Running a business comes with numerous responsibilities, including managing your team of employees. Every company should have a comprehensive employee handbook as a guide for its workers.
Your company’s employee handbook outlines the rules, expectations and core ethos of your business. A good employee handbook is tailored to your specific industry and operations, and they’re designed to keep your employees informed and guard your company against allegations of noncompliance with the law. In that way, it protects both the company and your employees.
Nonetheless, you can’t just create an employee handbook and keep using it indefinitely. This document needs to be regularly updated to ensure compliance with the ever-changing legal landscape for businesses. Here are some of the key reasons why it’s so important to ensure that your employee handbook is up to date.
Labor laws change constantly
Labor laws are subject to sudden changes at both the state and federal levels. Generally, there are significant changes every year or two. Your employee handbook needs to reflect this and stay current. Otherwise, your business can be exposed to legal liabilities.
For example, the laws on family leave laws may change. An outdated employee handbook could put your employees at a disadvantage and leave them misinformed, and that could result in a lawsuit where you’re accused of misrepresentation, discrimination or deliberate deception.
Companies change and so do their needs
To stay ahead of the competition, your company will also need to adapt. This could involve completely restructuring or rebranding the business. Your employee handbook will need to emphasize the most recent structure of the business as well as highlight the key people, such as the CEO and management team.
Keeping your employee handbook up to date
The corporate world is fast-paced and your legal documentation needs to take this into account. Employee handbooks should be relevant to the times, accurate in their representation of the law and comprehensive about company policies that have changed over time.
Drafting and updating critical business documents on your own can feel overwhelming, that’s why it’s so important to seek legal guidance. We help Florida businesses with employment law issues, helping them avoid disputes with their employees. Contact us for a consultation.