WHAT HAPPENED IN 2023: State law changes; aggressive Attorneys General; a new pro-employee majority on the NLRB; the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA); the Biden administration’s commitment to enforcing federal laws and auditing workplaces under OSHA, FLSA and the EEOC; and the Supreme Court all impacted workplace law in 2023. Day in, day out, we update and draft handbooks tailored to your workplace. We can help.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons For a Handbook Update!
10. Sick Leave. Updating PTO and Sick Leave policies to remain compliant with state law.
9. Family and Medical Leave. Update state supplements, handbook statements, and policies to reflect new or revised state family and medical leave.
8. Sexual Harassment. Complaint procedures should be properly referenced and updated to reflect the reporting structure of the company. Policies should be updated to reflect any remote work environment offered. The reporting procedure should be included in the Acknowledgement and Receipt for the Handbook.
7. Religious Accommodations. All employers should add or revise a Religious Accommodation Handbook statement based on the recent Supreme Court ruling in Groff v. DeJoy.
6. Anti-Discrimination & Anti-Harassment. Many states have updated and revised their definitions of discrimination and harassment by adding protected characteristics.
5. Pregnancy and Childbirth Accommodations. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act came into effect in the summer of 2023. All employers with 15 or more employees are required to provide accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions under federal law. Employers should ensure they have an appropriate policy to reflect this requirement.
4. Conflicts of Interest. Policies or Handbook statements on conflicts of interest and outside employment must be appropriately updated. Non-solicitation & distribution of literature policies or Handbook statements must be updated to add a definition of “working time.”
3. Standards of Conduct. Policies on employee conduct, anti-violence, social media usage, and cell-phone usage should be properly updated to reflect the National Labor Relations Board ruling.
2. Acknowledgement and Receipt. The acknowledgement and receipt should include disclaimers regarding Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act.
1. It’s Almost 2024. If you have not had your Handbook reviewed in three years (remember COVID?), then it is dated and probably has non-compliant language and policies. A full Handbook review will ensure your Handbook is both compliant and in line with best practices.
Our handbook service is client-friendly to use and purchase. We address the latest compliance obligations so you can get back to business. Contact Us.
Have you been a client for 5 years? Have you had your handbook drafted or updated by us in the past year? You could benefit from our Client Loyalty and Appreciation discount. Let us know if you are interested!