Seeking to minimize your company’s liability?
Then update employee handbooks – starting today

Evolving guidelines on Internet usage, harassment call for employer vigilance

With federal and state corporate tax-return filings out of the way, now is the ideal time to conduct an annual review of your organization’s compliance with employment law – and avert potentially damaging legal action.

Consider this sobering statistic: At least one Upstate New York employer was sued for employment discrimination in federal court every business day during the 1990s.

But there’s good news: A properly written, up-to-date employee handbook can provide an important defense for an employer facing a legal challenge. Furthermore, well-designed and -executed policies can head off potential legal action before it gains momentum. Unfortunately, too many organizations forgo this protection by failing to update their employee handbooks annually, or by relying on non-professionals to oversee updates.

New laws, changing regulations and recent court cases can affect policy language and implementation, advises Candace Walters, president of HR Works, Inc. Employee handbooks must comply with both federal employment law as well as state laws in those locations where the employer operates.

Most experts recommend that human resource policies be reviewed at least annually. This year employers should pay particular attention when updating their employee handbooks to ensure they have appropriate policies on:

-Cellular phones
-E-mail
-Non-harassment
-Internet usage
-Sexual harassment
-Employment-at-will issues

“Employee handbooks are closely aligned to both human resource and legal issues,” Walters says. “It’s critical that employee handbooks be prepared with expertise from both disciplines and updated regularly as legislative regulations and company policy change.”

Properly written policies serve as a foundation for clarifying employee expectations and preventing misunderstandings, Walters adds, as well as helping employers stay out of court.

HR Works, Inc., is a human resource management outsourcing and consulting firm serving more than 600 clients out of offices in Rochester, Buffalo and Philadelphia. HR Works provides part-time and interim HR managers, HR*Stars recruitment services, HR audits, legally reviewed employee handbooks and supervisor manuals, employee benefit statements, affirmative action programs, compensation programs, training and more. HR Works also provides services through its allied office near Baltimore/Washington, D.C.

For more information, call 585-381-8340 x11 or toll-free 1-877-219-9062, or visit www.hrworks-inc.com.

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HR Works
345 Woodcliff Drive
Fairport, NY 14450
1-877-219-9062
(Toll Free)