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Key Mistakes to Avoid With Your Employee Handbooks
As a Florida business owner, you likely already know that strong, user-friendly employee handbooks are a crucial element of your company’s best practices. It is important to ensure that your employee handbook contains essential provisions to comply with employment law and protect your company against employee actions, such as employment policies, a code of conduct, and information about compensation and policies.
While knowing what to include in an employee handbook matters, you should also know the key mistakes to avoid with your employee handbook. A qualified and experienced attorney can advise you about mistakes to avoid with your employee handbooks.
Not Making It User Friendly
While employee handbooks are written primarily to protect employers and comply with the law, they are a tool for employees. Employees will turn to your company’s employee handbook to familiarize themselves with company policies on anything from sick leave to the company’s harassment policy. Write employee handbooks in a user-friendly, easy-to-understand tone that will be understandable for employees across your company. Avoid including complicated legal terms and instead, stick to simple and clear language. Make sure that you address issues and areas relevant to employees such as the company’s PTO and family leave policies (if any), as well as relevant state and federal employee protections.
Leaving Out Disclaimers
Employee handbooks should include a disclaimer notifying employees that the employee handbook is not an employment contract and it does not change the at-will nature of the employment relationships (meaning that legally an employer or employee may terminate the employment at any time). It is also important to include a disclaimer that lets employees know that the handbook does not address every possible situation or legal requirement. This will make it easier to exercise discretion in situations where the employee handbook does not directly contain information about a certain issue.
Ignoring Remote Work
In today’s world, employees increasingly work remotely, so it is crucial to include provisions that outline the company’s policies about whether employees can work remotely and how. If your business works with employees who work remotely and internationally as well, you will also want to ensure that the employee handbook addresses any issues related to international business considerations that may affect your remote (or telecommuting) employees.
Writing a Handbook and Forgetting About It
While most business owners will put employment handbooks in place when setting up their business and its policies, it is crucial to continually review your company’s employee handbook to assess whether it continues to comply with local, state, and federal law. Equally important is making sure to update the employee handbook to reflect your organization’s changing needs.
Contact a Broward County, FL Employee Handbook Attorney
Employee handbooks are a vital business tool to protect your company, ensure compliance with the law, and make employees feel welcome and informed about the company. An experienced Fort Lauderdale Florida employee handbook attorney can advise you on the key employee handbook mistakes to avoid, while an attorney with international law experience can advise you on employee handbook issues to consider if you have employees who work abroad remotely. At The Elliot Legal Group, P.A., we are experienced in Florida and international law and can assist you with your employee handbook needs. Contact our law firm at 754-332-2101 today.
