’Tis the season for employee handbook revisions

With the turn of the new year and various state employment laws taking effect on January 1, 2025, many employers are revising their employee handbooks. In drafting and revising employee handbooks, they’re often faced with an important decision: Should they offer a minimalistic, bare-bones handbook; a lengthy and nearly exhaustive handbook; or something in the middle? Ultimately, the necessary details and depth of an employee handbook will depend on your business and your employees’ roles, but a well-crafted handbook can serve as a shield both before and during litigation and as a useful tool to highlight policy changes.

Compliance checklist

Although your employee handbook should be tailored to your business’s specific needs, below is a general checklist of what the revisions should include:

·     Disclaimer language stipulating that the handbook isn’t an employment contract or a guarantee of any benefit and that you have the right to amend the handbook without prior notice;