Do It Right or Pay the Price
Poor hiring and onboarding processes result in employees more likely to have problems or leave your organization quickly.
And when separations aren’t handled properly, it can lead to disgruntled former employees and costly legal issues.
Let us help with your hiring and firing processes.
FAQs
Do I really need a hiring plan?
Yes. There are numerous federal, state, and local laws governing the various aspects of the hiring process (advertising, recruiting, interviewing, offer, and acceptance).
If you don’t get it right for your specific jurisdiction, you run the risk of noncompliance. And if you don’t onboard to cover the eventual, inevitable off-boarding, you will regret it.
Why is having a particular process for onboarding so important?
You go to a lot of trouble and cost to attract, interview, and hire candidates with the talent you need. So it stands to reason that you probably want them to stick around for a while.
Invested and effective onboarding not only equips new hires with the tools they need to do their jobs effectively, it results in increased job satisfaction and better long-term retention. Also, when the inevitable separation occurs, you have the policy and procedures to handle that termination in a way government agencies recognize as fair.
What does good onboarding look like?
Effective onboarding programs should result in productive, engaged, and committed employees, and it involves far more than getting them to complete their first-day paperwork.
Proper onboarding should begin well before a new hire’s first day and may last as long as 12 months, teaching them the skills and information they need not just to properly perform the required tasks of their position, but also to seamlessly navigate company culture.
It is an investment in both their future and yours.
What issues can improper separation procedures result in?
There are a number of potential problems that can come from improperly separating from an employee, including unemployment backcharges, non-compete protests, discrimination claims, and litigation.
The Treaty Oak team is experienced in developing and implementing evidence-based policies that mitigate these risks. We create effective employee separation policies and procedures that ensure compliance and are tailored to your organization’s needs.
Do I need to create formal documentation for policies related to onboarding and separations?
In a word: yes. Effective documentation serves multiple crucial purposes:
- Clarity: Documented agreements and policies provide clear expectations for both parties involved in an employment relationship. Some of these expectations need to be formalized at a contractual level.
- Liability Protection: Employers face various legal risks in the course of employment. Well-drafted documents help mitigate these risks by outlining procedures and expectations clearly. Noncompete and trade secrets matters must be addressed piror to hiring and are very precise and often-litigated issues.
- Dispute Resolution: In the unfortunate event of a dispute, having formal documentation as an objective reference point can be the key to swift resolution so that an employee’s chaos doesn’t bring down the entire organization.
According to law, a significant portion of employment arrangements must be formalized before the first day to be effective. Treaty Oak specializes in creating tailored documentation that meets your business’s needs by incorporating your culture, systems, and workable legal practices.
Which formal policy documents are most important?
Some documents we recommend include:
- Employment Contracts: Clear and comprehensive agreements that outline terms of employment, including roles, wages, trade secrets, covering broken equipment, responsibilities, compensation, and termination conditions.
- Company Policies and Handbooks: Documents that establish workplace rules, procedures, and expectations regarding conduct, benefits, and compliance with legal regulations.
- Non-Disclosure, Trade Secret, Noncompete, and Confidentiality Agreements: Vital for protecting sensitive business information and intellectual property from unauthorized disclosure. These elements must be in a pre-employment contract form with very rigerous legal requirements.
- Performance Reviews and Disciplinary Records: Documentation of employee performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, and corrective measures taken, ensuring transparency and fairness.
Hiring & Onboarding Package
We Will:
- Provide an industry and location-specific checklist of legal hiring requirements
- Prepare an Onboarding Package that includes the necessary documents
- Offer recommendations for a Welcome Package and other onboarding activities, such as standard teachings and trainings
- Create template documents that encourage organizational growth and re-use
- Craft a custom employment agreement template
- Meet with your HR leader to discuss best practices (up to 30 minutes)
Separation Package
We Will
- Evaluate physical, industry, and workplace risk of termination
- Give you a checklist of separation processes and procedures
- Provide best practices and customizations for the specific matter at hand
- Build templates to use for future separations
- Prepare a legal Separation Agreement
- Meet with your HR leader to discuss the agreement (up to 30 minutes)
I-9 Instruction
We Will
- Provide you with a checklist of I-9 requirements
- Troubleshoot systemic errors in your I-9 records
- Discuss the permissibility of each type of remediation process
- Consult regarding the appropriateness of a I-9 audit, if necessary
- Advise on the specific compliance issues we identify in your organization
- Meet with your HR leader to discuss processes and procedures to help you maintain compliance (up to 60 minutes)
Customized HR Handbook
We Will
- Incorporate your unique requirements into the policy book, including creating handbook terms that accommodate your organization’s growth.
- Draft compliant documents for all work locations (physical and virtual) and workforce components
Why Choose Treaty Oak
Risk Mitigation
We identify and address potential legal risks related to employee relations, contracts, terminations, and other HR matters. This proactive approach helps avoid costly litigation and penalties.
Strong Track Record
Our team of highly credentialed HR professionals and employment attorneys has worked with business owners, employers, and employees in the Austin area for over a decade.
Personalization
We look closely at your organization’s goals, culture, interpersonal dynamics, concerns, and day-to-day operations to help create a system for finding the right fit for each position — and set your new hires up for success from day one.
Legal Expertise
Treaty Oak understands the complexities of recruitment, hiring laws, and effective onboarding, as well as creating separation policies and agreements that protect businesses while treating the employee in question with respect and empathy.
Start improving your onboarding & separation procedures today.
Ensure your HR processes are robust enough to handle changes and that your company remains compliant as it scales.
Natalie really worked with me to get the contract exactly as I wanted. I highly recommend her services.
Selena Wyatt
[They] understand that many business owners may not know the legal details of the hiring or termination process…You have little to worry about when you have the Treaty Oak team on your side.
