Staff handbooks

Well-written staff handbooks are really important to a business because they communicate the employer’s policies and procedures to their employees.

It's essential to have handbooks that:

• outline the employer’s expectations with regards to conduct;
• clearly set out disciplinary and grievance procedures;
• explain policies relating to data protection;
• have a redundancy policy;
• set out clear strategies relating to equal opportunities, the prevention of discrimination, bullying or harassment;
• make clear employees’ rights to time off work including annual leave, maternity, paternity and parental leave, and the right to apply for flexible working.

It is also advisable to have clear policies relating to the use of telephones, internet and e-mail communications at work.

The Lawrite Employment Law Software provides template documents for contracts, staff handbooks and letters to employees. It is one of the UK's leading employment law solutions, with more than 60,000 copies delivered to subscribers.

The content includes:

• Templates for contracts of employment, a contractor's agreement, and directors' service agreements;
• Templates for a detailed staff handbook for all employees outlining disciplinary and grievance procedures, maternity, paternity and parental leave, equal opportunities, sickness and absence, holidays, use of e-mail and internet at work, data protection, etc;
• Templates for letters and forms to use when dealing with employees, including those required to fairly operate disciplinary and grievance procedures, redundancy procedures, performance review procedures, applications for maternity and paternity leave,  flexible working, etc;
• Detailed and helpful guides and manuals covering employment law and HR issues, including an A to Z law guide, a detailed employment law manual, an HR guide and a guide to the document templates;
• Online content for news and updates. We ensure you are kept up to date with changes in the law and have the information and documents required to deal with them;
• Templates for a health and safety policy, a health and safety statement, and risk assessment forms, and a health and safety law manual;
• More than 120 document templates and 700 pages of useful guidance (pdf);
• Software download for Windows (XP, Vista, 7).