Summaries & Explanations
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Arbitration: Requires any claim by an employee arising from terms or conditions of employment to be settled in private arbitration, where disputes are resolved more quickly and inexpensively than through the court system.
At-Will Employment: Removes any contract relationship between an organization and its employees, allowing either party to terminate the employment relationship at any time with or without notice for any reason or no reason at all.
Definitions: Includes explanations of these employment classifications: Regular Employees, Regular Full-Time Employees, Regular Part-Time Employees, Nonexempt (Hourly) Employees, Exempt (Salaried) Employees, Independent Contractor, Inactive Employees, Temporary, and On Call.
Introductory Period: Typically 30 to 90 days in duration, during which employers monitor how a new employee functions on the job before being eligible for benefits, though benefits still accrue for this period. This policy states that new hires undergo a performance review at the end of this period.
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Anti-Harassment: Informs employees of the zero-tolerance policy on workplace harassment of any kind, including what conduct is prohibited and subject to discipline up to and including termination, and what steps must taken once harassment has been reported.
Anti-Substance Use: Prohibits possession, consumption, sale or transfer of illegal substances and alcohol on company premises or property, including company vehicles, or while on company business of any kind.
Attendance: Specifies amounts of time that employees absent from work without notification, unable to work or on leave from work will be terminated under certain circumstances, taking disability and discrimination laws into account.
Background Check: Informs applicants and employees that comprehensive background checks are performed, including job history and reference checks, prior to offers of employment.
Confidentiality: Governs the confidential nature of your operations, activities and business affairs. It outlines the consequences for employees who misappropriate confidential or proprietary information.
Conflict of Interest: Prohibits outside employment, other activities or relationships that create a conflict of interest with your organization.
Dating: Outlines how to handle new and existing relationships between employees to avoid the potential for sexual harassment liability.
Dress Code: Covers the basic elements of the four available dress code policies (Business Casual, Casual, Professional, Uniform), which are critical to maintaining appearance standards and supporting your actions in handling violations. Also allows you to customize your own specific policy.
Driving: Governs restrictions and obligations for employees whose job duties require any amount of job-related driving.
Drug Testing: Refers to your organization's practices of testing applicants and employees for illicit substances. It covers "pre-employment," "random," "for cause" and "post-accident" testing. This policy is in addition to the standard Anti-Substance Use policy.
Electronic Communications: Informs employees that they have no reasonable expectations of privacy in using company-owned equipment such as phone and computer systems, and that company officials may inspect and review employee computer files and phone and e-mail messages at any time.
Employee References: Controls who is authorized to give references of separated employees to prospective employers, and what information may be shared.
English Only: Covers narrowly restricted circumstances under which employers with employees who speak English as a second language may require only English be spoken during work.
Equal Opportunity: States the your company does not discriminate on any basis prohibited by applicable law including race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, citizenship status, and Vietnam era or special disabled veteran status.
Immigration Law Compliance: States that proof of work eligibility is required as a prerequisite of employment.
Open Door: Informs employees that they may bring any complaint or grievance to management, and all complaints will be taken seriously and investigated if appropriate. This policy is in addition to the standard Anti-Harassment policy.
Performance Reviews: States when performance reviews are administered and sets no expectations for salary adjustments or job modifications.
Personnel Records: Informs employees of what is contained in personnel records, their confidentiality and employees' right to examine their own records.
Profanity: Explains to employees that profanity is prohibited and will result in discipline.
Promotions and Transfers: Explains that company seeks to promote and fill job openings from within the organization whenever possible and reserves the right to transfer an employee to another department should it find that is in the best interest of the organization.
Reasonable Accommodations: Covers the organization's discretion to provide certain reasonable accommodations to individuals with qualified disabilities to assist them in performing the essential functions of their jobs.
Resignation: Informs employees of their requested obligations when resigning their positions with the organization, specifically giving advanced notice of separation and any penalties for failing to do so.
Return to Work: Describes the company's return-to-work program intended to return employees—who have suffered industrial injuries or illnesses—to their job, often through temporary light-duty assignments.
