Beware the Caveat

By Chris Schneider, Director, Strategic Partnerships
Published February 21, 2023

Ah yes, the caveat, the proviso, the warning, the disclaimer. It comes baked into almost all advice: legal, financial, HR, and otherwise. It is issued as a late arriving insurance rider, immediately following a tidbit of confidential, seemingly authoritative counsel that on the surface sounds wise, but may reveal a crack in the confidence of the advisor. Sometimes the caveat is employed with its disclaimer rendered in the time-honored “sandwich technique” as such: “Well, I’m not an expert, but you can fire everyone over 40, though maybe you should check with your attorney first.” Did you catch it twice? Read the sentence again with the phrase “I don’t know” on both sides of the advice. 

The caveat is what a gambler would call a “tell” and a glaring indication that you might be listening to the wrong person. So much so that the advisor is worried enough about the ramifications of giving bad or incomplete advice that they have given themselves an escape hatch. Afterall, talk is cheap, and there is no downside personally to projecting an opinion without having to live with the consequences. Lawyers are notorious for this phenomenon, because all know some part of the law, but I would proceed with caution when taking employment advice from a real estate attorney, for instance. 

We have seen more than a few former HR Source members return after they left us to fully embrace an HR add-on service, but then realized that the lack of caveats was exactly what set us apart from their shiny new resource. Not the first time an employer had been sold a box of goods only to realize that there is a giant hole in the box. You see, we have attorneys, compensation analysts, and HR advisors that can speak directly, authoritatively, and without a metaphorical net beneath the trapeze. Our advice is time-tested, hardened by the experience of many employers, and generally, conservative on the spectrum of Human Resource guidance. Where we shine is in our knowledge of federal, state, and local regulation, and how these rules have been tempered and illuminated through court challenges. 

This is what we do. We don’t wade into deep unfamiliar waters; we keep to our side of the HR street. For instance, we tread lightly on topics having to do with ERISA, fiduciary responsibility, or immigration law. Our team may have to tell you that an issue or situation is “unsettled” or is not clear given the facts presented. We are also acutely aware that keeping current on leading HR practices and employment law changes is our full-time job. This makes us an economical choice for employers looking to augment their HR function in organizational development, affirmative action program development, employer-related legal services, compensation benchmarking, and recruiting. 

Know someone being habitually underserved by their HR provider? Were they sold an empty box? Send them over. We’ll treat them right.