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Company Policies
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We are updating our company policies, one by one, which may take awhile. How do we cover ourselves legally to insure everyone reads and understands each one before implementing them. We have over 100
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Forums » Topic Forums » Legal Forum » Company Policies
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Company Policies
posted at 6/25/1999 5:56 PM EDT
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Posts: 24
First: 6/25/1999 Last: 2/28/2000 |
We are updating our company policies, one by one, which may take awhile. How do we cover ourselves legally to insure everyone reads and understands each one before implementing them. We have over 100 employees and it would be timeconsuming to have them all sign and date each policy. Any other suggestions? |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/27/1999 7:06 PM EDT
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Posts: 323
First: 6/15/1999 Last: 9/9/2011 |
Do you have a policy handbook? Do you have a reason for revising policies one at a time?
Last year we revised our policy manual. It was a process that took over 6 months. The greater part of this time was editing and getting approval from our agency's governing bodies. We then had a gerneral meeting (assembly, if you will) to review policy changes, answer questions, and have employees sign necessary receipts. We have about 150 employees. A general meeting may not be convenient for your company. Consider training "supervisors" on changes and they in turn meet with staff to do same. Set a deadline so that everyone will be working from the same policies. |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/28/1999 12:06 AM EDT
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Posts: 946
First: 6/14/1999 Last: 12/14/2005 |
What you may want to do is a summary of each policy as you release them -- group them together -- and then have the employee sign the summary describing the policies. Hopefully, the policy manual will be made available to employees so that they can read the details. If you have a complete manual that IS availabe to employees for their perusal, you don't need a handbook. A document summarizing the more important policies or identifying them, indicating that they have read and understood the policies, and HAVING THE MANUAL IN FACT ACCESSIBLE FOR THEM, seems to me to be sufficient as to notice that the policies exist. A handbook is still only a summary...why not make the actual policies accessible? |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/28/1999 6:37 PM EDT
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Posts: 2217
First: 6/16/1999 Last: 12/13/2001 |
I am a signature kind of lawyer. I like proof, lots of it. If you have to, bundle your policy changes. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for having the employee sign for receipt of the policy. I am not keen on summaries because they are never as precise as the original and, Murphy's Law, the differences will only involve things that MATTER. Murphy's Law also says that the one time you do not make employee's acknowledge receipt of the policy, that is the policy which will matter.
Best Practice: Update your entire handbook (spend the time and money), distribute it to all employees and make them sign for it. In the alterntative, make employees sign for each group of policy amendments. |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/28/1999 7:50 PM EDT
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Posts: 90
First: 6/23/1999 Last: 9/26/2001 |
We do a little of both. We have policy manuals in "key" locations around the facility and provide employees with a handbook that summarizes the policies and refers them to the manual itself should they have need of additional information or any questions.
We have the employees sign for the handbook and update it annually. Also, there are some policies that we require an acknowledgement signature on specifically. Examples of this would include: sexual harassment, violence in the workplace, Family and Medical Leave, and a few others. Generally those that are the most confusing for staff and have the potential for the most liability. Then those signature forms as well as the one for the handbook go into the personnel file. |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/30/1999 7:51 AM EDT
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Posts: 24
First: 6/25/1999 Last: 2/28/2000 |
We have a policy handbook (large one) which was revised in the 80s. I am working only 24 hours/week, managing all of the HR Dept. for 115 employees, and I am the only one in charge of updating the handbook. Therefore, I can imagine the handbook taking a "very" long time. In the meantime, there are policies that they would like implemented and we can't wait until the whole handbook is completed. |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/30/1999 7:58 AM EDT
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Posts: 24
First: 6/25/1999 Last: 2/28/2000 |
I agree that signatures are important. However, presently I work 24 hours per week and manage all the HR functions for 115 employees. I am the only one updating the handbook and I foresee it taking a "very long time." The company presently cannot afford to spend the money to have it updated professionally nor do they have anyone to help. We want to implement new policies, however, and not wait for years to do so. |
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Company Policies
posted at 6/30/1999 10:25 PM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 6/30/1999 Last: 6/30/1999 |
Murphy's Law hit me! One employee kept forgetting to sign his contract of employment. I kept reminding him, but not heavily. A situation arose, guess what! No contract signed. Legal expenses quite often are more than the implementation costs. Prevention is better than cure.
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Company Policies
posted at 6/30/1999 10:25 PM EDT
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Posts: 2
First: 6/30/1999 Last: 6/30/1999 |
Murphy's Law hit me! One employee kept forgetting to sign his contract of employment. I kept reminding him, but not heavily. A situation arose, guess what! No contract signed. Legal expenses quite often are more than the implementation costs. Prevention is better than cure.
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