Attracting the right talent for your company isn’t easy. The best and brightest are always on the lookout for better pay and benefits elsewhere. Your company has to make a competitive offer, provide rewarding work and maintain a positive work environment to bring in the best talent. It may only take one messy dispute with a former employee to negatively hurt your reputation as a local employer.
If a current or former employee accuses your company of sexual harassment, racial discrimination or wage rights violations, their claims could be both expensive and reputation-damaging for your organization. When they file a lawsuit, word of the incident may reach local news outlets. The allegations that they make against you in civil court will become part of the public record and accessible to anyone who might want to besmirch your good reputation, including your competitors.
The litigation can damage your reputation if people share these stories on platforms like LinkedIn, even if your business ultimately prevails. Especially when the claims against your business might make you look like a bad employer, resolving a dispute with a current or former worker through mediation could be the best option. How does employment law mediation protect a company’s reputation?
You can discuss the details in a private setting
Although executives or owners may be angry at the worker making exaggerated or seemingly unfounded claims against the business, trying to work with them is often a better option than waiting for court.
The alleged misconduct or improper working conditions that gave rise to an employee’s claim against your company would inevitably be part of their testimony or the evidence that they present in court. You can keep those allegations from reaching the public while still giving the current or former worker an opportunity to address their concerns in a mediation session. You can talk about their concerns openly without worrying that the details will become part of the public record.
Mediation sessions in Florida are almost always confidential. You can also include terms in your mediated agreement that will deter that worker from going on to spread rumors and misinformation about your company online after you settle. Instead of going to court to have a drawn-out and public fight with a former worker, you can resolve the dispute privately if mediation is successful.
Pursuing alternative dispute resolution options can help a company trying to overcome a conflict with a worker.