Employee Handbook Template

The purpose of the following resource is to provide you with a database of generalized polices for use in assembling an employee handbook. Many of these policies are ready to use and can be simply inserted into your handbook, however, not every section will be applicable to your specific company or facility. Therefore you can choose from the sections provided below if they are relevant for your purposes.
While complete, the policies are general in nature and must be provided with your own company-relevant information such as company name, contact information, etc. You will be prompted to “fill in the blanks” when necessary. Further editing may also be necessary in tailoring the sections to your specific requirements.

Once you have selected the policies and sections that you want to include in your employee handbook, click on the “Next” button to proceed. You will be able to verify the policies that you have selected and your company specific information. You can return and change this information if you need. After confirming the policies and specific details click on the “Next” button to down load your employee handbook onto your computer in either a Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format. The handbook can be downloaded in either English or Spanish.

Key differences in state law covering all 50 states have been incorporated into applicable policies. In your final handbook both a general policy and your state specific policy will appear. You should delete the policy that you do not want included in your handbook once you have downloaded the document onto your computer. Additionally, it is strongly recommended that you submit a draft of your handbook for final review by a labor attorney before putting it into use.

General Information
Company Name |
Primary Contact Person |
Secondary Contact Person |
Tertiary Contact Person |

Company Officer
Such as General Manager, President or CEO

Name of Human Resources Department |

State

Please select one

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

What follows are the many sections of an Employee Handbook. At this stage you can select which sections and policies you want to include in your handbook. We've offered brief explanations to assist you in making your selections.

To include a section in your handbook simply check the corresponding box to the left and complete any related questions, options or information.

Introductory

Confidentiality Agreement
This section outlines employee’s responsibility to keep company information confidential.

Conflict of Interest
Explains to the employee that they must avoid any interest, influence or relationship which might conflict or appear to conflict with the best interests of your company.

Anti Discrimination & Harassment
These policies explain your company’s dedication to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace.

Americans with Disabilities Act
This explains that your company will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities with regard to any aspect of their employment in compliance with the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 and its related Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Equal Opportunity Policy
Explains that your company provides equal opportunities in all of your employment practices to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military status or any other category protected by federal, state and local laws.

Policy Prohibiting Harassment and Discrimination
Describes how your company strives to maintain an environment free from discrimination and harassment, where employees treat each other with respect, dignity and courtesy. This section includes details on Prohibited Behavior, Harassment by Non-employees, Complaint Procedure and Investigation, your company’s policy against Retaliation, and Training available to employees about sexual harassment and other discrimination.

Employment at Will
Explains that the employment is "at will" which means employees may be terminated at any time and for any reason. Also explains that employees are free to quit at any time.

Compensation & Work Schedule
These policies provide basic descriptions of the company and employees working relationship.

Attendance & Punctuality
Explains that employees are expected to attend work regularly, report to work on time and outlines procedures for notifying the company for absences and describes penalties for failure to comply with this policy.

Bonus Compensation
This section allows you to describe potential periodic bonuses. You should customize this policy to fit the needs of your company.

Breaks
This explains the number of minutes allowed for rest breaks and the number of minutes allowed for meal breaks. This section includes a general policy but also state specific policies for AL, AK, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, IL, IA, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, TN, WA, WV, and WI.

Number of minutes allowed for break

Number of minutes allowed for meal break

Flexible Work Hours & Telecommuting
This section outlines the company’s flexible work arrangement program for employees whose departments and jobs are suited to it.

General Pay Information
Explains that the company will make certain deductions will be made in accordance with federal and state laws and for voluntary deductions as part of the Company’s benefits program.

Outside Employment
Tells employees that your company must be aware of any concurrent employment they may have to determine whether or not it presents a potential conflict.

Overtime
Provides details on your company’s overtime policy and pay rate. In addition to a general policy this section also includes state specific policies for AK, AR, CA, FL, ME, MN, NV, RI, and WA.

Pay Schedule
Describes when employees will be paid and defines the pay week.

Day of the week or month checks are issued

Controller, accounting or similar department

Performance Evaluations
This describes your company’s performance review procedure.

