Employee handbooks

Sample Policy: Bad-Weather Time Off

Sample Policy: Employment of Relatives

Sample Policy: Confidentiality and Nondisclosure

The following sample policies were excerpted from The Book of Company Policies, published by HR Specialist, © Edit for your organization’s purposes. ...

Sample Policy: Solicitations

The following sample policy was excerpted from The Book of Company Policies, published by HR Specialist,© Edit for your organization’s purposes. ...

Sample Policy: Job Sharing

Sample Policy: Volunteerism Leave

Protect your company from well-intentioned ID theft laws

On June 20, Pennsylvania became the latest state to set stiff penalties for any business found guilty of mishandling sensitive employee information. That makes 45 states...

Stop ex-employees from stealing your customers

A key employee jumps ship to work for your competitor. Over the next several months, you lose some of your best customers to the competition. Unless your former employee...

NLRB Okays Fraternization Policy Under The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)

The romance and excitement of the Valentine's Day holiday is all well and good...at home. The last thing employers want to do is play matchmaker for their employees....

Put limits on supervisors’ ‘power-differentiated’ relationships

A new court ruling gives you more reason to consider a "no-dating" rule among your employees or a "no-dating subordinates" rule for your supervisors. At the very least,...

Does your employee-only restroom policy violate code?

Issue: Many states require organizations to allow public access to their restrooms. Risk: You, like many employers, may be unaware of this code. One complaint can...

Employee moonlighting: Should you ban it?

Issue: One in 20 employees moonlights, and a hot labor market offers employees in your shop new opportunities to work second jobs. Risk: Moonlighting can create tired,...

Sharpen your no-solicitation policy; vague language may let union in

The best way to prevent employees from rallying support for a union in the workplace is to write and enforce a specific no-solicitation policy. To make sure it passes...

Enforce use-it-or-lose-it vacation with a clear policy

Issue: How to handle employees' vacation leave left over at year-end or when they leave your employ. Benefit: A clearly written policy can protect you from disputes and...

‘Use-it-or-lose-it’ vacation policy usually legal, but check state law

If you have a vague (or nonexistent) vacation policy, you're simply asking for a lawsuit. That's why it's important to make sure your organization clearly spells out...

Don’t let employees bully you into dictating their employment terms

You don't need to let an employee set a bad example by trying to force concessions from you that aren't required in a collective-bargaining agreement or employment...

Misconduct is the key to enforcing your ‘no rehire’ policy

Issue: When can you refuse to rehire a former employee who may be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Benefit: You don't have to rehire people who...

4 ways to improve your disability-management program

Issue: Poorly managed disability-management programs and rising costs can reduce your organization's profits. Benefit: By making disability programs more efficient, you...

When can you ask employees about their prescriptions?

Issue: The Staten Island Ferry crash in October raised the issue of when you can investigate employees' prescription use. Risk: You could spark an ADA suit by asking too...

Play it safe: Craft policy banning supervisor/subordinate relationships

Issue: Personal relationships between employees and their bosses are ripe conditions for legal trouble. Risk: Any form of quid pro quo ("this for that") exchange of...