In the last several years, Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC has placed increased emphasis on its practice in the area of employment law through its representation of management. Although Georgia is well-established as an "employment at will" state, employers are still subject to a variety of actions based upon wrongful termination. Several members of the firm are experienced in handling suits brought by disgruntled employees alleging discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin and age. When these suits arise, Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC is prepared to represent the employer from the time a complaint is filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through final litigation.

Members of the firm are frequently called upon to provide seminars for its clients on the intricacies of the "employment at will" doctrine in the state of Georgia as well as those of Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and the various causes of action which exist under Georgia state law for wrongful termination.

In this regard, Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC assists its clients through "preventive maintenance" by assisting management in implementing practices and procedures which help to fend off wrongful termination litigation before it begins. The preventive maintenance includes hiring procedures from the initial posting of a job opportunity through the interview process and the eventual hiring and training of an individual. We assist management in the preparation and dissemination of employee handbooks and manuals to ensure that the contents meet the needs of management while not exposing the employer to future employee suits. We also provide recommendations and guidelines for record keeping, early problem detection, employee evaluations and reviews and the application of disciplinary systems. Finally, we counsel our clients on the discharge process to ensure that it too will be performed in such a way as to minimize exposure to wrongful termination actions.

The firm also has experience in representing employers who are the victims of employee embezzlement. Prompt action by Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC recently enabled one employer to minimize its losses, recover most of its loss soon after discovering the embezzlement, and to bring the employee to justice without risking a malicious prosecution claim. One of the firm's attorneys took the employee's sworn statement on the day the embezzlement was discovered, proceeded to coordinate efforts with the employer's bonding company, obtained collateral for the loss and cooperated with prosecuting officials.

Bovis, Kyle & Burch, LLC stands ready to assist clients with all facets of employment law.