Creating an employee handbook with clear HR policies can save businesses a lot of grief in the long run. A handbook helps define company expectations, guides employees, and ensures compliance with legal standards.
This is Mosey’s guide to the 15 crucial HR policies that should be included in your employee handbook. These policies help maintain a healthy work environment and protect your company and its employees.
Are Employers Required To Have an Employee Handbook?
No, employers are not legally required to have an employee handbook. However, many businesses choose to create one because it sets clear expectations and guidelines for employees.
While no federal law in the United States mandates that companies provide an employee handbook, certain state laws may require employers to inform their workers about specific policies. An employee handbook is an efficient way to communicate these requirements to employees in a consistent and organized manner.
Although it’s not mandatory, an employee handbook can be extremely useful in protecting employers and employees alike. It reduces confusion about company rules and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Without a formal document outlining policies, employees may not fully understand what is expected of them, and employers may struggle with managing workplace issues consistently.
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What Are the Benefits of an Employee Handbook?
An employee handbook offers several important benefits for employers and employees. Creating a handbook is one of the easiest ways to communicate important information to your workers.
Clear Communication of Policies
An employee handbook provides a centralized place to lay out your company policies. These policies can cover everything from attendance rules, workplace conduct, safety guidelines, and employee benefits.
When employees have access to this information, they know what is expected of them. This reduces misunderstandings and creates a more organized and productive workplace.
Legal Protection
Another advantage of employee handbooks is the legal protection they offer employers. Your handbook proves you informed employees of your policies and procedures. In case of disputes or legal issues, a well-written employee handbook can demonstrate the company acted in accordance with its stated policies.
For example, if a company has clear anti-harassment policies and an employee violates them, the employer can use the handbook to show that the employee was aware of the rules if it results in a termination dispute.
Consistency in Management
An employee handbook also helps ensure that all employees are treated fairly and consistently. When policies are clearly outlined in your handbook, managers can apply the same rules and expectations to everyone. This helps prevent claims of favoritism or unfair treatment.
Consistency in applying the rules, like in performance reviews, disciplinary actions, or attendance, promotes fairness and accountability in the workplace.
Efficiency in Onboarding New Employees
Finally, an employee handbook is a valuable resource during employee onboarding. It provides a quick and easy way for new employees to learn about your company’s rules, expectations, and culture. This can help new workers integrate into the workplace and reduce the time that managers spend answering questions.
What HR Policies Should You Include in Your Employee Handbook?
In addition to the following categories of HR policies for your handbook, each state can have specific required policies that fall outside of those listed. It’s important to know the requirements in each state and stay up to date as they change.
Without further ado, here are the top 15 HR policies for your handbook:
1. Employee Attendance and Punctuality
An attendance policy sets clear expectations regarding work hours, breaks, and punctuality. It outlines the procedures for informing supervisors about late arrivals or absences. The policy can also specify how many attendance violations are allowed before disciplinary action is taken, protecting employers and employees from disputes related to misunderstandings.
A clear attendance policy ensures that your business runs smoothly and that employees understand their responsibilities. It also helps the company address issues like tardiness and absenteeism that can throttle productivity.
2. Health and Safety
Every company should have a health and safety policy to protect employees from potential hazards. This policy outlines the procedures for reporting accidents and injuries and explains safety regulations employees must follow.
Your health and safety policy must comply with federal laws like the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) and demonstrate your commitment to a safe working environment. The policy should also include emergency procedures and contact information for reporting unsafe conditions.
3. Compensation and Timekeeping
A compensation and timekeeping policy explains how employees are paid and how work hours are tracked. It should clearly outline the frequency of paydays, payment methods, and the protocol for when payday falls on a holiday.
Accurate timekeeping is vital for legal compliance and ensuring employees are paid correctly. This policy helps prevent payroll disputes and ensures that everyone follows the same process for tracking hours worked.
4. Meals and Breaks
A clear break policy in your employee handbook helps create a fair and respectful workplace. It also ensures that employees understand their rights and responsibilities regarding break times.
Meal periods aren’t federally required, but many states make their own laws. Employees are entitled to breaks during the workday in almost every state, and a meal and break policy ensures compliance with state and local regulations. Your policy should explain when workers are allowed to take breaks, the duration of each break, and whether breaks are paid or unpaid.
Break policy laws may be different for employees under 18. If your company hires minors, consider creating a separate meal and break policy section for teenage employees. They’re equally entitled to information about their workplace rights.
5. Leave and Time Off
A leave and time off policy outlines the types of leave employees are entitled to, such as vacation, sick leave, FMLA leave, and bereavement leave. Depending on the laws in your location, this policy should also cover parental leave, family leave, and statutory holidays.
A well-defined leave policy helps employees understand how to request time off and what procedures to follow. It also helps the company manage absences and maintain productivity.
