Even if it's just to work out some of the issues between the parties, mediation is very helpful and almost always a good idea. However, there are some circumstances in which mediation is either impossible, inappropriate, or unlikely to be successful, at least temporarily.

Even when mediation seems premature or is attempted but unsuccessful, it can still be very helpful to the parties when paving the way for a mutually beneficial settlement later on. Here are several reasons why you’d want to use mediation to get you closer to the finish line—even if it doesn’t result in a settlement the first time.

Happening this year, minimum wage will increase to $15.50 state-wide, and a pay increase for exempt employees will begin, among other important changes—most of which are already in effect! This is a brief overview of what’s to come, and some thoughts on how to best prepare your business for it!

Retaliation and wrongful termination are two things that can get employers into trouble, potentially six-figure-mistake kind of trouble. When making policy and important on the spot employment decisions, knowledge and understanding of key laws are vital to avoiding the potential for trouble later. Here are some thoughts on how to set yourself up for success, and minimize the likelihood of costly mistakes when hiring, firing, etc.

Although mediation is overall very successful, the reasons it fails versus when it is successful tends to establish patterns of success and failure. Preparing for mediation includes physical preparation as well as mental preparation in order to be able to make decisions from a place of clarity about a situation and with more grounded expectations about what options might be available to the parties.

If you’ve ever signed a cell phone contract, utility or virtually any other agreement for goods or services these days, you have agreed to resolve any dispute with the other party through arbitration. There are several key things about it that make it different from court, and some are both potentially beneficial or detrimental depending on circumstances.