When a company reaches fifteen employees, certain federal laws become applicable to it and certain policies are mandated by these laws. If your business has fifteen or more employees, you should consult an attorney about developing or updating these required policies, and how they should be communicated to your employees. 

 

     But regardless of whether your business is subject to these federally required policies, employee handbooks can be a useful tool. Handbooks ensure uniformity in the information employees receive about what the organization expects of them and what they can expect from the organization. It allows you to communicate directly to the employee your expectations and requirements. It is a reference point that gives an employee a place to begin when he or she has a question.

 

     Topics such as internet use, company cell phone use, drug testing policies, vacation policies, leave due to illness, jury duty, or voting, timekeeping or overtime requirements, and safety policies are often covered in handbooks. Handbooks are often used by employers to confirm employees’ status is “at will,” or to define disciplinary steps, if employees are not “at will.”

 

     While some information may be duplicative, an employee handbook is different than a company’s policy and procedures manual. A policy and procedures manual is generally written for and distributed to office managers, supervisors and other key personnel. This manual contains the procedures for operating the company as well as overarching company policies. The employee handbook is geared to the worker and interprets the overarching policies and sets forth the implementation of those policies and procedures.

 

     There is no “cookie cutter” formula for handbooks. When developing your handbook, consider your organization’s goals. You are developing a tool to guide employees through their journey with your organization. Determine what is unique to the organization, what you want and need employees to know. How do you determine what your employees should know? Start with what is legally required to be included and work from there. 

 

     However, in drafting a handbook, employers must take care not to inadvertently create rights for employees that the employer did not intend to create. For this reason, alone, employers are well served by consulting an attorney before issuing or updating a handbook.