Smart Business (05/01/12)

To avoid lawsuits from employees who think they were unfairly terminated, employers should maintain solid job applications that do not request irrelevant and possibly discriminatory information, accurate job descriptions, and documents signed by applicants stating that they will comply with company rules and regulations. Personal records and medical records must be filed separately to ensure employment decisions are not based on protected criteria, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Employers would be wise to review and document employee performance and ensure any performance issues are immediately and objectively documented by supervisors. Employers should consult with an employment law expert to review their record-keeping process to fill in any gaps, implement a more solid record-keeping system, and train all company leaders on the policies and procedures.