Every organization should have an employee handbook because they outline expectations, terms and conditions of employment, and, most importantly, minimize legal risk. However, a handbook is of little value if it is not regularly updated to comply with changes in the law or the ever-evolving world. In addition to standard employee policies, employers should consider including the following to reflect the current state of the workplace.

Remote Work and Flex-Time Policies

As a result of the pandemic, we are seeing three types of work coexist: remote work, hybrid work, flexible hours. It is imperative that a company has policies to govern these work structures, including outlining the following: 

  • Parameters of employee eligibility and frequency, including how remote and in-office work will be monitored.
  • That remote work is a privilege, not a right.
  • Attendance and availability expectations—clarify that remote work does not mean flexible hours.
  • Requirements for exempt and nonexempt employees for timekeeping reasons.
  • Security requirements of remote work.
  • What remote office materials and expenses the company will cover, if any. This may be governed by state law depending on employee location(s). 
  • That all company policies apply even when working remotely.