Why You Need An Employee Handbook And What To Include

An employee handbook is an essential document for many reasons: it acts as a comprehensive guide that to your office policies that all employees are expected to follow, as well as procedures, expectations and major state and federal laws —guaranteeing that every employee is informed of and compliant with your practice’s standards. It also aids in creating a uniform framework for handling issues that may arise, reducing miscommunication and possible disputes. Furthermore, by explicitly providing rules and procedures in the event of a disagreement, a well-documented handbook can legally safeguard you and your practice.

Creating a handbook can seem daunting, but the benefits far outweigh the unnecessary risk you expose your practice to by not having one. A common misconception that deters many practices from creating an employee handbook is that it needs to cover every scenario a practice could possibly face. While the document should be comprehensive, it shouldn’t be taxing to read — keep your language free of legal or technical jargon, which can be too complicated for employees to reference and understand. Make it readable and accessible.

A good employee handbook establishes expectations and policies. Once it’s in writing, the practice must adhere to the policies set forth or run the risk of being liable.

What To Include

• The practice’s mission statement
• The practice’s way of doing business
• Respect and equality: anti-harassment and anti-discrimination policies, violence, bullying
• Things you need to know: workplace rules, evaluations, video surveillance
• Appearance, drug & alcohol expectations, internet and social media policies
• Workplace safety: general safety, emergency situations, fire protection
• Pay policies: work schedules, timekeeping, overtime, attendance, payroll information
• Time off and Employee Benefits: PTO, holidays, leave policies, state laws, medical/dental/vision, retirement plan
• Receipt of handbook that all team members sign acknowledging that they have been made aware of practice policies, including a disclaimer that the handbook is not a contract of employment and should expressly state the at-will nature of employment. 

Your Employee Handbook

Get Help Creating Your Handbook

PECAA’s strategic Human Resources partner, SMJ Consulting, provides a complimentary editable Employee Handbook template to PECAA Max members. This Word document is up to date with federal law and ready for you to customize with your practice’s policies.

Handbook Review

If you have created your own handbook, you will want to have it reviewed for federal, state and local law compliance — each state has different employment laws that should be considered during the review. This step is essential as you want to ensure all required policies are included, and that the language you have used isn’t unintentionally creating a liability or any type of implied contract claim.

There are many ways to have your handbook reviewed, including a local attorney or human resources consulting firm. SMJ Consulting also provides handbook review services at a reduced rate for PECAA Max members.

Additionally, employee handbooks should periodically be re-reviewed to ensure policies are not outdated or invalidated by new laws and regulations. 

If you would like help creating or reviewing your employee manual — or need answers on other optometry related employment issues and regulations — reach out to PECAA’s strategic Human Resources partner, SMJ Consulting. PECAA Max Members can contact the SMJ team by calling their complimentary Resource Center Hotline; contact information is located on the PECAA Max member portal. Not a PECAA Member? Contact us to learn more about all the benefits that SMJ Consulting and other vendor partners can provide your practice.