We’ve taken all the employment law advice we’ve given over the years and distilled it into a sort of “greatest hits” package. Here it is . . .

#10. The Employment Law Golden Rule. Treat all employees the way you would want to be treated — honestly, objectively, consistently and fairly on a timely basis.

#9. Get All The Facts, Man. Promptly and thoroughly investigate all claims of discrimination and harassment and make decisions based on facts, not emotions or assumptions.

#8. Beware of Retaliation. Plaintiffs’ lawyers love it when companies fire employees who recently made complaints.

#7. If It Ain’t Job-related, It Ain’t Job-related. It’s a simple but often overlooked rule: if you can’t clearly articulate a job-related reason for taking a particular action against an employee, don’t take it.

#6. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate (Unless You Communicate Stupidly). Many employment disputes are simply the result of poor communication. Communicate early, often, clearly and simply with employees.

#5. Document, Document, Document (Unless You Document Stupidly). Good documentation is better than no documentation but no documentation is better than bad documentation.

#4. Follow Your Own Dang Policies. Judges and juries aren’t kind to HR professionals who fail to follow company policies and procedures before taking action.

#3. Don’t Disappoint Mom. Don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mom to see on the front page of the newspaper

#2. Stay up-to-date on the law. Carve out a few minutes each week to review the latest employment law updates.

AND THE NUMBER ONE PIECE OF EMPLOYMENT LAW ADVICE . . .

#1. When in doubt, call a lawyer. We know everything.