Organization Is Key in Legal Disputes
Organization Is Key in Legal Disputes

For most people, keeping records is a difficult task that we would like to finish and forget. The files are shipped to an offsite location and are never reviewed again. This archaic vision has resulted in losses for organizations of all sizes and types in complex conflicts across the country. The court has set high and unwavering standards for record keeping and often the outcome of a case is determined by the organization that is best organized and most compliant, despite the merits of the individual case. Even more rigorous documentary evidence is required of public institutions and government agencies. Ricoh provides easy access to this evidence and is considered a leader in this area. In fact,  

When a lawsuit or claim is filed in court, a series of specific actions is triggered. These actions are considered the discovery process. The discovery process is a pre-trial process in a lawsuit where each party can obtain evidence from the other party. This process may include a request for interrogation responses, a request for production of documents, and a request for admissions and depositions. This process can be time consuming and expensive, especially if the relevant documents are not easily accessible. Part of this process includes an affidavit of documents. This document is the list of documents relevant to the case or a problem in a trial that are or have been available, under the control or under the power of a party. The list is a sworn statement.

Par rapport aux preuves, on s’attend à ce que les deux parties aient un affidavit de documents très semblable. Par exemple, dans le cadre d’un conflit contractuel, le contrat devrait apparaître dans l’affidavit de documents des deux parties. 

  • Employment agreements;
  • Interview Notes;
  • Contrats de travail;
  • Notes d’entrevues;
  • Changements de contrats;
  • Relevés de paie;
  • Registres de changements de rémunération, promotions, rétrogradations ou changements de responsabilités;
  • Évaluations du rendement;
  • Documentation de formation;
  • Avis disciplinaires et mesures correctives prises;
  • Plaintes déposées auprès des RH de l’employé;
  • Toute information pertinente.

Dans ces cas, l’employé ayant déposé la poursuite a souvent un inventaire méticuleux de documents, mais les municipalités qui s’occupent souvent d’une centaine ou d’un millier d’employés ont des exigences de dossiers beaucoup plus exigeantes.  

Dans le cas où une administration locale n’a pas sa documentation en ordre, il pourrait y avoir un grand écart entre l’affidavit de documents de l’employé et ceux des bureaux. Ces cas sont mal vus par les juges, car ça sous-entend que l’organisation ne maintient pas l’ordre de ses affaires – ou pire encore – que la municipalité refuse délibérément de divulguer de l’information à l’étape de la découverte. Ces deux hypothèses peuvent justifier la poursuite de l’employé.

 

Ricoh can help implement and maintain HR records and train staff to use them. Keeping a series of complete and up-to-date records for each employee is an important compliance issue that can prevent exposure to this type of situation and plays an important role in mitigating damage to the municipality.

 

The best witness to Ricoh’s expertise in this area is the one we do not hear about: major judgments, litigation and regulations are in the news. A municipality with its records in meticulous order does not attract such attention.

Make sure your documentation is organized and accessible when you need it. Visit our website for more details.