The Employee Handbook: A Trusty Tool or Trap?

Legal Brief

An employee handbook can be a vital tool for school districts and their employees. If written well, the handbook provides employees with clear expectations for behavior and a concise statement of the school district’s policies and procedures. However, when not constructed carefully, it can offer valuable ammunition to your employees in a lawsuit.

An inadequate employee handbook or one that is not up-to-date also can cost a district significant money. Federal and state laws and court interpretations of employment issues are constantly evolving. Numerous legal changes relating to paid sick leave have gone into effect, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In some instances, these laws prohibit districts from retaliating against an employee for taking sick leave. In addition, some state laws have been amended recently in regard to reproductive health rights that may dictate changes to the employee handbook. If your employee handbook has not been updated to reflect these recent changes, you could face lawsuits costing thousands of dollars.