January 1, 2018 will be here before we know it! I don’t know about you, but as I become another year older, I am more aware that time sure does fly! Looking ahead to the New Year, it’s a great idea to take an assessment of your employee handbook. While managing your office, you may have made notes over the past year of situations that occurred and should be addressed to manage employees more effectively and efficiently in the future. Find all those notes because it’s time to take action. There are many new state and federal laws, and it’s important to spend time updating your handbook to reflect those laws in real time. You may also want to keep in touch with human resource organizations and sign up for their alerts so you’re always up-to-date with new laws and can act accordingly.
Consider the following:
Employer Size – Did your company grow this year? Some laws are tiered and apply differently for small and large businesses. Be sure to check your headcount against compliance obligations to be sure there have not been any changes, as this change may affect you.
Weapons Policies – Many states give concealed-carry holders the right to keep guns in their locked cars, but some employer policies say no weapons are allowed anywhere on the premises, which includes parking lots. Know your state laws and be sure your statement about weapons is reflected in your employee handbook and that it is not too broad.
Reporting Violations – Regarding government agencies, make sure your handbook does not discourage your employees from reporting potential legal violations. OSHA would be one of those agencies you’ll want to become familiar with. On December 1, 2016, they began enforcing new anti-retaliation provisions stating employers can’t retaliate against employees for reporting a workplace injury.
Social Media Policy Regarding Recording and Documentation of Issues in the Workplace – Cell phones are everywhere and sharing audio and/or video recordings on social media is becoming an increasingly popular way to share information about goings on. Address having a policy for recording and posting about situations that occur in the workplace, and include a statement about requesting permission before employees post about your office, whether the post is expressing positive or negative instances,
Take a close look at your policies while keeping the above suggestions in mind. From National Labor Relations Board decisions to local paid and sick-leave laws, you’ll want to keep up with all of the current changes. Remember, if you enjoy being chair side and doing what you love, and you take pride in correctly running your workplace, reach out for help and hire a firm to assist you with this area of managing your business.
Below are some links to help you get started with keeping up-to-date.
National Labor Relations board
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Society for Human Resource Management
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