ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) was designed to prevent disagreements from reaching the court systems. There are several different types of resolutions that organizations employ. A couple examples are:

* Arbitration agreements, where for example, employees sign an agreement that provides for disputes to be settled by a private 3rd party arbitrator.

* The OPEN DOOR Policy- HR departments usually employ this policy as a way for employees to reveal their grievances in the workplace. Having this type of policy in place, can prevent disagreements from escalating too far.

Alternative Dispute Resolutions tend to be much more flexible than typical legal proceedings in the court system. There is no jury; costs are kept to a minimum, and resolutions tend to take place much faster.

However, there is some controversy surrounding ADR. For one, some employees do not trust the 3rd party arbitrators hired by companies, although the 3rd party is to be completely neutral. Some resolutions may not provide an adequate benefit to the claimant. And some basic rights may be overlooked for the sake of coming to a hasty conclusion.

It's in your best interest to read closely, any arbitration agreement. Perhaps have a lawyer look over the contract to ensure that there are no hidden loopholes. ADR can be a helpful tool if used properly. But every situation is unique!

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