Employment
Your employees are your company’s greatest asset. Having the right structures in place to protect these key relationships can prevent problems before they arise and secure the long-term future of your business.
Employment law changes quickly and countries respond in different ways. We can assess what is most valuable to you, and you can count on us for straightforward advice rather than having to wade through pages of arguments pro and con. If you have an international business, or one with international ambitions, our 13 full-service offices have the flexible approach you need. We can advise you on international employment projects with the collaboration, when necessary, of our experts in corporate, dispute resolution, regulatory and tax law.
We're equipped to help you navigate the whole gamut of employment law – whatever the issues you're confronted with. From day-to-day employment management to litigation, from remuneration to restructuring, you can rely on our services, which are customised to best help you meet your long-term business goals. Not only can we do all this, we can do it wherever you need it, cross-border and on time.
Contractual Agreements & Policies, Agreements with Executives
From employment contracts to executive agreements, dismissal procedures to relocation agreements, our team works with you to customise the contracts most appropriate to the business relationship and most advantageous to you. Whether you need advice on senior appointments (in-country and cross-border), on drafting and reviewing employee contracts to comply with local government requirements, or on evaluating contracts in restructuring situations, you can rely on our team's expertise. We share your business goals and work to help you meet them efficiently.
Employment Litigation and Administrative Proceedings
Fewer things in employment law are trickier than litigation and conciliation. We have experience in this specialised area and know how to quantify legal complexity as a risk assessment – in plain language – that you can understand and act upon. We constantly monitor newly implemented or upcoming changes to legislation throughout the CEE/SEE region so we can provide your business with the best strategic advice when drafting legal documents or preparing for negotiations with works councils and trade unions. Our team's frequent academic engagement with the law means that we stay at the cutting edge of developments in our field, an advantage we use to protect your business and help you plan.
Pensions and Benefits
We can help you reorganise your pension and benefit structure while maintaining your corporate structure. We know the ins and outs of stock option plans, pension fund agreements, and fringe benefits, and can help you create multi-jurisdictional stock option programmes for senior managers, appoint employees as board members in regional subsidiaries, and implement long-term incentive plans in CEE/SEE subsidiaries. We also leverage the other areas of expertise at Wolf Theiss to help you meet your goals; our Tax experts, for example, can advise you on the tax aspects of employee stock ownership, deferred compensation plans and other tax optimisation strategies.
Restructurings and Outsourcing
When you decide to implement changes that can result in outsourcing, off-shoring, restructuring, downsizing or merging, we will make sure that your business needs are protected during what can be a period of uncertainty for you and your business. We understand the complexities involved and help you make strategic decisions that protect your interests in the long run. We will use our position in 13 different countries in CEE/SEE to share local market knowledge to position you optimally in your business sector.
Implementation of Organisational Changes
The breadth of our reach across the region makes it easier for us to provide you with added value whenever you look to implement organisational changes. We are always thinking across borders, which means that we can help you implement part-time work models, remuneration structures and overtime models in several countries simultaneously. Our team is structured for efficiency: for us, collaboration between our experts in corporate, dispute resolution, regulatory and tax law is the rule, not the exception.
Day-to-day Employment Management
We’re there for you, even for the less glamorous but no less important tasks of day-to-day employment matters. If you need advice – or even direct representation – in dealing with collective labour laws, working hours, or social security, we will assist you in managing your daily business. We use the built-in cross-practice network of Wolf Theiss to combine our expertise and to provide advice on employment matters that apply to all industries and sectors. For example, we ensure that employment matters are fully compliant with data protection or privacy laws, and bank regulations. We will work to keep you abreast of changes in the constantly shifting landscape of pension and other employment-related legislation, wherever and whatever your business.
