| The Employee Handbook, also called employee | | | | regarding the company confidential |
| manual, sets out in detail the guidelines that | | | | In addition, the handbook will also specify the |
| govern procedures and expectations of the | | | | various finer points regarding employment |
| company from its employees. Whenever a new | | | | practices. It might begin by setting forth the |
| employee joins a company, the normal practice | | | | nature of the employment itself. "At Will" types of |
| followed is to provide the employee with a | | | | employment refer to the concept where either |
| handbook to acquaint them with the new | | | | the employee or the employer may terminate |
| company and its prevailing policies. | | | | the contract of employment at any point of time, |
| The employee should carefully read and | | | | with or without reason. Then, most companies |
| comprehend the contents of the handbook | | | | are sure to be equal opportunity companies, |
| because the employee will then be able to | | | | where employment is given regardless of sex, |
| discharge his or her responsibilities in a more | | | | creed, race, religion, gender, nationality or because |
| informed and educated manner. The employee | | | | of the presence of any mental or physical |
| handbook will divulge the programs initiated by the | | | | disabilities, as governed by applicable laws. |
| company and the responsibilities of the employee. | | | | The employee handbook will surely have to |
| One of the main aims of the employee handbook | | | | mention that it does not subscribe to any kind of |
| is to engender the best of environments for | | | | discrimination of any sort when it comes to its |
| employer and employee, thereby resulting in | | | | employment policies. |
| optimal performance of the company. | | | | To elaborate further, employment policies of the |
| Of course, the handbook may not cover every | | | | company should also state whether the employee |
| conceivable aspect of the functioning of the | | | | belongs to an "exempt" or "non-exempt" |
| company due to various factors, but it is the first | | | | category. Because, the law requires this, it is |
| comprehensive report about the company that | | | | necessary for the employee to have one of |
| introduces the employee to his or her new | | | | these status identifications, in order to determine |
| environment. Broadly speaking, the contents of a | | | | whether or not the employee is eligible to get |
| standard employee handbook will contain the | | | | overtime pay should he or she work more than |
| following points in some detail: | | | | eight hours in a day or more than forty hours per |
| • Welcoming Statement • | | | | working week. |
| Orientation procedures • Define full/part | | | | Exempt employees, according to the Federal Fair |
| time employment and explain the benefits of each | | | | Labor Standards Act (FLSA), includes managers, |
| • Employee pay and other benefits | | | | directors, officers, owners, executives and |
| • Conduct of employees and discipline | | | | professional and technical personnel from being |
| policies • Employee performance review | | | | paid overtime. Non-exempt employees are eligible |
| • Promotion/demotion policies • | | | | to receive overtime pay. There are also separate |
| Rules pertaining to mail, use of telephone and | | | | categories such as hourly employees and salaried |
| other company equipment • Procedures | | | | employees. Salaried employees receive a fixed |
| regarding injuries received through accidents | | | | salary while hourly employees are paid by the |
| • Voluntary termination of work by the | | | | hour. |
| employee • Keep certain information | | | | |