Employee forms help create standard practices and policies. Employment law forms aid in the process to hire, train, evaluate and discipline employees. These forms document your employee relations at all stages to protect you from discrimination and other charges of unfair or illegal practices.

For small and new businesses, it can be time consuming and confusing to understand how and when to make use of employment law forms. Employment law forms offer assistance with four stages of running your business:

1. Using employment law forms during the application process

2. Making use of employment contracts and other forms that allow employees to begin work

3. Policies and procedures that involve simple employment forms in daily operations

4. Use of labor legal document forms for disciplining employees and termination

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use simple employment forms for background checks and references

Customizing your consent form allows you to obtain information on specific job qualifications, experience and knowledge to screen the best applications. Gather contact information and work history through company application forms.

I recommend: Internet Legal Research Group provides a sample employment agreement and other standard law forms. Business-in-a Box offers over 1200 downloads of legal and business forms. Take advantage of the product demo and free trial period before making a final decision.

Establish employer expectations with an employee legal document

The employment contract allows you to set up the relationship between you and your employees, it should include information on job responsibilities and duties. Having a new hire sign confidentiality agreements and a non-compete agreements protect against employees going to work with your competitors and sharing your business secrets.

I recommend: Find a local lawyer specializing in writing employee contracts and confidentiality agreements at lawyers.com. Watch this AllBusiness video on writing valid non-compete agreements.

Design a personnel legal document to reinforce company policies

Use written policies to inform employees of acceptable behaviors and standards to meet. The employee handbook, time off request forms, workplace safety and other labor legal document protects the employer in legal cases when conflict arises.

I recommend: Write a customized business labor legal document with SmartDraw software. Try out the program with a free trial before you commit. Visit RocketLawyer.com to create free legal forms.

Create a labor legal document for discipline and terminating employees

Documenting problems with an employee can help establish a record of performance problems before termination. Use appropriate forms to issue warning before termination. Develop policy to describe potential benefits for terminated employees which includes severance package forms and unemployment insurance.

I recommend: Fill in this template termination letter with LawDepot to use for your business. Try a free trial of WebCOBRA software to help your company track individual employees' COBRA status.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  An employment-at-will doctrine allows you to fire your employees or for them to quit at anytime. By having your employees sign a labor legal document you can protect yourself when terminating employment for valid reasons.