Creating and maintaining an employee manual is a vital management responsibility; it can also be one of the most frustrating tasks to confront. In this article, we provide you with 10 guidelines, policies, and issues to cover in your employee manual. Use this information as needed to protect your physician, employee, and practice.
Please note – The following is not an inclusive list. Some employment laws vary based on state and those are not addressed below. Contact your state employment commission and the regulatory agencies for specifics on these issues.
The Guidelines, Policies, and Issues to Address in Your Employee Manual
1. Company information – Mission statement, vision statement, core values.
2. Non-discrimination policies – Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
3. Attendance – Hours, tardiness, absenteeism, medical leave, personal leave, vacation, holiday schedules, jury duty, etc.
4. Job requirements and descriptions – Training, performance evaluations, continuing education requirements, availability.
5. Financial compensation – Salary, paydays, overtime, unused sick leave and vacation, auto expenses, clothing allowances, parking expenses.
6. Benefits – Medical insurance, workers compensation, profit sharing, pension plan, severance.
7. Office rules - Patient relations, parking, safety rules, smoking policy, drug testing, weather emergencies.
8. Employee conduct – Dress code, professionalism, soliciting other workers for goods or services unrelated to the practice, cell phone usage, internet usage, and social media.
9. Discipline – Unacceptable behavior and penalties.
10. Termination – Grounds for termination, resignation process, exit interviews.
You must address (and stay current with) state and federal employment laws and include employee policies to avoid misunderstanding, miscommunication, or worse yet, legal trouble down the road.
Don’t Forget the Signature Page
The last page in the manual should be the signature page. After reading the handbook, the employee is welcome to ask questions and is asked to sign and return the page, acknowledging that they accept and understand the guidelines, rules, and regulations in the employee manual. The page is then included in their personnel file and this portion of employee onboarding is complete.
Tune in Live on May 25th to Get More Guidance
Join us for an important webinar on Major Musts to Cover in the Employee Manual. You will learn about policies (written and unwritten) and get expert guidance from practice management instructor and consultant Linda D'Spain. Linda will help you decide when to solicit input, and identify policies that need to be created, changed, or deleted.