Timetable or schedule for performance reviews

Performance Reviews and Salary Increases
This explains how wage reviews are conducted.
Timetable or interval for salary reviews

Time Records
This section explains that all non-exempt employees must keep accurate time records and that tampering with, falsifying or altering time cards or punching another employee's time card will result in disciplinary action.

Rounding interval in minutes for timesheets
(e.g. quarter, half)

Work Hours
Describes your company’s work schedule and normal workweek.

Beginning work time
Ending work time

Conduct Standards
This section describes general workplace conduct standards.

Company Equipment and Vehicles
This section explains employee’s responsibilities when using company equipment.

Company Property
This section describes the employee’s responsibilities for the normal care and handling of company property.

Conduct Standards & Discipline
This section explains that the company expects every employee to adhere to the highest standards of job performance and of personal conduct.

Dating In the Work Place
This describes the company’s policy of dating other company employees.

Dress Policy
This outlines the expected attire in the workplace.

Drug and Alcohol Policy
This informs employees that your company strives to maintain a workplace free of drugs and alcohol and to discourage drug and alcohol abuse by its employees. It includes sections on Alcohol, Illegal Drugs, Disciplinary Action, Searches, and Drug Testing.

Ethical and Legal Business Practices
This explains that the company expects the highest standard of ethical conduct and fair dealing from each employee, officer, director, volunteer and all others associated with the Company. It includes policies on Complying with Laws and Regulations, Giving and Receiving Gifts, Employee Privacy and Other Confidential Information, Accounting and Financial Reports, Account and Customer Information, and Compliance.

Grievances
This policy encourages employees to bring concerns, problems and grievances to management's attention.

Insider Trading
This section tells employees that the disclosure of inside information is forbidden.

Progressive Discipline
This policy describes the company’s discipline procedure.

Smoking Policy
This section explains the company smoking policy. In addition to a general policy this section also includes state specific policies for AK, AZ, CO, DE, FL, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, MA, MI, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, ND, OK, RI, SC , SD, TN, TX, VA, WI, and WY.

Workplace Solicitation
This provides information on the rules that your company has adopted about soliciting for any cause and distributing literature of any kind in the workplace.

Zero Tolerance for Workplace Violence
This tell employees that your company has a zero-tolerance policy concerning threats, intimidation and violence of any kind in the workplace either committed by or directed to employees.

Leave
This section explains the different company policies regarding allowed absence from work.

Family Medical Leave (FMLA)
This section explains eligibility requirements and FMLA applications. It includes sections on Substituting Paid Leave, Types of Leave, Notice of Leave, Medical Certification, Outside Employment, Returning to Work, Benefits During Leave, and Misrepresenting Reasons for Leave. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for CA, CT, IL, RI, WV, and WI.

Bereavement Leave
This section tells employees the amount of time they are allowed away from work in the case of the death of a family member.

Number of days for introductory period to be eligible for leave

With pay
Without pay
Days allowed for bereavement of family member
Days allowed for bereavement of non-immediate family members

Military Leave
This provides information on the amount of time allowed away from work for military service. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for AL, AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, HI, ID, IN, IA, KY, LA, MA, MS, NE, NH, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, and PA.

Jury Duty
This section explains the amount of time allowed away from work when the employee is called to jury duty. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for AL, AR, CO, CT, IL, LA, MA, NE, NV, NJ, OH, TN, and WI.

Number of days compensated for jury duty

Time Off From Work In Connection With Court Cases
This describes the company policy for employees missing work when they are involved with court cases. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for AK, CA, CO, CT, FL, HI, IL, IN, IA, LA, MA, NV, NY, OH, MD, MN, ND, PA, SC, TX, VT, VA, WY, and WI.

Time Off To Vote
This explains the company policy for allowing employees time from work to vote. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for AK, AR, CA, CO, GA, HI, IL, IA, KS, KY, MD, MN, MO, NE, NV, NM, NY, OH, OK, SD, TN, TX, UT, WA, WV, WI, and WY.

With pay
Without pay

General Employment
This section describes general company employment policies.

Employee Classifications
This section defines full and part time employee requirements.

