Employee handbooks or carefully drafted policies and procedures, can be an effective shield for employers. However, if improperly drafted, they can be used by employees against the company.
Some employers prefer a “policies and procedures manual” rather than a “handbook,” believing that a “policies and procedures manual” comprised of separate and distinct policies and procedures on a variety of workplace related topics may be revised and updated as needed without revising the entire manual. However, a properly drafted “handbook” does not preclude such revisions.
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 handbook or policies and procedures manual. There are also certain “necessary” policies that should be included in any handbook and some policies that should be avoided. Finally, because policies in themselves are not effective without implementation, a plan or set of guidelines for implementation is an important step in the creation of any employee handbook or manual.
Although employee handbooks are not generally enforceable as contractual commitments, they are an effective way to communicate company policies and procedures...
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