A carefully drafted manual of policies and procedures or “employee handbook,” can be a valuable tool for an employer. It forces the employer to think about and define policies in a number of areas important to the employment relationship. It provides employees with a clear, written statement of the “rules” that govern the workplace. However, if improperly drafted or inconsistently enforced, employees may use a manual against the company in a contested case. The following topic outlines a recommended process for drafting or revising an employer’s handbook or policies and procedures manual.
It is useful to think in terms of a “policies and procedures manual” rather than a handbook. In keeping a policies and procedures manual comprised of separate and distinct policies and procedures on a variety of workplace related topics, the individual policies within the manual may be revised and updated as needed without revising the entire manual. Moreover, a compilation of policies and procedures may be less likely to be interpreted as a contract for employment.
Regardless of the format of the employer’s policies, decisions should be made early in the process as to the content, form and tone of the policies and procedures manual. There are also certain necessary policies...
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