Separation of Employment: Outlines process and responsibilities when leaving employment with the company, from turning over equipment and keys to conducting exit interviews.
Site Closings: Outlines under what circumstances your business may close due to emergencies or severe weather events, and who can be called as a contact person in charge of such notices.
Smoking: Provides for a designated area for smokers and prohibits smoking inside any property or vehicles owned by the company.
Solicitation: Bars employees from soliciting and collecting donations from other employees on work time.
Standards of Conduct: Lists which forms of conduct and behavior are prohibited during work time and while on company business, and details what misconduct may result in discipline up to and including termination.
Telecommuting: Outlines requirements of employees who regularly telecommute or otherwise work remotely, covering standards regarding attendance, equipment needs, work environment, safety regulations, and more.
Travel: Details duties and responsibilities for employees who travel on company business, including reservation planning and travel expenses.
Work Schedule: Explains that supervisors will furnish work schedules to employees, and outlines what a typical workweek is for nonexempt and exempt employees.
Workplace Violence: Lists what constitutes a threat under the policy and the penalties for making such threats. Also details how to report workplace violence, how such reports are investigated, what action may be taken as a result, and prohibits concealed weapons on company premises.
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Direct Deposit: Informs employees of the option to have paychecks deposited electronically to their bank accounts on specified paydays.
Expense Reports: Requires employees who travel on business to submit an approved business expense report for reimbursement.
New Hire Referral Bonus: Sets a dollar amount to be paid to an employee who refers an applicant who becomes a regular employee and remains employed for a set amount of time.
Overtime: Explains how overtime hours are approved and compensated for nonexempt and exempt employees, reserving management's right to require overtime hours for certain employees, and how such hours are handled.
Salary / Payroll: Covers salary and payroll functions, including when paydays occur, how payroll deductions work and when salary reviews take place.
Severance: Informs employees that they may be eligible for a severance payment depending on management's discretion and the level of the employee's position.
Timesheets: Covers how timesheets must be submitted and who is required to complete them before being paid.
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Benefits Overview: Summarizes the types of benefits plans you offer to eligible employees, including health, dental, vision and life, and reserves the company's right to change terms and conditions of your benefits program, such as insurance carriers, deductibles, premiums or other program features.
Continuation of Benefits: Explains the company's obligations and employees' rights under Texas law and the federal Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) for continuing health coverage if a qualifying event causes loss of coverage under the company's existing group health plan.
Employee Assistance: Informs employees of the purpose of an assistance program and how employees can confidentially access it.
Family and Medical Leave: Outlines eligibility and utilization standards of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, federally mandated for employers with 50 or more employees in a 75-mile radius.
Leaves of Absence: Details which leaves of absence the company offers and observes, including policies on bereavement leave*, jury duty, military leave, voting, maternity leave* and paternity leave*.
Nursing Mothers: Offers mothers with breast-feeding children the ability to take unpaid break periods for the purpose of breast-feeding their children or expressing (pumping) breast milk in a clean, lockable room.
Paid Holidays: Lists the national holidays the company observes as paid holidays and who is eligible for paid holiday leave.
Paid Time Off: If you offer Paid Time Off to cover all accrued paid time, this policy explains how your program works and who is eligible.
Personal Days: States that employees of the company have a certain number of paid personal days to use annually.
Retirement Plans: Explains that the company offers a retirement plan to qualified employees and who is eligible for participation.
Sick Leave: Outlines how sick leave is accrued, who is eligible for such time off and under which circumstances it may be used.
Tuition Assistance: States that the employer will subsidize educational courses directly related to employment, and outlines tuition-reimbursement percentages and eligibility requirements.
Vacation: Explains how much accrued time off is earned as vacation leave depending on years of service and when such time off may be used.
Workers' Compensation: Informs employees who suffer injuries and illnesses arising out of and in the course of employment that they can have medical costs and lost wages paid for by workers’ compensation, shielding employers from liability for qualifying injuries and illnesses.
