A clear and well-written Employee Handbook can prevent major headaches down the road and put both employers and employees at ease. Manuals and handbooks are more than dress code outlines; for even the smallest businesses, there are major benefits to thinking out how you want to respond to some scenarios and setting down the rules early. There are many free resources on the internet and some for sale by human resource companies.
A good place to start is to use a search engine and look at other employee handbooks to see how they are laid out. Employee handbooks can have specific sections based on your industry, for example a restaurant may want to include a policy on sharing tips, so a little research can go a long way in strengthening your handbook.
The U.S Small Business Administration
The SBA provides the main points that an employee handbook might cover with links to pages with information on wage laws, anti-discrimination policies, and benefits that may be required by law.
Small Business Notes
It may not be necessary to write everything from scratch, which can seem so monumental a task that some business owners never get around to it. You can choose from Small Business Notes' policy templates and use them as a base for your own. Of course, it's important to make sure you carefully read everything you use.
Inc.com
When it's time to start drafting out your policies, Inc.com can help you get started. The interview is well sourced, including comments from employment lawyers and HR consultants.
