litigation avoidance

New York City

City-specific rules like Fair Workweek or Stop Sexual Harassment Act

recordkeeping

Article discusses what to document, keep, or file

onboarding

Covers new hire paperwork, wage notices, etc.

accommodation law

ADA and NY equivalents

job descriptions

Role clarity, essential functions, defense strategy

onboarding

Dec 6, 2025

•

8 min read

Probation Periods Aren't a Free Pass

What Employers Must Document (and Prove) During the First 90 Days

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

The Exit File: What to Do (and Document) When an Employee Leaves Post

Nov 17, 2025

•

11 min read

The Exit File: What to Do (and Document) When an Employee Leaves Post

Your final steps should protect your business, not haunt you in court.

Lee Jacobs

The Paperwork Trap: How Missing Wage Notices Turn Bad Pay Practices Into Catastrophic Liability

Nov 10, 2025

•

12 min read

The Paperwork Trap: How Missing Wage Notices Turn Bad Pay Practices Into Catastrophic Liability

When You Fail to Pay AND Fail to Document—New York's Labor Law Becomes a Ticking Time Bomb

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Ghosted by Your Employee? How to Handle No-Shows, Verbal Quits, and Job Abandonment

Nov 3, 2025

•

14 min read

Ghosted by Your Employee? How to Handle No-Shows, Verbal Quits, and Job Abandonment

When an employee disappears—or walks out with no notice—here's what to document and what to do next.

Lee Jacobs

Off-the-Clock Overtime: When "Quick Questions" Cost You Big

Oct 27, 2025

•

15 min read

Off-the-Clock Overtime: When "Quick Questions" Cost You Big

That 9 PM text might seem harmless—but it could be compensable time. Here's why after-hours work creates overtime liability (even for "exempt" employees).

Lee Jacobs

onboarding

Remote Work Wage Risks: Multi-State Compliance Nightmares

Oct 20, 2025

•

17 min read

Remote Work Wage Risks: Multi-State Compliance Nightmares

When Your NYC Employee Moves to Florida, You Don't Just Save on Office Space. You Inherit Five Different Compliance Nightmares.

Lee Jacobs

wage & hour

Classification Crisis: How to Audit and Fix Exempt Employee Mistakes

Oct 6, 2025

•

16 min read

Classification Crisis: How to Audit and Fix Exempt Employee Mistakes

When You Discover Misclassified Employees, Every Day of Delay Increases Your Liability. Here's How to Fix It Fast.

Lee Jacobs

wage & hour

The Salary Myth: Why Paying Someone Salary Doesn't Make Them Exempt

Oct 1, 2025

•

19 min read

The Salary Myth: Why Paying Someone Salary Doesn't Make Them Exempt

Just Because You Pay Someone a Salary Doesn't Mean You Can Skip Overtime, and This Mistake Is Costing Employers Millions

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Investigation Protocol: The First 48 Hours

Sep 22, 2025

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21 min read

Investigation Protocol: The First 48 Hours

When Employee Complaints Trigger Your Legal Countdown: Here's How to Handle Those Critical First 48 Hours

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Retaliation Nation: When Employee Complaints Turn Into Legal Landmines

Sep 15, 2025

•

11 min read

Retaliation Nation: When Employee Complaints Turn Into Legal Landmines

The #1 employment law claim isn't harassment or discrimination—it's retaliation. Here's how well-meaning employers accidentally trigger million-dollar lawsuits.

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Complaint Containment: How to Handle Employee Concerns Without Creating Legal Risk

Sep 9, 2025

•

12 min read

Complaint Containment: How to Handle Employee Concerns Without Creating Legal Risk

Employees don't need to be right to sue—just mistreated after raising concerns. Here's how to handle complaints the right way and avoid retaliation claims that cost big.

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Performance Anxiety: Undocumented Coaching

Sep 2, 2025

•

7 min read

Performance Anxiety: Undocumented Coaching

When good employees go bad—slowly—and you have no paper trail.

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Personnel Files: What Goes In (and What Stays Out)

Aug 25, 2025

•

9 min read

Personnel Files: What Goes In (and What Stays Out)

A practical guide to managing employee records the right way—from onboarding to termination.

Lee Jacobs

employee documentation

Email Isn't Enough: Why Verbal and Digital Feedback Still Needs to Be Documented

Aug 18, 2025

•

7 min read

Email Isn't Enough: Why Verbal and Digital Feedback Still Needs to Be Documented

Coaching by conversation is good—but without documentation, it might as well have never happened.

Lee Jacobs

compliance risks

Discipline Disasters: What Happens When You Skip the Paper Trail

Aug 11, 2025

•

8 min read

Discipline Disasters: What Happens When You Skip the Paper Trail

How informal discipline, missing notes, or untrained managers can turn a simple issue into a six-figure lawsuit.

Lee Jacobs

Frequently Asked Questions

How often will I receive new issues?

We send out a fresh edition every week. Expect curated insights that won’t waste your time but might spark your next big idea.Can I share this newsletter with colleagues and friends?

litigation avoidance

New York City

recordkeeping

onboarding

accommodation law

job descriptions

Probation Periods Aren't a Free Pass

The Exit File: What to Do (and Document) When an Employee Leaves Post

The Paperwork Trap: How Missing Wage Notices Turn Bad Pay Practices Into Catastrophic Liability

Ghosted by Your Employee? How to Handle No-Shows, Verbal Quits, and Job Abandonment

Off-the-Clock Overtime: When "Quick Questions" Cost You Big

Remote Work Wage Risks: Multi-State Compliance Nightmares

Classification Crisis: How to Audit and Fix Exempt Employee Mistakes

The Salary Myth: Why Paying Someone Salary Doesn't Make Them Exempt

Investigation Protocol: The First 48 Hours

Retaliation Nation: When Employee Complaints Turn Into Legal Landmines

Complaint Containment: How to Handle Employee Concerns Without Creating Legal Risk

Performance Anxiety: Undocumented Coaching

Personnel Files: What Goes In (and What Stays Out)

Email Isn't Enough: Why Verbal and Digital Feedback Still Needs to Be Documented

Discipline Disasters: What Happens When You Skip the Paper Trail

Frequently Asked Questions

How often will I receive new issues?

We send out a fresh edition every week. Expect curated insights that won’t waste your time but might spark your next big idea.Can I share this newsletter with colleagues and friends?

Can I share this newsletter with colleagues and friends?

Absolutely. In fact, meaningful conversations sparked by these insights can lead to breakthroughs. Forward it, discuss it, and build on it.

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