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What is an Employee Handbook?
When should I use an Employee Handbook?
Use this Employee Handbook:
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if you are employing staff for the first time or increasing the size of your workforce
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to make certain mandatory, recommended, and optional employment policies and to communicate these to your staff
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if your staff are based in England, Wales or Scotland
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STAFF HANDBOOK
Introduction
This Staff Handbook has been designed to ensure that all staff understand the policies and procedures at . Although this does not override your employment obligations set out in your employment contract, it is an important part of the employment relationship, please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the full contents of this Staff Handbook.
reserves the right to change our Staff Handbook and policies from time to time, if any of the contents of this handbook are unclear, please contact Human Resources (HR) or your line manager.
This Staff Handbook was created using a document from Rocket Lawyer (https://www.rocketlawyer.com/gb/en).
Contents
Workplace Management Policies
Health and Safety Policy
Management Policies
- Grievance Procedure
Workplace management policies
a. Health and Safety Policy
Purpose of Policy
- (the Employer, we, our or us) takes health and safety issues seriously and is committed to protecting the health and safety of its staff and all those affected by its business activities and attending its premises. This policy is intended to help the Employer achieve this by clarifying who is responsible for health and safety matters and what their responsibilities are.
- This is a statement of policy only and does not form part of your contract of employment. This policy may be amended at any time by the Employer at its absolute discretion. The Employer will review this policy at regular intervals to ensure that it is achieving its aims effectively.
Who Is Responsible for Workplace Health and Safety?
- Achieving a healthy and safe workplace is a collective task shared between the Employer and staff. This policy and the rules contained in it apply to all staff of the Employer, irrespective of seniority, tenure, and working hours, including all employees, directors and officers, consultants and contractors, casual or agency staff, trainees, homeworkers, fixed-term staff and any volunteers. Specific responsibilities of staff are set out in the section headed "Responsibilities of all staff" below.
Employer Responsibilities
- The Employer is responsible for:
- Taking reasonable steps to safeguard the health and safety of staff, people affected by the Employer's business activities, and people visiting its premises.
- Identifying health and safety risks and finding ways to manage or overcome them.
- Providing a safe and healthy place of work and safe entry and exit arrangements, including during an emergency situation.
- Providing and maintaining safe working areas, equipment and systems and, where necessary, appropriate protective clothing.
- Providing safe arrangements for the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances.
- Providing adequate information, instruction, training and supervision to enable all staff to do their work safely, to avoid hazards and to contribute positively to their own health and safety at work. The Employer will give you the opportunity to ask questions and advise who best to contact in respect if you are unsure about how to safely carry out your work.
- Ensuring any health and safety representatives receive appropriate training to carry out their functions effectively.
- Providing a health and safety induction and appropriate safety training to your role.
- Promoting effective communication and consultation between the Employer and staff concerning health and safety matters.
- If an epidemic or pandemic alert is issued, providing instructions, arrangements and advice to staff as to the organisation of business operations and steps to be taken to minimise the risk of infection.
- Regularly monitoring and reviewing the management of health and safety at work, making any necessary changes, and bringing those to the attention of all staff.
- Overall responsibility for health and safety lies with . They have appointed as the Health and Safety Officer with day-to-day responsibility for health and safety matters.
- Any concerns about health and safety matters should be communicated to the Health and Safety Officer.
Responsibilities of All Staff
General Staff Responsibilities
- All staff must:
- Take reasonable care for their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.
- Co-operate with the Health and Safety Officer and the Employer generally to enable compliance with health and safety duties and requirements.
- Comply with any health and safety instructions and rules, including instructions on the safe use of equipment.
- Keep health and safety issues in the front of their minds and take personal responsibility for the health and safety implications of their own acts and omissions.
- Keep the workplace tidy and hazard-free.
- Report all health and safety concerns to the Health and Safety Officer promptly, including any potential risks, hazards or malfunctioning of equipment, however minor or trivial they may seem.
- Co-operate in the Employer's investigation of any incident or accident which either has led to injury or which, in the Employer's opinion, could have led to injury.
