Employee Handbooks

Employee Handbook Guide

Courtesy of www.na.fs.fed

The purpose of the following article is to provide you with an overview of generalized polices for use in assembling an employee handbook. Many of these policies are ready to use and can be simply inserted into your handbook, however, not every section will be applicable to your specific company or facility. Therefore you can choose from the sections provided below if they are relevant for your purposes.

The policies are general in nature and must be provided with your own company-relevant information such as company name, contact information, etc.

Additionally, it is strongly recommended that you submit a draft of your handbook for final review by a labor attorney before putting it into use.

Introductory
Confidentiality Agreement - This section outlines employee’s responsibility to keep company information confidential.

Anti Discrimination & Harassment
These policies explain your company’s dedication to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

Conflict of Interest - Explains to the employee that they must avoid any interest, influence or relationship which might conflict or appear to conflict with the best interests of your company.

Americans with Disabilities Act - This explains that your company will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities with regard to any aspect of their employment in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its related Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Equal Opportunity Policy - Explains that your company provides equal opportunities in all of your employment practices to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military status or any other category protected by federal, state and local laws.

Policy Prohibiting Harassment and Discrimination - Describes how your company strives to maintain an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where employees treat each other with respect, dignity and courtesy. This section includes details on Prohibited Behavior, Harassment by Non-employees, Complaint Procedure and Investigation, your company’s policy

against Retaliation, and Training available to employees about sexual harassment and other discrimination.

Employment at Will - Explains that the employment is "at will" which means employees may be terminated at any time and for any reason. Also explains that employees are free to quit at any time.

Compensation & Work Schedule
These policies provide basic descriptions of the company and employees working relationship.

Attendance & Punctuality - Explains that employees are expected to attend work regularly, report to work on time and outlines procedures for notifying the company for absences and describes penalties for failure to comply with this policy.

Bonus Compensation - This section allows you to describe potential periodic bonuses. You should customize this policy to fit the needs of your company.

Breaks - This explains the number of minutes allowed for rest breaks and the number of minutes allowed for meal breaks.

Flexible Work Hours & Telecommuting - This section outlines the company’s flexible work arrangement program for employees whose departments and jobs are suited to it.

General Pay Information - Explains that the company will make certain deductions will be made in accordance with federal and state laws and for voluntary deductions as part of the Company’s benefits program.

Outside Employment - Tells employees that your company must be aware of any concurrent employment they may have to determine whether or not it presents a potential conflict.

Overtime - Provides details on your company’s overtime policy and pay rate. In addition to a general policy this section should also include state specific policies for AK, AR, CA, FL, ME, MN, NV, RI, and WA.

Pay Schedule - Describes when employees will be paid and defines the pay week.

Performance Evaluations - This describes your company’s performance review procedure.

Performance Reviews and Salary Increases - This explains how wage reviews are conducted.

Time Records - This section explains that all non-exempt employees must keep accurate time records and that tampering with, falsifying or altering time cards or punching another employee's time card will result in disciplinary action.

Work Hours  - Describes your company’s work schedule and normal workweek.

Conduct Standards
This section describes general workplace conduct standards.

Company Equipment and Vehicles - This section explains employee’s responsibilities when using company equipment.

Company Property - This section describes the employee’s responsibilities for the normal care and handling of company property.

Conduct Standards & Discipline - This section explains that the company expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of job performance and of personal conduct.

Dating In the Work Place - This describes the company’s policy of dating other company employees.

Dress Policy - This outlines the expected attire in the workplace.

Drug and Alcohol Policy - This informs employees that your company strives to maintain a workplace free of drugs and alcohol and to discourage drug and alcohol abuse by its employees. It includes sections on Alcohol, Illegal Drugs, Disciplinary Action, Searches, and Drug Testing.

Ethical and Legal Business Practices - This explains that the company expects the highest standard of ethical conduct and fair dealing from each employee, officer, director, volunteer and all others associated with the Company. It includes policies on Complying with Laws and Regulations, Giving and Receiving Gifts, Employee Privacy and Other Confidential Information, Accounting and Financial Reports, Account and Customer Information, and Compliance.

Grievances - This policy encourages employees to bring concerns, problems and grievances to management's attention.

Insider Trading - This section tells employees that the disclosure of inside information is forbidden.

