Thursday, April 5, 2012

Do you use Google to search for legal advice?

I often hear from business owners that they use Google or similar search engines to locate form letters and templates for use in answering basic employment questions.  Good idea? Well, as lawyers like to say, it depends.  There are some incredibly good government resources for employers that I always recommend, such as the FAQ fact sheets from the Department of Industrial Relations, which has some very usable fact sheets on basic issues like meal breaks and rest periods, overtime and whether your potential hire is an independent contractor or an employee.  Refining that information and making sure it fits your business model is a job best left to a human resource professional or licensed employment attorney; if in doubt, call a lawyer.