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As the calendar flips to January, many companies take the opportunity to review and fine tune their employee handbooks. Having reviewed (and litigated) countless handbooks over the years, I have come upon a number of provisions that generally create more problems than they purport to solve and should be avoided at all costs. Here are…
Read MoreAs you should be aware, there has been a rush of legislative and administrative changes throwing old employment practices into disarray; changing precedent, instituting new standards for classic employment benefits and rights, and redefining the responsibilities and duties of employers to their employees. We have seen this arrive on the federal and state level, so…
Read MoreThere is no legal requirement that an Illinois employer must have an Employee Handbook. However, most Illinois employers do have an Employee Handbook because 1) it is a convenient way to distribute the employer’s policies to its employees and 2) there are certain legal protections that having an Employee Handbook brings to an employer. In…
Read MoreAn employee handbook provides communication between employer and employee as to the rights and responsibilities of each party. It is the basis for the terms and conditions of the relationship What types of policies should be in the employee handbook of Illinois employers? Below is a list of examples: Employment Relationship Policy Discrimination/Harassment/Violence/Bullying Policies Compensation…
Read MoreOn June 6th newly appointed General Counsel to the National Labor Relations Board, Peter B. Robb, issued comprehensive new guidance on employee handbook provisions. The guidelines direct the Board’s Regional Directors throughout the country to reverse course from years of decisions issued by the Board majority appointed by then President Obama. Under the Obama Board…
Read MoreDisciplinary Procedures: Be sure that the disciplinary procedures are described as mere guidelines and that appropriate discipline depends, of course, on the particular facts and circumstances of any particular disciplinary case (and that the employer retains the right to use its discretion on a case-by-case basis as to any disciplinary issues). State that any list…
Read MoreBy Anthony J. Caruso Jr. of Wessels Sherman posted in Employee Handbooks on Friday, October 27, 2017. Beware Illinois employers! Just because a policy is in or not in your employee handbook does not make it legal under employment laws. After reviewing literally hundreds of Illinois employee handbooks, I have noted some common mistakes and…
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