Yesterday, attorney Adam Keating took on some common employer questions about employee handbooks. Today, more Q&A—plus an introduction to a must-have California-specific collection of employee handbook policies—fully updated for 2013!
Keating is a lawyer at Ford Harrison LLP. He recently spoke at one of our webinars, titled “New Year, New Laws, New Employee Handbook: What to Change and What to Keep for 2013.”
Q. We have about 45 policies. These are reviewed with every new hire and are accessible on our intranet. Employees are notified via e-mail of all changes. Should I also have a handbook to summarize all of the policies?
A. I think a handbook would be a good idea just to have everything in one location. That said, there’s no law requiring you to have a handbook. The handbook is there for you to lay out what you expect of your employees and how you want the company to run. If you had a handbook with those 45 personnel policies, you could also have something regarding a mission statement, etc. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep it all in one place.
Dozens of in-depth employee handbook policies, specifically for California employers—fully updated for 2013! Learn more.
Q. Should the acknowledgement state that the employee has read and understands the handbook (given that the acknowledgement is often given before they have read it)?
A. Ideally, they will have had the chance to read and ask questions before being asked to sign the acknowledgement. If you give the handbook and tell them about the acknowledgement, tell them to be sure to read it and understand it before signing. If they still choose to sign without reading or understanding, they are still to be held accountable for it.
Q. Is there a general recommendation about how long an employee handbook should be? How long is too long?
A. Less is more. You have to be practical. No one is going to read a 100-page handbook. A 20-30- page handbook is more than sufficient. The key policies you want to have in there are the family and medical leave policy, sexual harassment, discrimination and complaint procedure, general work rules you want to enforce, those types of things. Much of the other stuff is discretionary and can be addressed separately.
Get Your Handbook Up to Date for 2013
A comprehensive, updated employee handbook is one of the best ways to lay out your expectations and policies for both managers and employees alike. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered.
Our fully updated HR Management & Compliance Report the California Employee Handbook Template includes 101 vital policies—written specifically for employers in California—including:
- At-Will Employment
- Employee Classifications
- Social Media Code of Conduct
- Right to Observe Employees
- Voice Mail, E-mail, Electronic and Computer Files, and Usage
- Appearance and Courtesy; Uniforms
- Equal Employment Opportunity
- Harassment Prohibited
- Retaliation Prohibited
- Bullying Prohibited
- Accommodation of Disabilities
- Zero Tolerance for Drugs or Alcohol in the Workplace
- Terminations
- Final Pay
- Progressive Discipline
- Rest Periods
- Meal Periods—fully updated following the California Supreme Court’s decision in Brinker!
- Overtime Pay, Authorization, and Mandatory Overtime
- Payroll Deductions
- Travel Time Pay
- Bereavement Leave
- COBRA Coverage for Health Insurance
- And 79 more!
Click here for a full Table of Contents.
All of the policies are fully editable and customizable—when you order, you’ll get a link to editable Word versions of all 101 policies.
All of the policies in the California Employee Handbook Template have been drafted by an experienced California employment lawyer. Plus, we’ve provided practical information for every single policy on:
- Which employers the policy applies to
- Which employees the policy applies to
- Whether the policy is required or optional
- Special considerations
It’s like having a California employment lawyer on call, working on your handbook 24/7, at a fraction of the cost!
Best of all, we’ll send you a brand-new edition each year so you always have the most up-to-date policies available. Don’t delay—order today and get all your handbook questions answered once and for all. Learn more here.
Download your free copy of 10 Tips For Effective, Legal Performance Appraisals today!
What about prohibiting employees from taking their handbooks off-site? Is there any reason not to do this, legal or otherwise?
What about prohibiting employees from taking their handbooks off-site? Is there any reason not to do this, legal or otherwise?