Employee Handbooks are also often called Employee Manual. The Handbook/Manual is a statement of the policies of the business and how the business is to be conducted. The company employee handbook is one of the most important communication tools between your company and your employees. Not only does it set forth your expectations for your employees, but it also describes what they can expect from the company. It is essential that your company has one and that it be clear and as unambiguous as possible. Misunderstandings or misstatements can create legal liabilities for your business. In legal disputes courts have considered an employee handbook to be a contractual obligation, so word it carefully.

Purpose of Employee Handbook

It can help to welcome new staff, provides employees and managers with a handy source of reference and, by providing clear guidelines and policies in one document, you spend less time answering questions and explaining your rules and procedures.

Handbook must be clear and concise

The handbook should be written in a clear, simple, and easy to read style. Avoid ambiguity; draft the policies carefully in order that they will be interpreted the way you mean them to be. Avoid words like, will, must employee rights and other words or phrases that commit an employer to act in a certain way in all instances. Instead, use words such as, may, can, and, generally

The tone of the handbook should be positive throughout. Address the message to the majority of employees that desire to understand and abide by the organization's standards and procedures; do not adopt a “punitive” tone. If possible, explain the reasoning behind certain policies, especially those that are likely to be seen as controversial.

What to include in Handbook

Your employee handbook should clearly state your company's policies. Among the areas it should cover:

• general working hours
• company rules and regulations (dress code; how people interact with customers; safety regulations; etc.)
• how vacation time is earned
• paid holidays and personal days
• sick leave
• salary and performance reviews
• overtime/comp time policy
• health and medical benefits
• pension plan and other fringe benefits
• maternity policy
• any other rules or regulations

Handbook must Comply with State Laws

When developing an employee handbook, some simple rules should be observed.
It is illegal to violate or misstate laws in your handbook, so make sure you have done the research.

Consider Translations
If you have workers with varying native languages, consider having different translations made so that all of your employees can have a thorough understanding of your policies and procedures.

Legal Protection for Employers

The employee handbook is a source of legal protection for employers. Should an employee fail to adhere to policies outlined in the handbook, the employer can legally take action against the employee with the handbook as a guide.

Net Lawman’s Employee Handbook

Our employee handbook sets out in full the policies that employers should typically have in place. It has been drafted in such a way to allow additional information to be included to suit your organisation where required. Our employee handbook is written in plain English with explanatory notes whereby you can customize it according to your requirements. Our employee handbook is drafted by expert team of Solicitors and Barristers who are expert in employment law, and regularly update them to make it congruent with state laws.