Customer Rating: Summary: Usable book and computer files as promised Comment: This guide takes you step-by-step through writing a well-organized handbook. The computer files are RTF format and load perfectly in MS Word. It's easy to cut and paste in blocks of text. Make no mistake, you'll have to rewrite many sentences for your company, but having the text is still faster than a full retype.
Absolutely delivers on the promises it advertises. Weeknesses are present. Could be a little more indepth on the legal side. Has many great tables about laws where you can look up your state's laws specifically but also is missing several tables that would be nice, and refers you to your state labor website instead...understandable, but could be more complete.
Uses "you/we" language in its text templates, which has a really large corporate stuffy feel to it, even if the language is kept simple. "We require you..." sort of feeling. I changed all 'we' to name of the company and while less 'personal' it actually sounds more team oriented. It's not hard to do since every sentence just has to be gone over anyway. Still, don't get the idea it's 'difficult,' using the templates is handy in many ways, quicker than retyping, and enforces a great outline organization for your handbook.
You can build a complete and good handbook with this and proper research within your company and about your state's laws. As they say, a lawyer will be a necessary part at some point if you want to be careful, but you may not need to pay one to read the whole thing, just to consult on sticky parts for your business or your state.
We'll finish our handbook within a month. I've heard of some small companies taking a year to complete one. I know this book has helped tremendously.
Customer Rating: Summary: Cut down your policy drafting time, way down! Comment: This book has all the major policies and considerations for an employee handbook. I appreciate its clear concise language. It points out the policy considerations in choosing between options. It is current. (Laws change enough each year that I wouldn't suggest anyone buy a legal text over 5 years old or even a couple of years old in some cases.) The CD is easy to use. I'm a lawyer and was curious about it so I bought it. I was pleased with its thoroughness. If you are in a unionized environment remember that you can't just implement many of the policies therein without negotiating with your union. It would, however, give you language to discuss and the pros and cons of the alternatives. Customer Rating: Summary: Very helpful reference Comment: I am very pleased with this book. I was placed in charge of writing an employee handbook for a small office and this book (and accompanying CD-ROM) made my job very easy. The CD-ROM allows you to easily cut and paste most of the general verbage of the handbook - and customize to your needs. It is also very helpful in educating on laws. I highly recommend this for anyone taking on the task of creating an employee handbook. Customer Rating: Summary: very helpful Comment: I used the book for a class and found it full of a lot of helpful and useful information. Customer Rating: Summary: This Guide Has it All Comment: This is a complete kit for making your company's own employee handbook. There is legal information, state specific information, resources to follow for your specific needs, and then, the best part of all, there is CD that comes with this that has everything you need already typed for you. All you have to do is insert the CD and save the files, which are in MS Word, and voila - you have it. The only thing you have to do is decide which policies you want for your company, fill in a few blanks, change the TOC and you are ready to print it out! A very practical and easy way to create your own employee handbook! I was quite impressed.
Providing your employees with a handbook that spells out your company's benefits, policies and procedures makes great sense, practically and legally.
Create Your Own Employee Handbook provides all the information and policies managers, HR professionals and business owners need to create their own reader-friendly guide. Each chapter covers a different topic, including:
at-will employment
hiring
pay and payroll
workdays and hours
performance evaluations
benefits
discrimination and harassment
complaints and investigations
leave
health and safety
substance abuse
privacy in the workplace
discipline
Each chapter first explains the legal and practical considerations that apply to its topic, then supplies sample policies that you can use as-is, or tailor to meet your needs. The CD-ROM lets you cut-and-paste the policies you need to create your own handbook instantly.
The 3rd edition is completely updated to include the latest developments in federal and state law, and covers emerging workplace issues such as blogs, camera phones and more.
