Writing an employee handbook correctly can prove to be one of the most effective ways to prevent employee legal disputes. It means that all standards and company policies can be set straight, and provides a procedure for employees to follow in the event they have any type of problem. This makes it more likely that they will follow a company procedure, and less likely that they will turn straight to a lawyer for guidance.
Employee handbooks should be a comprehensive guide to ensure that all employees know what is expected of them, and what they should do if they wish to make a complaint about an incident that occurred in the workplace.
What information should be provided in an employee handbook in order to prevent legal disputes?
One of the most important aspects of an employee handbook in terms of preventing employment litigation is spelling out each individual complaint and reporting process, as well as stating employees’ rights. This means that the harassment and discrimination reporting procedure should be covered, as well as the policy regarding workplace violence, paid and unpaid leave and health care insurance policies.
When all of these rights and procedures are explained in an accessible way, it means that employees feel support from their employer, and they will feel empowered to safely bring up the issue that they have internally, so that it can be addressed without resorting to a legal case.
As an employer, it is important to be proactive in regard to preventing employment litigation. Writing a comprehensive employee handbook is just one of many things that can be done to achieve this.
Source: The Balance, “Need to Know What Goes into an Employee Handbook?,” accessed April 20, 2018