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Unclear, unfair terms in contracts and handbooks may cause strife

On Behalf of | Apr 11, 2018 | Employer Contracts & Handbooks

Many employers utilize agreements in hopes of clarifying what is expected of employees and what employees can expect from their bosses. Though individuals may do their best to make the terms of employment contracts and handbooks clear, there may be issues that make them unenforceable or otherwise lead to disputes with employees. In such cases, New York employers could face litigation.

It was recently reported that two workers in another state have filed a lawsuit against their former employer. Reports stated that the women had worked for their county for decades when they were both dismissed from their positions. They believe that their employer did not provide equal employment opportunity due to allegedly making unfair changes to their employment handbook.

The workers stated that the company modified the handbook in order to include at-will employment provisions, meaning that workers could be fired for any reason. The two women were terminated from their positions, apparently due to online activity of one woman’s sister. The women believe that the alternation to the handbook was unjust due to a lack of quorum to approve the changes. As a result, they are pursuing legal action.

When employers face this type of difficulty, they and their companies could suffer. In hopes of reducing the possibility of unclear terms or room for argument, New York employers may wish to obtain legal assistance when it comes to creating employment contracts and handbooks. By having professionals help with this process, employers may avoid including terms that appear unenforceable or that may lead workers to believe that they have been treated unfairly.

Source: wvrecord.com, “Former Clay County employees allege breach of contract“, Lhalie Castillo, April 3, 2018