Why is an employee manual important?
Did you know that millions of dollars are paid out in awards for harassment and other legal claims against employers each year? Here’s a way to avoid being a part of that statistic: have a foundation of rules and guidelines with your employees. It can take many forms but the simplest is an employee manual.
An employee manual is a written or electronic document containing summaries of the employer’s policies and benefits, designed to familiarize employees with various matters affecting the employment relationship.
If you only have one or two employees you might be asking yourself if you really need to go to the trouble of defining a tardy policy or cell phone usage policy. The answer is an emphatic yes. From a legal perspective you must to adhere to several labor laws even if you only have one employee.
First, ensure that all your basic state and federal laws are incorporated in to your document. For example: ADA, EEOC, harassment laws and regulations need to be addressed.
Then take the basic policies every business should have such as attendance, vacation/sick/PTO, and an internet policy and incorporate them in to your manual. Make sure that your policies are clear, easy to follow and measurable.
You may be nervous enforcing a policy for the first time with your employees but you will find that most employees appreciate clear expectations and it will be much less confusing in the long run.
