Congratulations on even having an Employee Handbook! Many small businesses try to go without, which ends up being a mistake.

This Handbook is intended to provide employees with a general understanding of some of the Company's personnel policies. It is not an employment contract or a legal document. The information in this Handbook should be helpful in familiarizing employees. Looking for download now small business employee handbook template free 28? Dont panic, printable and downloadable free download now small business employee handbook template free 28 we have created for you.

A current and labor law compliant Employee Handbook is an asset. It welcomes new employees, answers commonly asked questions and establishes standards for consistency and accountability; it proves what the employee should have known when you must correct their actions or are forced to terminate. It also minimizes risk in key areas such as harassment claims and wage and hour law compliance.

1. Explains the unemployment benefit claim system, from the claimant’s initial application through the determination of eligibility. This section also deals with unemployment fraud and the roles of both the employer and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development in combating it.
2. Handbooks are a key asset for communicating company policies and promoting fairness and consistency in the workplace, and ever-evolving laws make routinely reviewing handbooks critical for employers.
3. An employee handbook is a great way to help with onboarding process in your organization. A well-designed and engaging employee handbook is a brilliant touchstone for new hires and existing employees to draw information from at their own pace.

Make sure your handbook is current! There were at least 3 labor law and best practice changes in 2012 alone that created a need for existing handbook updates; ADA amendments; FLSA Safe Harbor and NLRB Social Media/Blogging guidelines.

But it is not good enough just to have one. Any kind of employee management document or tool is only as good as how it is used. Once you have an Employee Handbook ready to go, follow these steps to maximize effectiveness:

1. Plan for distribution. Will you take the Handbook to a printer and have a bound copy created for each employee? That works great in a small office but can get expensive the more employees you have. How about printing a single copy for each employee to reference in their primary office location and saving a copy of the PDF version of the handbook to disc? Better yet, is there a shared drive or an intranet it can be saved to? This way you only have to print the Acknowledgement page, typically the last page of the handbook, for each employee to sign.
2. Execute a company wide roll out. This can include a single event or mini group meeting, perhaps by department or team. Make the roll out sessions as positive as possible. Sell employees on why the company needs the Handbook and why it is of benefit to them. Establish a script or checklist to follow ahead of time. Identify 5-7 key policies or areas of concern to review with the group; cover zero tolerance in your Anti-Harassment policy and how to report a potential violation.
3. Collect signed Handbook Acknowledgements. This document alone is what makes the Handbook a true company asset. If you want to be in a position to effectively defend the counseling, disciplinary action or termination of an employee, you need look no further than their signed Handbook Acknowledgment. It proves what they “should have known” they were being held accountable for. During roll out instruct employees to sign the Acknowledgement and return it to their supervisor or other authorized representative of the company within 2-3 business days. Keep track and make sure all are returned and placed safely in each applicable employee file.
4. Incorporate Employee Handbook review into your new hire process. Even companies with a loose new hire training process sets aside time for employees to complete payroll paperwork; form I9 and tax forms. Use that time to review the Employee Handbook briefly with them. You can even follow the script of key points you used for the roll out meetings.
5. When updating an Employee Handbook, notify employees properly. This usually entails re-issuing the entire handbook (painful)to every single employee and collecting new Acknowledgements. Or, you can post and distribute a company wide memo that advises of the key changes, where to locate the latest employee handbook, and requires a signature per employees. Remember, anything signed by an employee that can be used to prove what they should have known needs to make its way into the employee file.

You have invested time and money into creating an Employee Handbook. It is the backbone of all the employee systems and processes you have in place or will create. Don’t delay your return on investment. Now is the time to put it to effective use.

Effective Employee Handbook Examples

For an employee handbook to serve its purpose in the most effective manner, there are a few critical parts that need to be in place. These parts are separate sections that cover many of the potential issues that an employer must face to manage their employees in the best possible way. Below are employee handbook examples that outline these sections.

Company Values

This is typically the very first section in an employee handbook. It will be the first chance for the employee to learn more about the company from the perspective of its operators. It creates an opportunity to build excitement in the company and builds a relationship with your employees from day one.

There are a few essential subsections within this section, and these include:

• Company History
• Company Culture

The next section provides the employee with a precedent of what is expected of them. This section will build on the previous section and use the values as a foundation for creating rules of expected conduct.

In this section, the employer is allowed to define what is and is not acceptable for their employees. This creates vital guidelines for your employees so that they understand their expectations. Additionally, it can become a safety net for the employer in the instance that an ethics violation occurs. If the violation results in legal action against the employer, it can offer protection because it was clearly defined that these actions were unacceptable.

Federally Mandated Policies for Employee Reference

The employee handbook is not just a tool to guide an employee on how they should act. It also works as a quick reference for employees on the policies of the company. Some of these policies are required by the U.S. Department of Labor. Others are programs and policies instituted by the employer that needs to be made available for quick reference by the employee. Below are a few examples of policies that should be covered in this section.

