No matter how successful a business is, nothing is going to exempt it from the laws put in place to protect employees and customers while they work under you. There are a lot of legal issues a business can run into if careless, and not even a team of lawyers could protect you from such huge mistakes. Of course, the kinds of legal trouble you’re at risk of will depend on what kind of business you run. Your business might have hygiene issues if you’re working in the food industry, or danger from faulty machinery if you work within the construction industry.

Wrongful termination

One of the bigger problems that affect all businesses with one or more employees working under them is wrongful termination. When you hire an employee, you’re signing a legal contract that binds them to your business, this is something that can be terminated at any time if you’re able to meet the requirements of what you and said employee agreed before you took them on. In most cases, this will either be terminating them without the correct amount of compensation or notice. If you are going to let someone go, you need to make sure you honour the contract that was formed when you hired them.

Discrimination

Discrimination in the workplace is, unfortunately, something that is still seen today and something that your business can face serious consequences for. There are many times where an employee or customer can find your business discriminatory – and you’ll want to make sure you’re watertight. Whether it’s a customer experiencing it while investing in your business, an employee experiencing it from other colleagues, or even applicants experiencing it in an interview. If your business shows any hint or prejudice to someone based on a disability, race, or sexuality – you could face a discrimination lawsuit.

False advertisement

Marketing is a very competitive environment, with every company trying to one-up their competitors – but even so, you’re not allowed to advertise falsely. If you market your product and lie about what it does, it’s not only going to damage your reputation, but you could find yourself in court. It can be quite complicated to go into detail, but so long as your business does not go out of its way to deceive or make false claims about what your products can or cannot do will have legal consequences.

Workplace safety

Your customers and employees need to feel safe when they’re present in your workplace, and that means making sure you don’t have any safety hazards that are easily accessible. Wet floors need to be appropriately marked with signs, faulty machinery needs to be checked, repaired, or replaced as soon as possible. Firedoors need to be clearly marked and never blocked. Workplace safety is one area of your business that you cannot afford to overlook, as it can cause injuries and stress to your employees. Make sure your workplace has been inspected by a professional, and have routine checks on things like electricals and safety requirements.