You don’t HAVE to have an employee handbook, but here is why you should…
Doesn’t it feel like having an official “employee handbook” is a big, grown up, not at all “small” business thing to have? The reality is, an employee handbook can make your boss life a lot easier AND cover your ass legally.
An effective handbook should include the following information:
Company history, mission and core values
Working hours (or remote policy) dress code and code of conduct
Resignation, discipline and termination processes
PTO and leave policies for sick time, vacation, maternity, military service, etc in accordance with federal law
Outline of benefits / privileges Privacy and security information
Where employees can report workplace claims and violations
An “acknowledgment of receipt” that shows the employee is aware of all of this information
Outlining the rights and responsibilities of both employer and employee will make your working life so much easier, but more than that, if legal issues ever arise, having your policies laid out and backing it up with an “acknowledgment of receipt” shows a good faith effort to keep everything legit. The law doesn’t REQUIRE you to have a handbook, but it’s a good practice for peace of mind.
It may feel like a daunting task, but creating an employee handbook doesn’t have to be like writing a novel. There are plenty of templates available out there so you can “plug and play” your specifics and have a real, living document in short order.
