Avoid These Mistakes When Hiring New Employees

One of the biggest responsibilities business owners have is managing employees. Making smart hiring and firing decisions can be challenging but also incredibly beneficial to your small business. The team of employees who represent your brand and operate your company can make or break your business. Hiring staff can be a complicated process full of legal pitfalls. Knowing how to avoid common hiring mistakes can help you grow your business while decreasing your chances of being involved in an employment-related lawsuit.

Asking Interview Questions Which Violate Discrimination Laws

When you are interviewing a job candidate, you may choose to make the interview more like a casual conversation than strictly a formal interview. While this type of interviewing style can be beneficial to many, it is critical that employers not make the mistake of accidentally asking illegal interview questions. By federal and state law, you cannot ask potential new hires questions about their religion, marital status, pregnancy, race, age, national origin, gender, or sexual orientation. It can be very easy for a well-meaning employer to accidentally wander into illegal territory when questioning a potential employee, so make sure you understand the interview questions that you must avoid before starting the hiring process.

Not Filing the Correct Tax Forms or Filing Too Late

You probably already know that employers must file certain tax information about new employees, but did you know that much of this information is due within 15 days of hire? It is critical for business owners to understand which tax forms must be filed as well as when these items are due. You will need to do this for regular employees as well as independent contractors. Get assistance from a qualified business law attorney if you are unsure as to what tax forms are required for your specific business situation.

Not Utilizing an Employee Handbook

There are many benefits to writing employee expectations and work policies in an employee handbook. Doing this gives you a way to make sure that every employee you hire is on the same page regarding the behavior you expect from them as well as behavior you will not tolerate. Not only does a carefully designed employee handbook help your employees understand work policies and procedures, it can also give your company valuable legal protection.

Contact a DuPage County Business Law Attorney

If you are a small business owner or soon will be, you may feel totally overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility you have resting on your shoulders. For help with drafting employee handbooks, hiring and firing decisions, business tax planning, succession planning, and more, contact an experienced Naperville business law attorney from the Gierach Law Firm. We can help ensure that your company is compliant with all federal and state employment laws so that you avoid future litigation. Call 630-756-1160 to schedule a confidential consultation with our team of professionals today.

Sources:

Business Insider

Chron Small Business