Progressive Discipline - This policy describes the company’s discipline procedure.

Smoking Policy - This section explains the company smoking policy.

Workplace Solicitation - This provides information on the rules that your company has adopted about soliciting for any cause and distributing literature of any kind in the workplace.

Zero Tolerance for Workplace Violence - This tell employees that your company has a zero-tolerance policy concerning threats, intimidation and violence of any kind in the workplace either committed by or directed to employees.

Leave
This section explains the different company policies regarding allowed absence from work.

Family Medical Leave (FMLA) - This section explains eligibility requirements and FMLA applications. It includes sections on Substituting Paid Leave, Types of Leave, Notice of Leave, Medical Certification, Outside Employment, Returning to Work, Benefits During Leave, and Misrepresenting Reasons for Leave. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for CA, CT, IL, RI, WV, and WI.

Bereavement Leave - This section tells employees the amount of time they are allowed away from work in the case of the death of a family member.

Military Leave - This provides information on the amount of time allowed away from work for military service.

Jury Duty - This section explains the amount of time allowed away from work when the employee is called to jury duty.

Time Off From Work In Connection With Court Cases - This describes the company policy for employees missing work when they are involved with court cases.

Time Off To Vote - This explains the company policy for allowing employees time from work to vote.

General Employment
This section describes general company employment policies.

Employee Classifications - This section defines full and part time employee requirements.

Employee Referrals - This section describes the company policy to encourage and reward employees who refer qualified candidates for full-time positions.

Employment of Relatives - This explains the company policy on the hiring and employment of workers family members.

Introductory (Probationary) Period - This defines the probationary period for new employees.

Job Postings & Promotion - This section describes the company’s job posting program to inform employees of available positions.

Reference/Background Checks
Describes the company’s policy on reference and background checks on all new employees.

Termination, Resignation and Discharge - This defines the company’s procedure for termination and resignation.

Transfers & Relocation - This explains the company policy on transfers and relocation.

Unions - This describes the company policy with regards to unions.

Safety & Emergency
This section provides information on general company safety policies.

Fire Safety - Explains that every employee is responsible for recognizing and preventing potential fires.

Safety - This section describes the company policy for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all employees. Includes information on OSHA and the requirement to report all accidents, injuries, potential safety hazards, safety suggestions and health and safety related issues immediately to management.

Security - This section explains the company’s commitment to ensuring employees' security.

Emergency Measures (Inclement Weather) - This section describes the company policy regarding bad weather or hazardous commuting conditions that may occasionally make it impossible for employees to report to work on time.

Corporate Communications & Technology
This section informs employees on the company communication and technology policies.

Bulletin Boards - This section contains information on the posting of information on company bulletin boards.

Software Policy - This policy explains how the company regulates employees' use of its computer software.

Use of Company Communication Systems - This section describes the company communication systems use policy including Telephone Usage and Personal Mail delivered to the company address.

Employee Benefits
This section provides information on the benefits available to employees.

COBRA - This section briefly describes employee rights under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985).

Disability Insurance - This section explains employee eligibility for disability insurance coverage.

Educational Assistance - This section describes the company’s educational assistance programs including details on Eligibility, Benefits, and procedures for Requesting Reimbursement.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - This section provides information of the company Employee Assistance Program for such matters as alcohol or other chemical dependency, family and marital problems, personal and work-related stress situations and anxiety disorders.

Employee Benefits - This section describes employee the eligibility requirements for employee benefits.

Life Insurance - This section provides introductory information on the company’s life insurance program.

Medical Insurance  - This section provides introductory information on the company’s medical insurance program.

Reimbursement for Parking and Taxis - This section explains that the company will reimburse employees for parking and taxi fare spent while working during the weekends.

Travel & Expenses - This describes the policy to reimbursed employees for all reasonable and necessary expenses they incur while traveling on company business.

Worker's Compensation - This section explains to employees how the company provides insurance to compensate for any illness or injury an employee might suffer while working on company premises, traveling on official company business, or attending an activity officially sponsored by the Company.

Vacation & Holidays
This section outlines official company policies on vacation and holidays.

Holidays - This section identifies the holidays that the company recognizes and paid holiday requirements.

Personal Days - This describes the company policy on personal days.

Sick Days  - This explains the company policy on sick days.

Vacation  - This describes the company policy on vacations.