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Make edits, fill in missing information, and update formatting in US Legal Forms—just like you would in MS Word.

Download a copy, print it, send it by email, or mail it via USPS—whatever works best for your next step.

Sign and collect signatures with our SignNow integration. Send to multiple recipients, set reminders, and more. Go Premium to unlock E-Sign.

If this form requires notarization, complete it online through a secure video call—no need to meet a notary in person or wait for an appointment.

We protect your documents and personal data by following strict security and privacy standards.
Legal compliance There is no law requiring you to have an employee handbook. However, many federal and state laws require employers to inform employees of their rights in the workplace. Your staff handbook is one of the best ways to deliver this information to your employees.
Small businesses can also benefit from providing their employees with an employee handbook. While they're not mandatory, a well-crafted HR handbook is a single source of information that clearly conveys company culture, practices and policies to employees.
Most employers are surprised to learn that California does not require companies to have an employee handbook.
If you don't have an employee handbook, opposing counsel will likely use the absence of a handbook to prove the absence of any consistent policies or procedures upon which employees are treated.
Generally speaking, an employee handbook is not a legally binding contract unless it explicitly states that it is. However, certain statements in the handbook can be interpreted as contractual promises if they are specific enough and imply mutual obligations between employer and employee.
While there is no specific law on the federal level that requires employers to create an employee handbook, certain labor regulations may apply if you choose to create one.
While an employee handbook is not legally required of employers, the lack of one can create confusion, as you note, and lead to decreased morale and potential for legal claims. With no handbook guiding them, managers are without rules to rely on.
Most employers are surprised to learn that California does not require companies to have an employee handbook.
And if your company doesn't have a handbook, managers and employees will need to rely on the company's “institutional memory” to ensure that policies are consistently applied. Work policies and expectations also take on more importance and are more likely to be followed when you codify them in an official handbook.
Once the employer has updated the policies and formalized the common practices, legal counsel should review them, and HR should use these final policies for developing the employee handbook. Employers should also consider the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rulings and guidance pertaining to employee handbooks.