Employee Handbooks & Safety Programs

The best way to reduce the likelihood of issues between you and your employees is to ensure that every employee, supervisor and manager knows exactly what is expected of them. The best way to do that is to prepare and distribute to each employee a comprehensive employee handbook. The employee handbook should, at a minimum, address each of the following:

● Who is covered by the employee handbook
● The identity of employee responsible for Human Resources and safety
● The “At Will” employment relationship
● Exempt Employee Status
● Equal Opportunity and Diversity
● Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Prohibited
● Retaliation is Prohibited
● Employee’s Duty to be Truthful
● Standards of Conduct and Prohibited Conduct
● Disciplinary Action (Progressive Discipline)
● Wage and Salary Guidelines
● Basis for Determinating Pay
● Computing Pay for “Exempt” Employees
● Overtime Pay
● Mandatory Meal Periods
● Rest Periods
● Performance Appraisals
● Benefits
● Unpaid Leaves of Absence
● Smoking Policy
● Background Checks and Employee Investigations
● Workplace Violence
● Substance Abuse and Testing Requirements
● Other Policies and Procedures of the Employer
● Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation
● Absenteeism and Tardiness Policy

Ralph D. Hughes has prepared, and has helped many employers implement, comprehensive employee handbooks. As a result, these employers have avoided expensive issues with their employees, and others have been able to use its written policies and procedures to avoid unnecessary fines, penalties and damages from government agencies.

Ralph D. Hughes has also prepared, and has helped many employers implement, comprehensive safety programs designed to prevent injuries at the workplace, loss of employee time and resources, and expensive fines and penalties from CalOSHA.