Maximum number of hours for part-time status

Employee Records
This section explains the nature of employee records and the information that must be supplied to the company. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for AK, CA, CT, DC, IL, IA, ME, MA, MI, MN, NV, NH, NC, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, WA, and WI.

Employee Referrals
This section describes the company policy to encourage and reward employees who refer qualified candidates for full-time positions.

Those exempt
Typically human resources personnel, office administrators, department heads and exempt supervisors.

Referral dollar amount $

Employment of Relatives
This explains the company policy on the hiring and employment of workers family members.

Introductory (Probationary) Period
This defines the probationary period for new employees.

Job Postings & Promotion
This section describes the company’s job posting program to inform employees of available positions.

Reference/Background Checks
Describes the company’s policy on reference and background checks on all new employees.

Termination, Resignation and Discharge
This defines the company’s procedure for termination and resignation. In addition to a general policy, specific state policies are included for CA, CO, DE, DC, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MA, MT, MT, ND, OK, PA, RI, WV, and WI.

Transfers & Relocation
This explains the company policy on transfers and relocation.

Unions
This describes the company policy with regards to unions.

Safety & Emergency
This section provides information on general company safety policies.

Fire Safety
Explains that every employee is responsible for recognizing and preventing potential fires.

Safety
This section describes the company policy for maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all employees. Includes information on OSHA and the requirement to report all accidents, injuries, potential safety hazards, safety suggestions and health and safety related issues immediately to management.

Location of safety information

Security
This section explains the company’s commitment to ensuring employees' security.

Emergency Measures (Inclement Weather)
This section describes the company policy regarding bad weather or hazardous commuting conditions that may occasionally make it impossible for employees to report to work on time.

Corporate Communications & Technology
This section informs employees on the company communication and technology policies.

Bulletin Boards
This section contains information on the posting of information on company bulletin boards.

Communication with Press or Media
This section provides guidelines for the handling of media inquiries and contacts.

Software Policy
This policy explains how the company regulates employees' use of its computer software.

Name of software purchaser

Name of computer contact

Use of Company Communication Systems
This section describes the company communication systems use policy including Telephone Usage and Personal Mail delivered to the company address.

Employee Benefits
This section provides information on the benefits available to employees.

COBRA
This section briefly describes employee rights under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985).

Disability Insurance
This section explains employee eligibility for disability insurance coverage.

Educational Assistance
This section describes the company’s educational assistance programs including details on Eligibility, Benefits, and procedures for Requesting Reimbursement.

Annual dollar amount education assistance $

Total dollar amount education assistance $

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
This section provides information of the company Employee Assistance Program for such matters as alcohol or other chemical dependency, family and marital problems, personal and work-related stress situations and anxiety disorders.

EAP provider

Employee Benefits
This section describes employee the eligibility requirements for employee benefits.

Life Insurance
This section provides introductory information on the company’s life insurance program.

Amount of life insurance coverage for hourly employees $
Amount of life insurance coverage for salaried employees $

Medical Insurance
This section provides introductory information on the company’s medical insurance program.

Type of insurance plan or plans available

Reimbursement for Parking and Taxis
This section explains that the company will reimburse employees for parking and taxi fare spent while working during the weekends.

Retirement Saving Plan
This section provides introductory information on the company’s retirement savings plan.

Trustee name

Travel & Expenses
This describes the policy to reimbursed employees for all reasonable and necessary expenses they incur while traveling on company business.

The designated travel agency

Accounting or other designated department

Worker's Compensation
This section explains to employees how the company provides insurance to compensate for any illness or injury an employee might suffer while working on company premises, traveling on official company business, or attending an activity officially sponsored by the Company.

Vacation & Holidays
This section outlines official company policies on vacation and holidays.

Holidays
This section identifies the holidays that the company recognizes and paid holiday requirements.

Minimum number of days worked for new employees to be eligible for holiday pay

Personal Days
This describes the company policy on personal days.

Yearly allotment of paid personal days

Sick Days
This explains the company policy on sick days.

Number of paid sick days allowed annually

Vacation
This describes the company policy on vacations.

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