Staff Responsibilities Relating to Equipment
- All staff must:
- Use equipment as directed, following any instructions given by representatives of management or contained in any written operating manual or instructions for use, and adhering to any relevant training.
- Report any fault with, damage to, or concern about any equipment (including health and safety equipment) or its use to the Health and Safety Officer, who is responsible for maintenance and safety of equipment.
- Ensure that health and safety equipment is not interfered with.
- Not attempt to repair equipment unless suitably trained and authorised.
Staff Responsibilities Relating to Accidents and First Aid
- All staff must:
- Promptly report any accident at work involving personal injury, however trivial, to the Health and Safety Officer so that details can be recorded in the Accident Book. They must also cooperate with any associated investigation.
- Familiarise themselves with the details of first aid facilities and trained first aiders, which are available from the Health and Safety Officer.
- If an accident occurs, dial and ask for the duty first aider, giving name, location and brief details of the problem.
- The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for investigating any injuries or work-related illnesses, preparing and keeping accident records, and for submitting reports under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), where required.
Staff Responsibilities Relating to National Health Alerts, Including the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic
- If an epidemic or pandemic alert is issued, all staff must comply and co-operate with all instructions, arrangements and advice issued by the Employer as to the organisation of business operations and steps to be taken by staff to minimise the risk of infection. Any questions should be referred to the Health and Safety Officer.
- Given the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19), it is important that all staff members follow the guidelines set out in this policy to ensure maximum safety and to minimise the risk of infection. We will review these guidelines regularly to ensure they are kept up-to-date with Government guidance.
Staff Responsibilities Relating to Emergency Evacuation and Fire
- All staff must:
- Familiarise themselves with the instructions about what to do if there is a fire which are available from the Health and Safety Officer.
- Ensure they are aware of the location of fire extinguishers, fire exits and alternative ways of leaving the building in an emergency.
- Comply with the instructions of firewardens if there is a fire, suspected fire or fire alarm (or a practice drill for any of these scenarios).
- Co-operate in fire drills and take them seriously (ensuring that any visitors to the building do the same). Fire drills will be held at least once every 12 months.
- Ensure that fire exits or fire notices or emergency exit signs are not obstructed or hidden at any time.
- Notify the Health and Safety Officer immediately of any circumstances (for example, impaired mobility) which might hinder or delay evacuation in a fire. This will allow the Health and Safety Officer to discuss a personal evacuation plan for you, which will be shared with the fire wardens and colleagues working near to you.
- On discovering a fire, all staff must:
- Immediately trigger the nearest fire alarm and, if time permits, call and notify the location of the fire.
- Attempt to tackle the fire ONLY if they have been trained or otherwise feel competent to do so. Nominated members of staff will be trained in the use of fire extinguishers.
- On hearing the fire alarm, all staff must:
- Remain calm and immediately evacuate the building, walking quickly without running, and following any instructions of the fire wardens.
- Leave without stopping to collect personal belongings.
- Stay out of any lifts.
- Remain out of the building until notified by a fire warden that it is safe to re-enter.
- The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for ensuring that fire risk assessments take place, that changes are made where required, and for making sure there are regular checks of fire extinguishers, fire alarms, escape routes, signage and emergency lighting.
Risk Assessments and Manual Handling
- Risk assessments are essentially a careful examination of what in the workplace could cause harm to people. The Employer will assess any risks and consider measures to best minimise any risk. The Employer will carry out general workplace risk assessments when required or as reasonably requested by staff. Managers must ensure that any necessary risk assessments take place and the resulting recommendations are implemented. The Health and Safety Officer is responsible for workplace risk assessments and any measures to control risks.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided where risks cannot be otherwise effectively controlled.
- Guidance on manual handling (for example, lifting and carrying heavy objects) can be obtained from the Health and Safety Officer and where necessary training will be provided by the Employer, but the Employer will try to minimise or avoid the need for manual handling where there is a risk of injury.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
- The Employer is obliged to ensure that:
- Risks to health and safety from DSE use (such as musculoskeletal disorders, visual fatigue and mental stress) are controlled.
