Employment Handbook

An employment handbook provides a detailed overview of company-specific policies, procedures, guidelines and benefits while also providing legal protection. Not only does it introduce new hires to the mission and values of the company and set employment expectations, but it can provide clarity to employees regarding certain policies or procedures. The handbook also offers a critical level of protection against employee lawsuits or claims, such as wrongful employment termination, harassment, and discrimination claims.

Each new hire should receive a copy of the handbook and be required to read and acknowledge the document prior to their designated start date. Once the acknowledgement has been signed, it should be stored in your HR system within each employee record. Paycor recommends that employers consult with an HR professional or legal counsel before issuing the handbook to ensure proper compliance.

Check out this article to learn about the benefits of an employment handbook and why it’s mission-critical for your organization.

If you’re looking to create your own employment handbook or make updates to an existing one, here’s an employee handbook template you can customize for your own organization.

Employee Handbook Template

1. Company Overview
   • About the Company
   • Mission Statement
   • Equal Opportunity Statement
   • At-Will Statement
   • Handbook Purpose
2. Policies & Procedures
   • Americans with Disabilities Act
   • Personal Safety
   • Sexual Harassment
   • Drugs & Alcohol
   • Weapons & Violence
   • Attendance
   • Work Hours
   • Meal Periods & Breaks
   • Overtime
   • Timekeeping
   • Personal Records
   • Pay Period
   • Payroll Deductions
   • Garnishments
   • Performance Reviews
   • Promotions
   • Transfers
   • Termination
   • Telephone/Email Use
   • Social Media
3. Employee Benefits
   • Holidays
   • Vacation
   • Sick Leave
   • Disability Leave
   • Personal Leave
   • Bereavement Leave
   • Family Medical Leave
   • Jury Duty
   • Military Leave
   • Paid Time Off
   • Health Insurance
   • Life Insurance
   • Retirement
   • Pension Plans
   • Training
   • Workers’ Compensation
   • Unemployment Insurance
4. Workplace Safety
   • Company Obligations
   • Emergency Procedures
   • Medical Services
   • OSHA Requirements
5. Procedures
   • Code of Conduct
   • Progressive Discipline
   • Exit Process
6. Summary & Acknowledgement

Never scour the internet again for critical information on human capital management. Paycor’s offers a library human resources documents, checklists, templates and other tools to ensure you’re using the most up-to-date and compliant materials. And with our On-Demand service, you can get answers from certified HR professionals at a fraction of the cost of consulting a lawyer. Learn more here.