A statement of general plant work rules, as well as the company’s policy for administering discipline, is a vital part of any employee handbook or personnel manual. Such a statement allows both the employer and the employees to know what forms of behavior will not be tolerated, thus increasing overall employee confidence in their workplace and their jobs. For those employees who receive discipline under such a policy, written rules may reduce the likelihood that the employee will pursue a discrimination claim by alleging that the employer did not apply its rules uniformly or that the employee did not know that his or her actions were improper. Such a policy also is valuable for supervisors as a disciplinary tool, thereby allowing for the uniform implementation of rules throughout the organization. Further, written rules of conduct make it easier for an employer to establish that an employee was discharged for cause in the unemployment compensation context.
A policy addressing an employer’s rules and regulations is the policy most likely to be the subject of a lawsuit alleging the creation of a contract. Consequently, particular care must be...
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