Having and distributing an employee handbook is a required HR compliance practice. Not only will a well-written handbook introduce employees to your organization’s culture, mission and values, but it will also clearly define what’s expected of employees and what they can expect from your company.
While the list of issues to address in your employee handbook may seem overwhelming, there are items that are important to leave out, such as:
- Overly restrictive social media policies, as employees have certain rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
- A policy for every workplace situation that could come up. Not only is that level of detail nearly impossible to read and remember, but it’s also not practical as your manual will become too cumbersome to use as a management guide.
- Language that limits your ability to effectively manage unique situations.
Other policies that should not appear in your employee handbook include:
- Policies that prohibit employees from discussing their wages with other employees – that’s against federal law.
- Dress codes that violate federal anti-discrimination and disability regulations
- Specifics on health benefits, as they could change from year to year and can vary for different classifications of employees.
- Arbitration, non-disclosure and non-compete agreements, which are legally binding contracts and best drafted with an employment attorney who is licensed to practice in your state.
Author(s)
Stuart J. Oberman, Esq.
Stuart J. Oberman is the founder and President of Oberman Law Firm. Mr. Oberman graduated from Urbana University and received his law degree from John Marshall Law School. Mr. Oberman has been practicing law for over 30 years, and before going into private practice, Mr. Oberman was in-house counsel for a Fortune 500 Company.
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