HR Works emphasizes importance of updating employee handbooks

When was the last time your organization updated its employee handbook? If more than a year has passed, or you’re relying on non-professionals to oversee updates, you may be inviting legal trouble.

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, Internet usage, e-mail, sexual harassment, non-harassment and 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 an HR 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 x11, or visit www.hrworks-inc.com.

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