Writing a Great Employee Handbook

An employee handbook is the most important communication tool between an employer and its workforce. It's a statement of the policies of the business and how the business is to be conducted. A well-written handbook sets forth the expectations for employees and describes what they can expect from the employer. An employee handbook should describe the company's legal obligations as an employer, and the employees' rights. It's important that the handbook is clear and as unambiguous as possible. Misunderstandings or misstatements can create legal liabilities for the employer. In legal disputes, courts have considered an employee handbook to be a contractual obligation, so it's important to word it carefully.

Our guest for this installment is John Bagyi, an attorney with Bond, Schoeneck and King. He counsels and represents employers of all types and sizes in a variety of labor and employment related contexts. Mr. Bagyi has written extensively on labor and employment law and is a frequent speaker at national, state and local conferences, including the 2008 National SHRM Conference. Since 2005, he has served as General Counsel to the New York State Society for Human Resource Management.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• employee handbook
• HR
• SHRM
• best practices
• risk management
• litigation avoidance
• employment law
• discrimination
• policies
• procedures
• employee communication