As a business starts to expand and increase in employees, it can be hard to manage all the internal conflicts and affairs that go on between employees. If it has been brought to your attention that one of your employees may have done something illegal during work hours, you want to consult a corporate lawyer.

There are many concerns that could affect your business, your reputation, and you don't want to handle these types of incidents incorrectly. Talk with a corporate legal professional about the following things.

Liability and Lawsuit Concerns

The type of incident will affect how you are liable, and what type of lawsuit you could be facing. If another employee did any of the following while working, you will need representation:

  • Physical assault
  • Sexual harassment
  • Verbal or mental abuse
  • Defamation of character
  • Vandalism

These are just some of the things that someone could have done that the victim will want to file charges or seek compensation for. Go step by step through the incident with the lawyer and the employee being accused and go from there to determine what action to take.

Evidence Available

One person's word against another isn't a lot to build a case on. If you have evidence with damage to physical items, texts or emails, or video evidence from inside your building, this will be one of the best ways to get a good feel for the case. Gathering incident reports and statements from your employees right after the event is important.

Legal Options for Firing

The lawyer will look at the company policy you have in place, if you do, to see if what they did is grounds for firing. The accused may not want to come back to work if the accuser is still there, but it could be hard to fire someone with the case still going on and they haven't been proven guilty. This could force you to pay both employees during a leave of absence. This is why it's important to get to the bottom of the case fast.

If you have had an incident that you aren't prepared for and you think that this could turn into a major lawsuit, take the time to find the right lawyer to get the assistance that you need, especially since you may need representation throughout the case. This way you can be proactive and get on top of the situation quickly.

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