Total Articles: 17
Is Your Employee Handbook Working For or Against You?
The poor employee handbook. Cursed by human resources professionals who struggle to write it and ignored by employees who are supposed to read it. Why should an employer even bother?
Writing An Employee Handbook Your Employees Will Read – And Heed, Part 2
In Part 1 of this article (Labor Letter March, 2011) we looked at some of the important points to keep in mind when writing an employee handbook. In this conclusion, we'll cover ten of the most important policies that should be included.
TOP 10 EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK MISTAKES
Done right, employee handbooks serve multiple functions. They provide employees with important information about a company, its practices and the working environment. They also help protect employers legally by setting clear expectations and standards that employees must comply with.
Writing An Employee Handbook Your Employees Will Read – And Heed, Part 1
Not complying with current law can be expensive in today's legal climate. Employers should review their employee handbooks and employment-related policies to make sure they are up to date. More importantly, employers should draft their handbooks so their employees actually read them and follow their policies.
Handbook/Policy Reviews - A Labor Law Necessity.
In the whirlwind surrounding the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), it might be easy to ignore the basic need to ascertain that employee handbooks and policy manuals pass National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) muster in the event of union organizing or concerted activity. Nevertheless, the changing of the guard at the NLRB under the Obama Administration makes this basic exercise even more important.
Put Handbook Review on Your 2009 "To Do" List.
Not complying with current law can be expensive in today's legal climate. One of your New Year's resolutions should be to review your employee handbook and employment-related policies to make sure they are up to date. When doing so, remember to draft your handbooks so that your employees actually read them and follow your policies.
In this article we'll offer advice on how to write handbooks employees will actually read, and also identify 10 important policies that every employer should have in place to minimize the risks of employment-related litigation.
Updated Employee Policies for 2008.
This time of year, everyone has a “to-do” list that is too long. Employers are no exception. In addition to replacing outdated workplace posters and pamphlets, implementing the new I-9 form, and ensuring employees receive notice of their right to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, employers should tune up their handbooks for the new year.
Cookie-Cutter Employment Policies Don't Cut It.
A solid defense to a claim of sexual harassment is
evidence that the complaining employee never reported
the harassment before fi ling a charge. But what if the
company’s anti-harassment policy doesn’t explain how
employees should report such matters, or fails to identify
the person to whom complaints should be made?
Provisions of an Effective Employee Handbook (Part II) (pdf).
The following is the second of a two-part series.
Provisions of an Effective Employee Handbook (pdf).
There is no law that requires you to have an employee handbook.
Additionally, if you have a handbook, it does not necessarily follow that you will
be in a better position to prevent or defend a lawsuit. So why go to the trouble?
Recent Cases Impact Common Workplace Policies (pdf)
Under recent case law, policies about common workplace issues such as confidentiality, complaints, solicitation, and fraternization may violate employee rights protected by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) - regardless of whether the employees belong to a union.
Employee Handbooks -- Protecting A Valuable Company Asset.
Employee handbooks can be great tools for employers, but like mutual funds and automobiles, they need periodic checkups and maintenance. A well-written and up-to-date employee handbook can be a litigation lifesaver, but an out-of-date handbook can be your worst nightmare. Recognizing and treating employee handbooks as important HR assets will pay off in the long run by providing consistency and guidance in day-to-day operations, and legal protection in the event of a lawsuit.
Employee Handbook Provisions Could Leave Employers Vulnerable to Union Attacks (pdf).
There are many reasons for employers to implement and distribute well-drafted employee handbooks, including protecting
themselves (as much as possible) from liability for unlawful harassment and demonstrating compliance with the FMLA and
other employment laws. While complying with employment laws is rightfully at the forefront of employers’ concerns when
issuing handbooks, employers should be equally concerned with ensuring that their employee handbooks comply with
federal labor law. This is especially true now, because unions have increasingly attacked the legality of certain handbook
provisions of both unionized and union-free employers.
Employee Handbooks That Work.
Employee handbooks need a public relations makeover. The rise in breach of contract lawsuits involving employee handbooks has left many employers feeling betrayed by their handbooks and doubting whether they are worth the trouble.
An Effective Employee Handbook (Part III of III) [PDF File].
Discusses many standard employee handbook policies, including severance pay, military leave, jury duty, maternity leave and cell phone use.
An Effective Employee Handbook (Part II of III) [PDF File].
Following is Part II of our three-part series on employee handbooks.
An Effective Employee Handbook ( Part I of III) [PDF File].
This is the first of a three-part series on the importance of employee handbooks.
