one document of many that you need to fully protect your business. In addition to strong employment contracts, an employment contract attorney can also draft the following documents for your business: 

• Employee handbooks
• Job descriptions
• Hiring, disciplinary, and termination policies

Our Fort Lauderdale employment contract attorney uses a global approach to address your company’s business needs. We work closely with our clients to make sure that your employment contracts are consistent with your internal policies and other documents so that your position is as strong as possible in the event of a dispute.

In addition, our employment contract lawyers can offer legal counsel when you are faced with a disciplinary issue that you worry may result in termination. Our goal is to help you address the day-to-day challenges so as to minimize any risks and future liability exposure.  

Talk to a Fort Lauderdale Employment Contract Attorney

A strong employment contract can protect your business and avoid unnecessary disputes. The Fort Lauderdale employment law firm of Olive Judd can draft employment agreements that meet your unique business needs so you can hire and retain the employees you need to grow your business. If you would like to schedule a consultation with one of our employment contract lawyers, call us at (954) 334-2250 or complete our contact form to discuss how we can help.