Employee/ Employment Handbooks
As working adults, most people are extremely familiar with what an employment handbook contains. This fact-packed booklet provides information for employees pertaining to work rules, restrictions, and requirements. Although we understand the message we are trying to send to our employees while drafting these books, some workers have a difficult time grasping the information in which they contain.
In order to make sure your workers are fully aware of what is expected of them, it is crucial that you seek the legal guidance of a skilled employment lawyer in Los Angeles who can help determine if the content and structure of your handbook best reflects the message you are trying to exert. Furthermore, working with a lawyer can help to ensure your legal rights are protected should conflicts arise in the future.
The employment lawyers at Leiva Law Firm can help you by reviewing your employment handbook to ensure it reflects your best interests and protects your legal rights. Our team can offer guidance and counsel on an array of issues. Our attorneys understand that employment laws are constantly changing. This makes it crucial that you are able to keep up with regulations and best reflect the changing times in your handbook. It is crucial that you work with a knowledgeable attorney regarding procedures, policies, and various other issues. Contact our team at Leiva Law Firm at your earliest convenience to see how we can help you.
What an Employment Handbook Should Contain
Although there are no standard guidelines for drafting employment handbooks, it is crucial that they all touch base on an array of similar topics. There are several common provisions that you will want to keep in your handbook. These include:
Welcome to the company: Providing an overview and introduction in your handbook offers an opportunity for you to provide some insight on the company. Include a history and mission statement and help employees better understand the company’s goals, core values, and what is expected of them moving forward.
Work hour and attendance requirements: This section should provide information to employees regarding the scheduling of hours, how to request time off, keeping track of their hours, and overtime. Policies regarding meals and breaks as well as procedures and consequences should be covered in this area.
The use of company technology (where applicable): It is crucial that your workers understand how they are to utilize phones, emails, computers, and other technological resources afforded to them throughout the course of their employment. Including the company’s cybersecurity policy can be extremely helpful as well.
Safety: State laws and rules established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) often dictate how employees are to act on the job. This area should highlight safety rules and procedures and how to report accidents and dangerous conditions on the job.
Disclaimers: It is crucial to draft handbooks that include explicit disclaimers to avoid the creation of a contractual relationship between the employee and the employer. This area should emphasize that the provision of a handbook does not create an employment contract and that the employee is employed at-will. It is crucial that the employee is aware that either party can terminate the employment for any reason at any time.
Disciplinary actions and termination: The policies and procedures surrounding the discipline and termination of workers should be included in the handbook. This area should describe conduct that can result in the termination of a person’s employment or the provision of disciplinary measures. It is important to explicitly reserve the right to terminate the employee or discipline them for reasons that are not described in the handbook.
Working with a responsive and knowledgeable employment lawyer from Leiva Law Firm can help to ensure you are in the best position possible to draft and implement an employment handbook at your business. Contact our law firm at your earliest convenience to meet with our team for a review and revision for your employment handbook.
The Importance of Employee Handbooks
Many people believe that employee handbooks are required by law. At this time, there are no national or state-level laws that require companies to have employee handbooks. With that being said, there are many companies that do establish handbooks and share them with employees.
These books are designed to help employers communicate with their employees what is expected of them and what policies and rules that are to follow during the course of their employment. In many cases, employee handbooks also spell out various employee benefits and the circumstances under which they are attainable. In addition, many companies find that employee handbooks make it incredibly easy to establish policies and consistently enforce them. Handbooks also alleviate the risks associated with businesses being accused of providing unfair treatment to employees and claims of discrimination.
Although you can draft a handbook for your company with ease, it is imperative that you speak with an employment law attorney in the Los Angeles area to ensure your handbook is well-established to protect your business.
Why You Should Have an Attorney Review Your Employment Handbook
Although employee handbooks can be helpful in terms of running your business on a daily basis, it is imperative that they are reviewed by a reputable corporate lawyer in California. The reason that an attorney needs to review your handbook is to make sure that your business is protected against potential legal issues in the future. Having an attorney review the handbook before it is distributed can help ensure your legal rights are protected.
For example, there are some states, local, and national laws established that dictate some of the content that should be contained in handbooks if they are provided to workers. Quite often, these laws surround the inclusion of statements in materials provided to employees. For this reason, it is crucial that you seek legal guidance from a knowledgeable employment law attorney who is well-versed in employment law matters and up to date on all changes.
In addition to making sure required statements are included in handbooks, an attorney can also ensure the language of the handbook is up to standard. One of the most common problems we see in employment handbooks is that they are generally too broad. Without clear and concise directions surrounding what you expect of your employees, you may run into problems. For example, stating that cell phones should not be used in the building when you really mean that they should not be used when employees are on the clock can lead to an array of issues surrounding the misunderstanding. Your business lawyer can review the content of your handbook to make sure it is in-line with all federal, state, and local employment laws.
Additionally, your employment lawyer in Los Angeles can offer counsel and guidance on how to create and enforce policies to safeguard your business. It is crucial to make sure policies are always enforced in order to reduce the chances of being presented with legal claims surrounding unfair treatment and discrimination. Our team at Leiva Law Firm offers practice advice that can help you overcome and understand an array of legal issues you may face. Our team offers a high quality and relationship-driven legal guidance that ensures you understand your rights and responsibilities as an employer. We work to help you identify issues that may arise and reduce the risks that can have a negative impact on your company’s success. Contact our law firm at your earliest convenience to see how we can help you.
Leiva Law Firm is Here For Your Employee and Employment Handbook Needs
Every year, millions of employees throughout the state of California are subjected to the rules, regulations, and guidelines drafted in employment handbooks. For this reason, it is imperative that they are able to understand what they are supposed to do to ensure no future conflicts arise. If you are having problems understanding the employment handbook, or you need to develop a handbook for your workers, it is imperative that you take appropriate steps toward ensuring your legal rights are protected. By reaching out to our legal team at your earliest convenience, we can meet and discuss your employment handbook needs and determine the best routes forward.
The attorneys at Leiva Law Firm have over two and a half decades of experience helping businesses throughout Los Angeles and Southern California protect their legal rights while handling the drafting and understanding of employment handbooks. Our team has extensive experience helping professionals protect their best interests and their reputations. Our business litigation law firm works with various well-known specialists who help to ensure you are in the best position possible to move forward and protect your legal rights. Contact our team at Leiva Law Firm today by calling (818) 703-1777. Schedule a consultation with our business attorneys so we can discuss legal options available to help you.