NAM can provide several different panels of Employment Hearing Officers
within 50 miles of any location in which an Employee works, worked or sought to be
employed, anywhere in the United States. In fact, NAM will provide up to three
panels to help ensure that all parties are satisfied with the choice of the Hearing
Officer. This practice differs from other ADR companies who provide a limited
number of panels and many times ultimately select the Hearing Officer because the
parties cannot agree on a Hearing Officer.
NAM's Employment Hearing Officers are practicing employment specialists with a strong
belief in the effectiveness and efficiency of the arbitration/mediation process. For
the most part, they only hear employment matters. As such, each case is taken very
seriously and the NAM Employment Hearing Officers are very aware of the intricacies
and deadlines associated with these types of cases.
All NAM Employment Hearing Officers are independent contractors and not officers,
employees or owners of NAM. We believe this approach provides the most pristine
forum by eliminating any issues relating to how a decision will affect future case
referrals from a client that has the potential to refer more cases to the ADR
company. By design, we avoid this potential conflict of interest.
Most NAM Employment Hearing Officers will hear only one matter for any corporate
entity, thereby eliminating any perceived conflict of interest.
As NAM has invested significant time and resources into attracting the highest quality
of Employment Hearing Officers for its employment panels, NAM's philosophy is that
the Hearing Officer, rather than NAM as the Administrator, should resolve all issues
relating to an employment matter. This is in contrast to ADR companies that "insert"
themselves into the process. In our view, we do not believe that such a practice is
an acceptable approach. The Employment Hearing Officer, as an expert in employment
law and having been selected by the parties, in our view, is the appropriate individual
to address case issues. Therefore, once a case has been commenced, NAM's role is
solely that of an Administrator. However, NAM does have the authority to disqualify
a Hearing Officer if we believe his/her neutrality has been compromised or if a
conflict arises.
With respect to case administration, we provide the highest level of service as a
single Case Manager is assigned to each case. Our Case Managers have significant
experience in administrating employment matters and are available to all the parties
and the Employment Hearing Officer throughout the case to ensure that all matters run
smoothly. In fact, NAM's clients have been very vocal about NAM's capabilities in
administrating their matters in a timely, efficient and appropriate manner.
The NAM fee structure is simple and direct. We do not have "nuisance" charges that,
in the aggregate, can be substantial. In other words, there are no hidden costs.
Unlike other arbitration institutions, NAM does not require a significant upfront
retainer to commence a dispute resolution proceeding. Additionally, our fees are much
more affordable as well.