The EEOC and non-discrimination policy in your employee handbook should be defined clearly. This states that your company will not discriminate based on age, sex, religion, disability, race, children, sexual orientation, or genetic information. Most importantly, it states that there will be no retaliation for reporting such indecencies.

This federally mandated policy states that if your company has greater than twenty employees, and you offer health benefits, the employer must provide the option to continue the benefits regardless of termination, and cuts in the hours of the employee.

This is another federally mandated policy that states that employees are entitled to twelve workweeks of leave within twelve months if they have one of the following conditions:

• Birth of a Child, or if they need to care for a newborn within its first year.

• If the employee adopts a child or becomes the foster parent of a child, within the first year of this event.

• If the employee has a spouse, child, or parent who has a severe medical ailment.

There is also a provision stating that an employer must supply twenty-six workweeks of leave in a 12-month period if the employee to care for a military service member if that member is the spouse, child, parent, or next of kin to the employee.

This policy was signed into law in 1990 and states that the employer must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. It also states that the employer cannot discriminate against their employees based on a disability.

This is yet another federal law that establishes compensation practices for your employees. It covers items such as minimum wage, overtime, hours worked, recordkeeping, and protections for children under child labor laws.

This list is not a comprehensive example of all of the policies that should be made clear to your employees, but it does reveal some of the most important laws that an employer must follow. Putting these policies into the employee handbook will give your employees peace of mind and a sense of security about their workplace. It will also work to remedy any compliance issues for your business that could result in fines, penalties, or even jail time.

In addition to the numerous federal policies that are required to operate your business with employees, it is a great idea to have an additional section with policies specific to your business needs.

In the modern business world, your employees will inevitably work hand in hand with technologies to make their job possible. Guidelines should be established for these devices to ensure that they are not used in a manner that is inconsistent with company standards or values. It would be wise to define retaliation for breaking any of the rules in this section if a fireable offense has occurred.

Sensitive Information Policy

This policy is all about protecting the valuable intellectual property of your business. The employee will be interacting with confidential information, secret processes, and other data that is proprietary to your firm. Creating a non-disclosure policy can protect your company from employees with malicious intent.

Employment Compensation

This section of the employee handbook is sure to be one of particular interest for any employee. It will cover essential items relating to the employee's salary. There are a few things that should be defined for the employee in this section. Examples of these include:

Pay Period

This is the perfect spot to state the pay interval for your employees. Typical pay schedules are weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

Overtime

Overtime is generally defined in the United States as anything over 40 hours worked in one workweek. It also includes an increased pay rate.

This section should also include a provision that overtime is only available to non-salary employees and also should cover any special situations for overtime as required by local unions.

Timecards

Timekeeping is the unit of measure to determine how much work the employee has performed. This section should show acceptable methods for recording time, as well as what procedures should be followed in correcting any possible inaccuracies in a timecard.

Employee Benefits

This crucial section of your employee handbook defines the benefits that are available to your employees. This section is vital because, for most employers, the benefits package is the other half of the coin in securing the best candidates for the job. The benefits offered by any given employer will vary from company to company, but there are a few that are typical for most employment situations.

Health Insurance

Health insurance offered by the employer has become a hot button issue that plays a significant role in the decision of an employee to join an organization. This section is the perfect opportunity to define who qualifies for this benefit, how the premiums are paid, and what, if any, the employer's contribution to the insurance premium is.

Retirement

Business In A Box Employee Handbook Sample

The retirement programs for your company should be outlined in this section. Retirement plans such as 401k and IRA's should be described here. Additionally, this is an excellent spot to define criteria and limits for any employee contribution match plans that may apply to your company.

Employment Leave and Vacation

Small Business Employee Handbook Pdf

Vacation and leave for the employee should be stated, so they know:

• When they accrue vacation days
• How many vacation days they can accrue
• Requirements for using their vacation days
• If their vacation time rolls over from one year to the next
• What types of leave they are entitled to
• Conditions that must be met to utilize their leave

Covering these topics here will potentially eliminate any confusion on the part of the employees in the future.

Holidays

Your business should define which of the national holidays your company observes. It is also a good idea to define if employees are paid for holidays and any additional compensation paid for holidays that are worked.

California Small Business Employee Handbook

Special Leave Conditions

As your company starts to build its workforce with more and more employees, you will inevitably be forced to handle a situation regarding jury duty and military leave. Using this section to stipulate company guidelines about these two events before they happen is a great way to solve an issue before it becomes a problem. It will also give the human resources department a reference when making decisions based on these scenarios.

Employee Grievances

This last major section of your employee handbook will provide a means for your employees to handle any issues they may have. Stating acceptable methods for the handling of policy violations, general grievances, and other issues is a great way to let your employees know they have a voice. This will allow them to direct their attention to the proper channel so that the situation of interest is resolved most appropriately.

Signature Page

An essential part of the employee handbook is the signature page. This is what makes all of the sections mentioned above valid and protects your business from disputes. The signing of this page will prove that the employee was given a handbook with plainly stated guidelines. The signature should also be an acknowledgment that any issues or discrepancies they had with the manual's policies were addressed and taken care of according to their needs.