1.
Disclaimer
2.
Employee definition
3.
Probation Your Handbook
should explain your probationary period for new employees.
4. Quit
notice You should
put this policy in you Handbook: "...we require at least
two weeks advance notice before you terminate your employment."
5. Sexual
harassment The sexual
harassment policy should include a complaint procedure that gives
a complaining employee more than one person to whom they can report
a complaint.
6. Garnishment Garnishment
is a nuisance, so your policy on garnishment of wages should include
this strong warning: "An employee whose wages are garnished
will face discipline, and possibly termination."
7. Evaluation,
performance review You should
include a policy that says your employees will receive a job performance
review (or evaluation) at least once a year.
8.
OvertimeA good policy
on overtime ties overtime pay to advance authorization to work
overtime, with words like this: "...no overtime will be paid
unless authorized in advance by your supervisor."
9. Discussion
of wages An employee's
wages are confidential, so you want a policy that says..."discussion
of wages among employees is prohibited."
10. Misconduct In your list
of examples of misconduct, be sure to include theft of
company property.
11. Exempt
and non-exempt Your Handbook
should clearly define two classes of employees. Exempt and non-exempt.
With exempt employees being those who are legally exempt from
earning overtime pay.
12. Holidays In your list
of holidays with pay, you can include Christmas as the only paid
religious holiday.
13. Safety Be strict when
it comes to safety, and include a statement like this in you Handbook:
"...employees will be disciplined for willful violations
of safety rules and procedures."
14. Authority Place this
disclaimer in your Handbook: "No one, excepting the President
of the company, can enter into an employment agreement with the
employee."
15. Benefits In the benefits
section, put this clear statement: "The employer can amend
or terminate benefits at the employer's discretion."
16. Romance,
relationships To avoid conflicts-of-interest
problems between employees, include a no-romance, no-spouse rule...one
that prohibits employees from dating each other, and prohibits
employment of spouses and relatives.
17. Pregnancy You should
include a statement like this: "Pregnant employees are to
inform us of their pregnancy, as soon as possible, so we can be
sure you are assigned to work that is not harmful to you or to
your child."
18. Adoption You probably
should include a policy that gives the same or similar leave benefits
to adoptive parents that you give to natural parents.
19. Work
week Describe your
normal work week as running from Monday through Friday...or
some other four-day or five-day period.
20. Vacation
policy All vacation
policies need this statement: "The employer reserves the
right to determine when the employee actually takes vacation."
