14 Employee Handbook “Must Haves”
This blog is the first in a three part series. These articles are developed from the ComplianceHR whitepaper: What Should Be Included In Your Employee Handbook, download it here.
What Should I Include in My Employee Handbook?
While there is no universal template for what should be included in an employee handbook, there are a few “must haves.” These are topics that every employee handbook should address. Included in this list: sexual and other harassment, anti-retaliation, disability and religious accommodations, employee privacy and equal employment opportunity, health and safety practices, and company policies on smoking and substance abuse, as well as drug testing and workplace violence. Most handbooks also cover payroll, compensation, holidays, and attendance and leave policies (including vacation, sick leave, military, jury duty and parental leave).
A high-level “must have” list of the most important and most common policies would include:
- General employment policies and practices
- Anti-Discrimination policy
- Anti-harassment policy
- Discipline policy
- Health and safety policy
- Compensation policy
- Employee benefits policy
- Work conditions and hours
- Attendance and leave of absence policy
- Work performance
- Business policies and procedures
- Communication policies
- Non-disclosure policy
- IT policy
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About ComplianceHR
ComplianceHR offers the only on-demand, intelligent suite of compliance applications focused on helping companies address the ever-changing federal and state employment law requirements on many common HR topics such as minimum wage, overtime, independent contracting, and more.
We provide employers of all industries, sizes, and locations with solutions that empower employers to handle complex compliance issues. Our solutions take less time, cost, and complexity than traditional methods. The Navigator Suite simplifies employment law compliance, allowing you to streamline your compliance workflow in only a few simple clicks.
One of our most popular applications, PolicySmart, is an intuitive handbook compliance tool that provides employers with national and state specific templates, a unique compliance timeline, and so much more. Fueled by the subject matter expertise of Littler, the world’s largest employment law firm, PolicySmart allows users to easily create and maintain legally compliant handbooks that are cost effective, up-to-date, and delivered on-demand.
If you are not already a ComplianceHR client, we welcome you to sign up for a quick intro call and product demo with one of our compliance experts. After the demo we also offer a free, 14-day trial to explore all of the Navigator Suite applications and see for yourself how they can transform your compliance practices. Register for a demonstration today.
