Advice and Counsel on HR and EEO Compliance

HR and EEO compliance are essential for businesses operating throughout the state of Florida and the remainder of the United States. Failure to follow strict adherence to the law can result in lawsuits, fines, and judgments against your business. However, even the accusation of wrongdoing in terms of EEO practices and policies can be damaging and costly to businesses.

For this reason, you need an attorney who not only has experience working with HR and EEO compliance law but one who specializes in this critical area of law. Unfortunately, in the state of Florida, only a small percentage, approximately one percent, of attorneys are certified as specialists in this area by the Florida Bar. Reach out to us at Hultman + Joshi; we can help!

What Is EEO Compliance?

EEO, or equal employment opportunity, compliance means that a business does not discriminate against applicants and employees based on certain protected factors. The original intent of the federal law, created in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protected applicants and employees against five key factors, including:

  1. Race
  2. Color
  3. Sex
  4. Religion
  5. National origin

Since the original law in 1964, the law has been expanded to include other factors such as genetic information, sexual preferences, disability, and age. Additionally, some states have additional requirements for compliance that go beyond what is included in Title VII protection. The state of Florida, for instance, offers protections that go beyond what is outlined in Title VII of the federal act with the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992. In Florida, any business that employs 15 or more people is subject to EEO requirements established in this act.

Compliance means that your business uses all the criteria outlined in state and federal laws related to providing equal opportunities for all when hiring, promoting, and in the treatment of existing employees. If employees feel that they have been treated unfairly or applicants feel they were passed over for employment unfairly, they may file a complaint that will result in an investigation. This is when it is important to make sure you have qualified counsel to offer advice, guidance, and representation for your business.

hr and eeo compliance

Why Seek Advice and Counsel for HR and EEO Compliance Issues?

Ideally, businesses will never face HR and EEO compliance complaints. The unfortunate reality is that we live in a litigious society. Anyone passed over for a position who feels they are uniquely qualified may file a complaint. Some do so if they feel they were unjustly fired from a position or unfairly treated while employed. The list is long and many nuisance cases obstruct the legitimate cases that occasionally occur.

The best thing you can do for your business is to seek the advice and counsel of board-certified labor and employment law specialists in the state of Florida before complaints arise and to have these same professional attorneys represent you if complaints do arise in the course of operating your business.

Why Choose an HR and EEO Compliance Specialist?

The law, like many fields, is divided into many specialties. Attorneys who specialize in a specific field have additional education, study, and experience operating within that area of law. Just as you probably wouldn’t want a podiatrist to perform brain surgery, you wouldn’t want a tax code attorney, regardless of how brilliant that attorney happens to be at tax law, to represent your needs in an HR and EEO compliance situation.

Employment law is a complex area of law, one that involves many state and federal requirements. You don’t want to wait until you’re staring down potential litigation to create an effective plan for managing your HR and EEO compliance issues. The best time to act is before allegations are made that can damage the reputation, financial health, and status of your business.

This includes specialized advice and counsel related to harassment avoidance, retaliation avoidance, accommodation planning, planning for reductions in force, hiring practices, disciplinary procedures and processes, disciplinary documentation, interviewing and hiring processes, and even termination plans and practices. There are many facets to the way you operate your business that can lead to problems if not handled properly from the beginning.

Effective counsel and advice from HR and EEO compliance attorneys can help you avoid much of the pain associated with complaints made against your business.

Why Hultman + Joshi for HR and EEO Compliance Concerns?

Collectively, our attorneys at Hultman + Joshi bring many decades of experience in the field of labor and employment law to the table to help your business plan more effective HR and EEO compliance policies. Whether your business is a large corporation or a small to mid-size business in Florida, this team of professionals can offer outstanding advice and guidance for your hiring and employment practices policies. Contact us today to learn more about how Hultman + Joshi can help your business.