- Staff are aware of the potential risks to their health and safety from DSE use and the actions they can take to reduce these risks.
- Further guidance on the use of display screen equipment can be obtained from the Health and Safety Officer.
Employer Responsibilities
- The Employer will:
Ensure DSE Assessments are carried out on each workstation and include the display screen equipment, furniture and working environment.
Where health and safety issues have been highlighted in the DSE Assessment, ensure that appropriate remedial action is taken to reduce any identified risks.
- Maintain records of all DSE Assessments and risk assessments.
- Encourage the early reporting by staff of any symptoms which may be related to visual display screen work.
In circumstances where an injury or ill health associated with DSE is identified, ensure that an incident or accident report is completed.
Plan the activities of users of DSE so that short, frequent breaks are taken to prevent intensive periods of on-screen activity.
Staff Responsibilities
- Staff will:
Cooperate with the completion of the workstation DSE assessment and all measures/training given to promote safe working practice.
- Use equipment in the intended manner.
- Adopt any advice given by the Employer to prevent intensive periods of on-screen activity.
- Use any corrective glasses prescribed specifically for working with DSE.
- Inform their line manager immediately if they experience any problems or ill-health which could affect their ability to work with DSE.
Workstation Assessments
- Workstation assessments must be carried out on each workstation. Responsibility for ensuring workstation assessments are carried out lies with .
- As a first step, staff must complete a DSE self-assessment.
- DSE self-assessments should be carried out on:
- New staff at induction.
- Laptop users.
- Homeworkers.
- Staff should review their self-assessment annually, or when there are significant changes to their workstation.
Breaks
- Staff are encouraged and will be expected to take opportunities for breaks in their work routine to prevent the onset of fatigue. See guidance for more information, or speak with.
Eye Tests
- Staff are entitled to eye tests by a registered practitioner (Optician or Doctor) on the following occasions:
- When they first become a user of DSE.
- When requested by staff themselves.
- At regular intervals thereafter on the recommendation of the practitioner (usually every 2 years).
- When staff experience visual difficulties attributed to display screen use.
- Please note that glasses are solely and specifically for DSE use, and cannot be combined with lenses for other uses, eg driving.
- For more information, please contact.
Eye Testing Procedure
- .
Provision of Information and Training
- Staff will be provided with adequate information and training on the following areas:
Non-Compliance With Health and Safety Rules
- Any breach of health and safety rules or failure to comply with this policy will be taken very seriously and is likely to result in disciplinary action against the offender, in accordance with the Employer's disciplinary policy, up to and including immediate dismissal.
Management policies
a. Grievance Procedure
Statement and Purpose of Policy
- (the Employer, we, our or us) is committed to dealing with employee grievances fairly, consistently and without unreasonable delay. This policy sets out the way in which an employee should make any complaints they have about work-related matters and the way in which we will deal with these complaints.
- This is a non-contractual policy and procedure and can be changed by us at any time. If you have any queries about this policy and procedure, contact their line manager or the HR Department
Primary Principles
- Grievances will be dealt with confidentially so far as is reasonably possible and employees must keep information learnt during this process confidential.
- The purpose of a grievance or appeal meeting is for the employee to explain their grievance and how they think that it should be resolved using evidence available to make representations, allowing us to come to a decision.
Employees will not be subjected to a detriment for raising a grievance in good faith, even if the grievance is not upheld. However, the employee should not use this policy to dispute a disciplinary or dismissal decision. The correct policy for this can be obtained from your line manager the HR Department. Also, if an employee deliberately gives false information, is dishonest or makes a false complaint during the grievance process, this may lead to disciplinary action by us. - Employees will not normally be suspended during the grievance process, but we reserve the right to suspend if, at our discretion, we decide that this is helpful and reasonable. For more information on suspensions, speak to your line manager or the HR Department.
- The employee has the right to appeal any decision made about a grievance as set out in the appeals section of this policy and procedure.
