Welcome and Introduction

Hello Everyone. I am new to blogging and podcasting. So, I was thinking to myself "If I were going to find someone's blog to read or podcasts to listen to, what would I want to know about the person writing or podcasting before I spend my time?" That's what this first post is going to be about. Who I am and why I want to share my information with you.

Now, of course, those of you who want to actually see me while listening to me, you can check out the video interview done for me by Peter Brusso of Infocard.cc, by going to my helpcast at http://employerhelpcast.blip.tv. But, here is my story (at least as far as why I am doing this blog and podcasts.

Twenty years ago, in a galaxy far, far away (ok, not so far away, it was San Diego, California), I graduated law school. I had no idea what area of law I really wanted to practice in. To this day, I think the fact that I was interviewed by a labor and employment law firm was an accident, a mistake, since I never applied to work with any labor and employment law firms. Call it fate, but I was offered a position to work in a Firm whose practice was devoted exclusively to representing employers in labor and employment law matters. I had been an employee, had not been an employer, but I thought it would be interesting to learn more about the dynamics of the employment relationship. So I accepted the job. I never looked back, and have exclusively worked in this area of law since my first day out of law school.

I have worked with big companies and small ones, in probably every possible industry that exists. And, while every business operates differently, I think there are some "truths" that cross size and industry lines, and pretty much apply across the board. Despite cynics or "popular belief," most companies truly want to treat their employees well. Most employers recognize, as I have always and will always believe, that their employees are their greatest assets. Good employees are what a company needs to succeed, even survive. Bad employees, or employees who believe they are mistreated, can be an employer's worst nightmare. And employers know this. And most employers do their best to avoid having that nightmare.

Unfortunately, not all employers are as educated as they can be about the law of the state(s) where they have employees. Not all employers know the employment and labor laws as well as they should. This does not mean they are "bad" employers or that they are malicious, or somehow trying to treat their employees poorly. It just means that they may not have, or know where to get, the resources or assistance they need.

That's where I come in, and why I hope you find this blog and my helpcasts to be helpful. I have devoted a significant amount of my practice to helping employers answer those "day to day" questions that come up when dealing with employees. Currently, as a Partner with the national labor and employment law firm of Ford & Harrison LLP (www.fordharrison.com), many clients have my direct dial (213) 237-2403, on their speed dial, to call me with questions before they take actions involving their employees. I provide that guidance. I also conduct in-house training for clients, I work with human resources personnel in advising how policies should be created and implemented. I draft handbooks and procedures. I call it "preventive lawyering." I'd like to think it helps keep clients out of trouble.

Sometimes, though, all of the "preventive lawyering" in the world won't prevent a disgruntled former or current employee from suing. In those cases, I fight "tooth and nail" to represent my client's interests and obtain the result my client wants. I work with clients to define what a "win" is for them. Maybe a "win" is fighting "to the death," to prove a point. I am an accomplished trial attorney, and enjoy fighting for my client's rights. Maybe a "win" is a quick resolution, via mediation or arbitration, resolving the case, and moving forward. I do that as well. I always work with clients, upon resolution of a case, to take from it "lessons learned." What can the client learn from the experience? How could a similar situation be handled differently in the future?

In my blog and podcasts, I plan on providing information that could help companies become a bit more informed about labor and employment law. Some of them will be "nuts and bolts" information, and others will provide information about new developments, new cases, legislation, labor laws and employment laws, and the like.

My first series of five podcasts are of the "nuts and bolts" type. The first three discuss California wage and hour topics, like how to decide if someone is an employee or independent contractor, how to determine if your employee is exempt or non-exempt, and various other wage and hour landmines that can get unknowing employers in trouble. The next two deal with how to hire, and how to fire, an employee.

I hope you find this blog and my podcasts helpful. If you do, please let me know, so I will continue doing them. If they don't please let me know, and tell me what I can do to make them helpful.

Feel free to either post a comment here, at http://employerhelpcast.blip.tv, send me an email at hwasserman@fordharrison.com, or call me at (213) 237-2403.

Enjoy!

Helene