| Why do all large companies have an
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| | patterns of absenteeism
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| Employee Handbook? A legally sound, well
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| | * Behavior threatening to the reputation
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| crafted Employee Handbook can potentially
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| | of the Company
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| save a company tens of thousands of
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| | * Job performance
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| dollars in legal costs while serving to
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| | Handbook or no handbook, you are never
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| relieve administrative confusion by
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| | safe from litigation; handbooks are not
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| clarifying key company policies. In this
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| | 'get out of court free cards,' but having
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| article, we'll take a look at the three
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| | a legally sound employee handbook that
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| main reasons successful companies today
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| | employees can understand is an obvious
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| depend on their employee handbooks.
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| | smart-step toward prevention of
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| To Define Company Policy
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| | litigation.
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| Let's say you are on the witness stand;
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| | What not to include in an employee
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| you are being sued by a former employee.
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| | handbook
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| The plaintiff's lawyer asks you if you
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| | Hanks says that many companies make the
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| have documentation that you communicated
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| | mistake of being too specific with the
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| to this employee that "X" could result in
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| | language in their employee handbooks. He
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| termination. "X" could represent any of
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| | says that an employee handbook should be
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| the following example policies:
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| | directive and relating to work-life
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| * Non compliance to dress code
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| | issues, not a training manual or detailed
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| * Not using the time-clock as directed.
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| | operations manual. It should answer
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| * Accepting gifts from vendors.
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| | general questions about being an
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| * Using a company PC to browsing the
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| | employee.
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| internet for personal reasons.
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| | Items that don't apply to every employee
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| What would you say? Let's say you reply
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| | equally or that change often should be
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| "yes, I warned him several times; I have
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| | left out of the employee handbook.
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| the documentation."
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| | Instead of listing specifics in the
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| The lawyer then asks "Is this a rule that
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| | handbook, employers can refer to
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| you have created just for this employee,
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| | documents that do list specifics. For
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| or do you apply this consistently
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| | example, if a company has a generous
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| throughout your entire organization? Do
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| | benefits package for full time employees,
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| you have an Employee Handbook?"
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| | instead of putting an exhaustive list of
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| What your response be? Without preset
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| | benefits that are subject to change, they
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| guidelines, the process of taking
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| | may want to use verbiage such as: "Full
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| corrective action or terminating
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| | Time Employees are eligible for the
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| employees for inappropriate behavior can
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| | current benefit package as published by
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| be a sticky situation.
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| | the Human Resources department."
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| Some examples of employee handbook
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| | Examples of items that are out of scope
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| chapters that define company policy
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| | for an employee handbook include:
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| include:
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| | * Employee job descriptions
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| * Relationships with Competitors
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| | * Specific employee benefits
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| * Relationships with Customers
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| | * Steps to earning promotions that could
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| * Relationships with Other Employees
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| | be binding
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| * Image / Dress Code
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| | * Specific Pay rates
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| * Sexual Harassment Policy
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| | Writing an Employee Handbook
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| * Code of conduct
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| | Having your own customized employee
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| To Define 'Time Off' Policies
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| | handbook doesn't have to be difficult.
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| While employers primarily rely on
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| | There are companies that offer pre-made,
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| employee handbooks to set ground rules
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| | customizable legally reviewed sample
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| and avoid legal issues, Darin Hanks,
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| | employee handbooks for less than fifty
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| president of employee handbook
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| | dollars. Employee handbook publishers
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| publication company HRIT Inc., says that
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| | like HRIT send their books through a
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| employees tend to use employee handbooks
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| | legal review process at least every 6
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| to determine the amount of time off they
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| | months and also have specially tailored
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| are entitled to. Hanks recommends that
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| | versions for California, Texas, and Ohio
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| employers explicitly cover topics such
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| | to comply with unique laws in those
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| as:
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| | states.
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| * Employee Vacation Time
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| | Although template based employee
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| * Employee Sick Time
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| | handbooks eliminate a great deal of time
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| * Employee Personal Time
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| | and money from the employee handbook
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| * Leaves of Absence
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| | development process, employers should
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| To Avoid Litigation
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| | still send their customized employee
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| Though most corrective action procedures
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| | handbooks through one final legal review.
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| or terminations are handled smoothly, it
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| | Hanks recommends two sets of eyes before
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| only takes one disgruntled employee or
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| | the employee handbook is sent to the
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| ex-employee to file a lawsuit for unfair
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| | printer; one set of Legal Eyes to give a
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| action to cost your company tens of
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| | final legal blessing and one set of New
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| thousands of dollars in legal fees. A
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| | Eyes to check for grammar and accuracy.
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| solid employee handbook is one of the
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| | With the low cost of obtaining legally
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| most effective ways to combat this
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| | accurate employee handbooks that are easy
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| scenario.
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| | to customize, there's no reason why any
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| Some examples of employee handbook
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| | company, large or small, should be
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| chapters that can help you to avoid
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| | without an employee handbook. You might
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| litigation include:
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| | be surprised at how integrating an
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| * Duration of Employment (Employment at
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| | employee handbook into your company's
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| Will)
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| | hiring and employment procedure can not
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| * Insubordination
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| | only protect your company legally, but
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| * Disrupting the work environment
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| | also lead to a smoother running
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| * Excessive absenteeism or unacceptable
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| | operation.
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