Employee handbooks- what a yawn, eh?
Yes, they can be, both for the employees and the souls who have to produce them. But if you don’t have one, you could be leaving yourself open to liability lawsuits (often with higher damages awards as a result) and a greater risk of workplace mishaps.
Employee handbooks don’t have to be such a drab. They mainly need to encapsulate regulatory requirements and a guide to “how we do business around here” — in other words:
- Hiring policies and equal opportunities
- Hours of work and, if appropriate, flexible working
- Wages including information about overtime and advances
- An outline of any employee benefits you offer
- Use of company property such as equipment, cars and phones
- Vacations and other types of leave
- Workplace behavior
- Health and safety
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Computer usage, Internet access and emailing
- Discrimination
- The complaints process
These headings summarize chapters in the recently published, latest edition of Create Your Own Employee Handbook by Lisa Guerin and Amy DelPo (published by NOLO).
Even with the best will in the world and the most comprehensive employee handbook, there may still be times when you run into problems or potential conflict with employees.
It’s then that you’ll want to feel secure in the knowledge that you’re adequately protected by insurance. So, as part of your employee handbook review, why not add a quick discussion with me to make sure you have an Employers Liability Insurance Policy (EPLI) in place?
What is EPLI?
EPLI provides protection against many kinds of employee lawsuits, including claims of:
- Sexual harassment
- Discrimination
- Wrongful termination
- Breach of employee contract
- Wrongful discipline
- Negligent evaluation
- Failure to employ or promote
If you find yourself worried about any exposure your business may have because of employees, give CWI Underwriters a call so we can help protect you better!
