Employment Policy Manual - What Information Is Required?

An Employment Policy Manual or Employeecannot legally operate. Many employers choose to
Handbook should contain clear explanations of alloperate well above that legislated baseline.
of the general workplace issues or terms andThere will be some issues covered in the Manual
conditions of employment that apply to all, orthat may not apply to some employees. For
most, of your employees - everything from theexample, if you were to hire a new middle
accuracy and completeness of informationmanager who has a significant number of years
provided by employees for their personnel files toof experience and has left a position that gave
the policies related to leaves of absence andhim or her 5 or 6 weeks of vacation, that
vacation entitlement.employee would probably negotiate a vacation
Many issues related to employment practices areentitlement that would conflict with the policy
prescribed by legislation and/or common law.statement in the Employment Policy Manual.
Some of my clients have suggested that, if aTo deal with cases like this, you should have a
policy is covered by legislation, it need not bepolicy related to Employment Contracts. The
included in the Manual. My preference is usually tostatement would simply affirm that, where an
include even the most obvious, legislation drivenemployment contract differs from any policies
policies. For example, a simple statement thatdescribed in the Employment Policy Manual, the
your business will only hire workers who areterms of employment described in the contract
legally eligible to work in this country willwould take precedence. Otherwise, the employee
demonstrate that your organization will conformwould be bound by the policies in the Employment
to all legally mandated guidelines. Keep in mind thatPolicy Manual.
legislation dictates a baseline below which you