Your policy should consider how state or federally-mandated leave time works with the policies you’ve voluntarily implemented. Provide guidance on how employees can request specific types of paid or unpaid leave and clarify how legally required leave can be used with what’s offered by your company.
6. Employment Classifications
An employment classification policy defines the different types of employment at your company, such as full-time, part-time, and contract workers. This policy clarifies which classifications are eligible for benefits and which are not. Employment classification must match federal employment classifications.
Clearly outlining employment classifications helps prevent misunderstandings about benefits, working hours, and expectations. It also ensures your company follows labor laws related to employment status.
7. Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment
Companies need a strong non-discrimination and anti-harassment policy to create a safe and respectful workplace. This policy should explicitly state that discrimination and harassment of any kind are not tolerated and provide a process for reporting and addressing incidents.
The policy must comply with local, state, and federal regulations, helping to protect employees from unfair treatment. It also shows your company’s commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is an excellent place to find resources for creating your non-discrimination policy. While the EEOC provides the latest guidance on federal anti-discrimination law, you may also need to refer to state and local laws impacting your policy.
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8. At-Will Employment
In every state except Montana, at-will employment allows the employee or employer to end a working relationship at any time for any legal reason. An at-will employment policy should clarify this fact for employees so they understand the nature of their work.
Including this policy in the employee handbook helps prevent misunderstandings and protects the company from wrongful termination claims, as long as terminations follow legal guidelines.
9. Social Media Use
A social media policy can work to protect your organization’s online reputation. This policy outlines what employees can and cannot post about the company and provides guidelines on professional behavior online.
A social media policy ensures employees represent your company appropriately and prevents situations where someone’s social media activity could harm the company’s image. Many employers find it helpful to discourage employees from taking photos or videos for social media while on the clock.
10. Telecommuting and Remote Work
Many companies offer remote work options or flexible time. A work from home policy should outline which roles are eligible for remote work, how remote employees are monitored, and the expectations for work hours and performance.
A clear remote work policy helps employees understand the rules for working from home and gives the company control over managing productivity and communication.
11. Weapons in the Workplace
A weapons policy is essential for maintaining a safe working environment. This policy should clearly state what kinds of weapons are prohibited, what constitutes a violation, and the consequences of bringing weapons to the workplace.
This policy helps protect employees from potential violence and creates a safer experience for everyone.
12. Drugs and Alcohol
A drug and alcohol policy sets clear guidelines about substance use in the workplace. It should explain which substances are prohibited, whether testing is required, and the consequences for violations.
For industries like construction or manufacturing, where safety is critical, a strict drug and alcohol policy is crucial for preventing accidents and maintaining a safe workforce.
13. Confidentiality
A confidentiality policy ensures employees know what information must be kept private. This policy should provide examples of confidential information, outline employee responsibilities, and explain the consequences of breaching confidentiality.
This policy can help protect sensitive business information and encourage employees to handle it with care. For employers in states like California, where nondisclosure agreements are rarely enforceable, this policy must be carefully considered. It may be helpful to seek advice from a legal professional to help you create a compliant and enforceable rule.
14. Employee Conduct and Discipline
An employee conduct policy outlines expected behavior for workers and provides a framework for dealing with misconduct. This policy should also cover the disciplinary procedures for violations, including verbal warnings, written warnings, and termination if necessary.
One of the most important reasons for including a conduct and disciplinary policy is to reduce the risk of wrongful termination claims. Almost all employment in the United States is at-will, but there are still illegal reasons to terminate a worker. If you can prove that an employee violated your policy, you may be able to prevent unwarranted claims.
15. Personal Device and Technology Use
A personal device policy outlines your company’s rules for using personal devices, such as laptops and smartphones, for work purposes. It should include information on security measures, limitations, and how the company monitors these devices.
This policy makes sure that employees use their devices responsibly and helps protect the company’s data from security breaches. It can also prevent disputes regarding compensation for technology-related expenses.
For example, employees permitted to use their personal devices may expect the company to reimburse their monthly service bill. If you don’t intend to do so, make sure your policy clarifies the issue.
Mosey Can Automate Your Handbook
While an employee handbook may not be legally required, it’s a valuable tool that benefits employers and employees alike. It does this by promoting clear communication, legal protection, consistency, and a positive work culture.
Your policies help protect your company from legal risks, guide employee behavior, and provide clear expectations for everyone in the organization. As your business grows, review and update your HR policies regularly to keep them relevant and compliant with the latest laws and best practices.
Mosey’s Handbook feature can simplify the process of creating a multi-state employee handbook. See the full list of policies that apply to your business in each state so you know your bases are covered. Automate the process of adopting policy changes and easily applying them to your handbook. Monitor employee signatures and track acknowledgement to ensure your handbook is read and recognized. Book a demo with Mosey to learn how Employee Handbooks can simplify your policy needs.
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