Employer's Guide for Optometrists

Wrongful termination...
Sexual harassment...
Discrimination...
Unemployment insurance...

A few of the most feared words an employer can hear.

Do you know what they mean?

Do you want to know how to limit your exposure to an employee lawsuit?

Written by Dr. Steinberg specifically for optometrists, the "Employer's Guide for Optometrists" answers these questions and far more. After practicing optometry for over 30 years, more than twenty in his own office, few things were more clear to Dr. Steinberg than that he, and most other ODs, knew nothing about being an employer. The truth is, we are all far more likely to be sued, and lose, as an employer than we are as an optometrist for malpractice.

Why is that? Simple. Few, if any, optometrists know anything about employment law and even fewer have the proper manuals and agreements in place to protect them. You certainly don't learn how to be an employer in optometry school! How important is it that you understand the rules of employment? In 1994 -- that's 40 years ago -- the average California judgment in an employment case was over $875,000! If that's not enough to catch your attention, what is?

The Employer's Guide for Optometrists is Dr. Steinberg's answer to the lack of information available to the practicing optometrist about being an employer. Written as a practical, "how to" and "how not to" guide, the Employer's Guide for Optometrists contains  the forms, checklists and practical advise you need to be able to avoid, or at least minimize, your risk of being sued when you:

• interview new applicants
• hire new employees
• terminate employees
• give references for past employees
• challenge unemployment claims
• comply with state (Calif.) and Federal laws

The Employer's Guide for Optometrists includes a comprehensive Model Employee Handbook, ready to use with only minimal modification for your office. Just modify as desired, print, and use. Every employer must have an employee handbook that sets out in writing the basic terms, conditions, and expectations of working for you.  

A comprehensive list of the topics in the Employer's Guide is found in its Table of Contents. Click HERE to see what that Employer's Guide for Optometrists Table of Contents includes (Table of Contents will open in a new window). 

Here's some of what you'll find in the current edition of the Employer's Guide for Optometrists

Sample Forms

Among the many sample forms including with the Guide, the Employer's Guide for Optometrists includes ready to use employment contracts, for both professional and non-professional employees, advice for minimizing unemployment claims, and a comprehensive policy statement on Sexual Harassment and a host of useful forms and model agreements. 

Here is a list of the forms included in the Employer's Guide: 

• Employer's Guide for Optometrists
• Model Employee Handbook 
• Model Employee-Doctor Agreements
  • California and non-California, at-will employment
  • California and non-California, fixed term employment
  • Doctor, part-time/fill-in
  • Independent Contractor Agreement

• Model Employee-Staff Employment Agreements
  • California and non-California, Exempt employee
  • California and non-California, Non-exempt employee

• Application for Employment
• Employee Review Form - Performance
• Employee Review Form - Discipline

Company Benefits

By way of example of what the model Employee Handbook looks like, here the section on Company Benefits from the Model Employee Handbook. You have permission to modify and use this for your office, whether you purchase the complete guide or not. This is one of more than a dozen different sections of the Handbook. 

Sexual Harassment Policy Statement

Sexual Harassment is one of the "hot" areas of employment law. It is, perhaps, the most common basis for employment lawsuits. But you CAN protect yourself. Start by implementing a Sexual Harassment Policy. Taken directly from the Employer's Guide (model employee handbook), the link in the menu on the left will take you to one such harassment policy, which you may use as you wish.

Arbitration and Class Waiver Provisions

In 2018, the US Supreme Court ruled that employment contracts can include enforceable arbitration provisions and class action waivers. What that means is that, if you have a properly drafted and enforceable arbitration agreement, you can prevent ANY employee from suing you in court, and can prevent any employee from joining together with other employees to sue you. This provision alone could -- and very likely will -- save you tens of thousands of dollars! Arbitration is FAR less expensive, much faster, and avoids entirely the risk that a JURY will award an employee thousands of dollars in damages they don't deserve.

The Employer's Guide includes TWO complete model At Will employee contracts -- one for associate doctors, and one for staff. Each includes everything you need to protect yourself. Just enter your business name and the employee name, complete a few sections such as the employee's pay and benefits, and you have a complete, attorney-drafted, written employment contract.

Cost, Use, and Ordering

The cost for the complete Employer's Guide and all the associated files listed above is $498.00*. At this price the Employer's Guide for Optometrists costs less than it would cost you to have a lawyer draft even one of the forms it contains. Moreover, purchasing just the Employment Agreements and Employee Handbooks would alone cost about $100 more than the Guide, which includes both of those already. Together the Guide, the Handbook, and the Agreements make up a complete Employer Package of essential documents. 

* Note that there is a 3% credit card processing fee added to your total, shown by PayPal as a tax.