Having
an employee handbook can be a useful tool for any company – even a small
business. It can be a resource to communicate information about policies,
procedures, goals and company history. By making written handbooks available to
employees, you can make sure that they are aware of everything that they should
know.
Unfortunately,
employment and labor laws at the federal, state or local level can change
rapidly, so employee handbooks should be reviewed every year, and modified if
needed, to make sure that everything in it complies with any new or revised
laws. But beyond laws, companies also grow and change, and policies may need to
be updated to apply to a workforce or conditions that are different than they
were just a few years before. Whether you are creating or updating an employee
handbook, keep the followings do’s and don’ts in mind.
• Be
careful about what you promise. Some courts could interpret employee handbooks
as binding obligations for employers. To avoid legal problems, ensure that the
handbook does not include any unconditional promises, such as promising
employment as long as policies are followed or inflexible discipline policies.
• Check
for compliance with both general labor laws and industry specific regulations
at the federal and state levels. Many states require by law that certain
policies be included in employee handbooks – such as family medical leave,
equal employment and non-discrimination, harassment and worker’s compensation
policies
• Avoid
confusing or hard-to-understand language when possible. If legal terms or
wording are needed or required by law, by all means they should be used. But
every effort should be made to use language that is easy for anyone to
understand. After all, if employees can’t understand it, an employee handbook
is not doing its job.
• Don’t
make it any longer than needed. While you don’t want to leave important
information out, a lengthy handbook will make it hard for employees to remember
the information that it contains. Be accurate, but brief with any necessary
information.
•
Include answers to questions employees commonly ask. A handbook is a good place
to include information that is frequently asked for, such as employee benefits,
technology usage and payroll procedures.
• Have
translations available for non-English speaking workers. If the primary
language of any workers is not English, have your handbook translated into
their primary language. This will ensure that they can properly understand all
the information included in it.
• Make
it accessible and convenient to read. This can include distributing copies to
each employee, always giving new hires a copy on their first day of work and
having it available electronically.
• Have
a lawyer review it. To ensure that all the policies and procedures outlined in
an employee handbook do not violate employment laws, that all required
information is included, and that it does not create an unintended legal
ramifications, have the handbook reviewed by an attorney familiar with
employment law.
More
information on federal employment laws can be found on the Department of
Labor’s website, http://www.dol.gov. Handbook templates and other helpful
resources are available from the Small Business Administration
(http://www.sba.gov) and the National Federation of Independent Business
(http://www.nfib.com).
