An employee handbook is designed to provide information about policies, procedures, and benefits for that place of employment. “The document discloses legal information, such as the company equal employment opportunity policy, including workplace harassment policies, as well as expectations for safety in the workplace (Scott, n.d., para. 2).” It can be considered a relationship guide between the employer and employee; describing how both parties will behave and disciplinary procedures for when behavior is reprimanded. For this reason, an employer should be bound by the contents in the employee handbook when disciplinary actions or termination is warranted.
Considering the employer expects the employee to abide by the policies and procedures set forth in the handbook, the employer must ensure the contents are relevant and also ensure that wording is correct. The employee handbook can be a helpful tool, however “if it is not written properly or the procedures are not followed consistently, an employer may be vulnerable to legal action. It is important to note that handbooks that are too broad or too specific can be a liability if an employee is subject to disciplinary action based on policies that are unclear (Scott, n.d., para. 6).” During my research, I have learned of several lawsuits, where employees were discharged or terminated, but due to the wording of the handbook, outdated policies, or current state laws, the employers were found guilty and had to pay heavily in lawsuits. …show more content…
“Many employers land in hot water because they don’t stick to their designated disciplinary escalation process (Gray, 2013, para. 5).” This simply means, if the employee believes the employer is not being fair with disciplinary procedures, the employer could be found guilty of preferential treatment or even
Considering the employer expects the employee to abide by the policies and procedures set forth in the handbook, the employer must ensure the contents are relevant and also ensure that wording is correct. The employee handbook can be a helpful tool, however “if it is not written properly or the procedures are not followed consistently, an employer may be vulnerable to legal action. It is important to note that handbooks that are too broad or too specific can be a liability if an employee is subject to disciplinary action based on policies that are unclear (Scott, n.d., para. 6).” During my research, I have learned of several lawsuits, where employees were discharged or terminated, but due to the wording of the handbook, outdated policies, or current state laws, the employers were found guilty and had to pay heavily in lawsuits. …show more content…
“Many employers land in hot water because they don’t stick to their designated disciplinary escalation process (Gray, 2013, para. 5).” This simply means, if the employee believes the employer is not being fair with disciplinary procedures, the employer could be found guilty of preferential treatment or even