There is one thing that is really frustrating about the law. Even though it is in place to protect us from others and in some cases protect us from ourselves it can be a pain in the neck to understand. Too often, especially for small business owners like those in the self storage industry, we don’t know we did something wrong until it is too late and we have to pay for it (literally and metaphorically).
Maybe the federal government, more specifically the Department of Labor, is tired of fielding so many phone calls just asking questions or they actually want to keep people out of court. Whatever the reason for it, they have launched a series of online advisers to help answer whatever questions people may have about federal employment laws.
Any number of different things can happen that could come back and cost you as the self storage owner in the long run. Employers face issues with employees and former employees over pay and overtime as well as health benefits, workplace safety, discrimination, and so much more. It is suggested that self storage owners carry employment practice insurance to help cover legal costs related to issues that come up along these lines.
Youth employment issues are not common ones for the self storage industry, but owners do have to deal with issues pertaining to the rights of uniformed service members getting their jobs back when they return from a tour of duty. Even if you do not lose a suit involving a former employee that was in the armed forces, the negative publicity from such a suit could do some serious damage to your bottom line.
Answering questions about issues like these and so much more is what the Department of Labor is hoping to do with the elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Businesses) Advisors found online at www.dol.gov/elaws.
The experience is close to dealing with a person (except your not) with the way the DOL has constructed the online advisers. Self storage owners and managers with specific questions can go to these advisers and ask them and receive an answer tailored to their specific issue. The adviser will even ask you a set of questions with pre-set answers in order to allow the adviser to further tailor the answer to your specific situation and issue.
One of the great things about the adviser, whether you’re a self storage employee, manager, or owner is that the system does not record any information given nor does it ask for the name of the employer of company. It serves strictly as an information source on employment law meant to give small business owners (and employees) like those in the self storage industry a helping hand.
Sources Used:
“New Government Website Addresses Federal Employment Laws.” Inside Self Storage; 02 February 2011.
“Self Storage Facilities and the Importance of Insurance.” Self Storage Industry News; 12 January 2011.