HR ADVICE & COUNSEL

Employment law is complex and evolving, and employers faced with HR dilemmas require immediate, experienced and practical counsel that advances the company’s business objectives. Extensio Law actively partners with CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CAOs, human resources professionals and in-house lawyers to develop creative and strategic solutions to a variety of employment law and risk issues, including performance management, claims of employment discrimination or harassment, hiring and separation, disability (FMLA/ADA), leave management, employment agreements, non competition and restrictive covenants, workplace violence, mass layoffs, reductions in force, wage and hour, background screening and management of independent contractors.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Employment policies are an essential compass point for any organization. They represent the culture of an enterprise, its discipline, its commitments and its expectations. An Employee Handbook is alternatively used as recruiting collateral, a retention tool and critical evidence of compliance. How policies are written, what is included and excluded, and the consistency of application are important considerations that require a seasoned perspective. Extensio Law has decades of experience working with clients to design and implement customized, modern, legally compliant employment policies that seamlessly integrate their various purposes.

In addition to developing employment policies, Extensio also works with clients to develop documents supporting the full life cycle of an employment relationship: for example, job descriptions, job applications, onboarding documentation, releases, performance management instruments, and separation forms.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS

The process of developing and finalizing executive employment agreements requires skill, experience and grace. The goal of an agreement is to protect the employer’s interests while cultivating the commitment of the executive who will be leading an organization and ensuring its success. The design and negotiation process involves long-term perspective, business acumen and attention to detail. Extensio Law serves as a seasoned partner to both employers and executives, applying the knowledge, diligence and diplomacy required to get to “yes.”

Extensio Law uses similar skills and experience to design and draft Restrictive Covenants (e.g., non-competition, confidentiality, no-raiding, non-solicitation), Severance Agreements, Compensation and Commission Plans and Independent Contractor Agreements.

INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS

The diverse team of workplace investigators at Extensio Law applies seasoned judgment, decades of employment law experience, and modern investigative techniques to conduct sensitive and complex internal investigations into hotline, Board, and HR-related complaints of harassment, discrimination, ethics violations, and related employee misconduct. Our investigators are intuitive, tireless, and well-regarded by clients for discovering the truth.

WAGE AND HOUR law COMPLIANCE

A regular examination of employer wage and hour policies and practices minimizes risk of costly class action litigation and invasive government investigations. Our experienced compliance and audit lawyers critically examine employer practices that affect compliance with wage and hour law, including:

• Proper classification of employees as exempt or non-exempt from overtime requirements of the FLSA and state laws, including examination of job duties and compensation practices

• Proper classification of workers as independent contractors

• Accurate compensation for all hours worked by non-exempt employees

• Proper calculation of overtime rates and scheduling

• Compliance with wage and benefits requirements of government contracts

• Proper treatment of meal and rest periods

• Compliance with child labor laws

• Audits (internal, company-lead audits or brought by DOL)

• Data analysis to quantify/remedy widespread pay mistakes

• Create pay structures/practices that are compliant while retaining talent and meeting business needs

• Recordkeeping

DEI Assessments

Extensio Law conducts comprehensive assessments of workplace equity, typically in response to employee or Board concerns. We rigorously evaluate not only the outcomes of organizational equity but also the root causes of inequity. We find that root causes are typically not linear – rather, they are a complex combination of organizational history, structure, process, and people. Our mission is to untangle these elements, using data and primary source information, and provide clients with data-driven visibility into both underlying challenges and workable solutions.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING

Extensio Law delivers in-person interactive, engaging and customized Manager and Employee training and meeting facilitation in all areas of Human Resources Management and Employment Law. Content is customized to meet the specific learning objectives of the client. Topics may include:

• Anti Racism

• Discrimination and Harassment Prevention

• Corporate Compliance and Ethics

• Navigating the Employment Law Landscape

• Managing within the Law

• Employment Law Concerns for Government Contractors

• Diversity with Inclusion

• Leave Management

• Interviewing

• Performance Management

• Designing and Delivering Training with Impact

• Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations

• Effective Leadership in an Evolving Legal Environment