New Employment Laws for Employee Handbook Maintenance

To be eligible for tax exemptions under the RSA, employees must perform certain duties, be paid on a salary basis and meet a minimum salary threshold. Currently, the FLSA`s salary threshold is $35,568, but some states have a higher limit for exempt workers. “Protective hairstyles” include wigs, scarves, simple braids, cornrows, locs, twists, Bantu knots, afros and afro puffs. Employers may also wish to review their equal employment opportunity policies to confirm compliance with this law. In particular, as of July 1, 2022, employers can generally create and enforce policies prohibiting the possession, use or other use of cannabis by an employee in order to maintain a drug-free workplace. The big points employers should watch at the state level are paid and unpaid leave laws, McCarthy and Peet noted. Many states have expanded access to vacations for reasons related to COVID-19 and other medical reasons. In workplaces where vaccination guidelines are followed, workers may be entitled to reasonable accommodation due to medical or religious objections. McCarthy and Peet suggested that employers develop written accommodation policies that address the steps managers and HR representatives should take when applying for housing. }); Each organization should distribute employee handbooks to new and existing employees. The Employee Handbook is designed as a resource that describes your organization`s specific standards, policies, and rules. Your customized employee handbook starts with a foundation of expertly designed guidelines and statements to align with your company`s local, state, and federal labor laws.

Unlike many employee guides, our content emphasizes a friendly and approachable tone with wording that is easy for employees to understand. To ensure that your personalized employee handbook fits like a glove, we conduct a thorough interview and then skillfully adapt the content to your company`s practices. The final product is delivered electronically – ready to be printed or sent electronically. It can be difficult to limit the use of social media in the workplace, as social media has become part of everyday life. Nevertheless, a company`s employee handbook should always include a set of guidelines for the proper use of social media in the workplace or while you are working as a representative of the organization. Provide a baseline of company policies and expectations. Our customized employee handbooks are created by HR professionals to reflect current employment law in easy-to-understand language. In other contexts, the NLRB has concluded that the term “working time” includes breaks and meal times.

Since workers have the right to discuss conditions of employment among themselves during these periods, the ban on the use of mobile phones during these periods was considered too broad. The “cell phone non-use” policy should make it clear that the prohibitions do not apply to breaks and time not worked. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have allowed their employees to work remotely. Do we have an employee handbook? When was the last time someone checked or updated it? Is it even so important to have an employee handbook? Do we really need that in the manual? Employers should note that lawsuits regarding workplace vaccination mandates are still ongoing at the federal and state levels. Employers should continue to monitor the evolution of the litigation, Hoffman said, considering the COVID-19 safety policies they want to implement and how best to educate their workforce on these issues. Now that you understand the importance of having a compliant employee handbook, you may be wondering how to get one if you don`t have an HR employee. The good news for small and medium-sized businesses is that a professional employer organization (PEO) like Resourcing Edge can help! Resourcing Edge has a dedicated team of experienced HR professionals who can provide your organization with a compliant manual and monitor its revisions. “California always has new laws that require updates to their textbooks,” Hoffman noted. For example, California`s Family Rights Act was expanded effective Jan. 1 to allow insured workers to take leave to care for a stepparent. Employers looking to update their manuals may want to discuss the changes with competent legal counsel to comply with existing laws and ensure they are appropriate for their industry and work culture.

Let us help you. Contact our HR specialists today to update your employee handbook. Labour law should be the basis of any company policy towards employees. Although labor laws are not subject to frequent changes, it is important to monitor them so that all developments are immediately reflected in the employee handbook. In addition, you need to ensure that your company-specific policies comply with the law. Reviewing and revising employee handbooks is an important step employers can take to ensure their practices and policies comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. When done right, an employee handbook is an indispensable resource for communicating with your employees about your company`s core values and expectations. That`s why it`s best to consult an expert, whether you`re updating an old manual or creating an employee handbook for the first time. Keeping track of legal changes that impact the workplace can be challenging for employers. Hoffman suggested that human resources departments create a digital file for all legal updates received electronically and that the entire human resources team add the file.

The information contained in the file can be used as a starting point for the revision of the manual. In the course of 2020, employers should consider revising and updating their employee handbooks in light of recent legislative measures and court decisions. Employers should generally review and update employee handbooks annually, but for many employers, changes will be needed in 2020 to comply with applicable law and provide as much protection as possible against employee claims. About the authors: Stephen W. Aronson is a partner at Robinson + Cole and chair of the firm`s Employment Litigation practice. Rachel V. Kushel and Abby M. Warren are partners at Robinson + Cole and Kayla N. West is a member of the company`s Labour, Employment, Benefits and Immigration group. Here are some important factors employers should consider when revising their manuals in 2022. These guidelines must be written and made available to each employee prior to the effective date of the policy. Under federal labor law, workers have the right to disclose information about employees to third parties, such as trade unions, including names and addresses.

The regulations at issue prohibited workers who, in the course of their duties, had access to confidential employee information from disclosing that information. It defined sensitive information as “name, address, social security, credit card and bank account numbers, and personally identifiable information.” Given that the prohibition applied only to information from the employer`s records and not to information collected by the workers themselves, the memorandum concluded that it could not reasonably be interpreted as restricting workers` rights. Handbooks also provide employers with a means to communicate their expectations to their employees regarding their prescribed practices and policies. A useful tool for employees and supervisors to consistently understand and adhere to organizational practices Pay close attention to your drug and alcohol policies given the changing landscape surrounding marijuana. Many states currently allow marijuana for medical purposes, and several states also allow recreational use of marijuana. While none of these laws require employers to allow their employees to use, possess, or be compromised with marijuana during work hours or in the workplace, some states have employment protections for employees who use marijuana outside of work. With this in mind, review your national and local legislation and work closely with legal counsel to review your policy and determine your rights and obligations. “To this end, employers should consider training their managers and human resources staff involved in assessing accommodation requests so that they are aware of the employer`s policies and legal requirements,” they said. Do you just need an exam? Let Trüpp`s HR professionals review and update your existing employee handbook. We ensure that it complies with regulatory requirements and represents current best human resources practices.

Many paid leave rules don`t just apply for pandemic-related reasons. “Employers should also keep an eye on the potential for paid leave at the federal level,” said Carrie Hoffman, an attorney at Foley & Lardner in Dallas. “Several paid leave proposals have gained traction in Congress. If adopted, the manuals must be updated. This is a best practice of clearly defining job classifications, such as full-time, part-time, exempt or non-exempt, as an employee`s classification can determine eligibility for benefits and overtime pay. Return-to-work lawsuits are on the rise, particularly claims related to remote work, vacation, disability discrimination and retaliation, Evans added.