- The Employer processes personal data collected during informal discussions and the formal grievance procedure in accordance with our data protection practices and procedures. In particular, data collected as part of informal discussions and the grievance procedure is held securely and accessed by, and disclosed to, individuals only for the purposes of responding to the grievance or conducting the grievance procedure. Inappropriate access or disclosure of employee data constitutes a data breach and should be reported in accordance with our data protection practices and procedures immediately. It may also constitute a disciplinary offence, which will be dealt with under our disciplinary practices and procedures.
Informal Discussion
- The Employer promotes communication between employees and so, wherever possible, the employee should try to resolve any grievance at work by firstly talking about it informally with their manager to try and agree on a solution. If the grievance is too serious, or if the employee or we think it is not appropriate in the circumstances to deal with the grievance informally, or if discussing the grievance informally does not work, the employee's grievance will be dealt with formally.
- If we think that an investigatory interview would be helpful at any stage during the grievance process before a formal meeting is held or continued, we may take statements from the employee or witnesses or review documents at our sole discretion. No decision will be taken until after a grievance hearing has been held. An employee does not normally have the right to bring a companion to an investigative interview. However, we may allow the employee to bring a companion at our absolute discretion.
Formal Procedure
- Stage 1 - Statement of Grievance
- To raise the matter formally the employee should write to their immediate supervisor setting out the facts of the grievance, avoiding insulting or abusive language and trying to give specific examples of the complaint, copies of documents, names of witnesses, and dates where possible.
- Where an employee's grievance is against their immediate supervisor, the employee should write to the general manager or the HR Department or a manager who is not the subject of the grievance.
- Stage 2 - Grievance Meeting
- Within 5 working days, the employee's manager will respond, in writing, to the employee's written grievance, inviting the employee to attend a meeting where the alleged grievance can be discussed.
- The employee's manager will usually hold the meeting (unless they are the subject of the grievance or it is not reasonably practicable for the employee's manager to hold the meeting).
- 5 working days’ notice of the meeting will usually be provided to the employee and they will be informed of their right to be accompanied by a companion.
- The employee's choice of companion will be agreed to if the companion is either a colleague, a trade union official or a trade union representative (which if not an employed official, must be certified by their union as competent to accompany a worker) and under the circumstances, the employee has made a reasonable request to be accompanied. The employee should advise us of the identity of the companion (or any change in their choice of companion) and whether they will require any special adjustments to be made for their or their companion's attendance, at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting.
- We encourage employees to bring their choice of colleague, trade union representative or trade union official to formal meetings under this procedure, but the employee should bear in mind how practical it is for their choice of companion to attend and consider if there is a suitable and available individual who is geographically close to where the meeting is to be held, rather than first considering an individual geographically based further away.
- The role of the companion in a formal meeting is to make notes, confer with the employee and if the employee requests it, to address the hearing to state the employee's case and respond to any views expressed at the meeting. The companion does not have the right to answer questions or address the hearing if the employee does not request this and must not prevent us from explaining our case.
- If an employee or their companion is unable to attend the meeting at the time, date and place specified by us, they must notify the chair of the meeting as soon as possible in writing. Except in the case of an emergency, this should be at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting and the employee should advise of a time when they and their choice of companion will be available within 5 working days of the original proposed meeting and provided this is reasonable, the new meeting time will be agreed.
- Employees must make every effort to attend any scheduled meeting under this procedure. If you are unable to attend more than 2 scheduled meetings, we reserve the right to make a decision about your grievance using available evidence but in your absence.
- If we or the employee will be referring to any documentation during the formal meeting, this should be sent to the other party at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting, so that they have a reasonable chance to prepare.
- We may at our absolute discretion adjourn a meeting to carry out further investigations, after which the meeting will usually reconvene.
- After the meeting, the manager will give the employee a decision in writing, normally within 24 hours.
- Stage 3 - Appeal
- If the employee is unhappy with our decision and they wish to appeal, they should write to a more senior manager than their immediate supervisor within 5 working days of the date of the decision, saying that they disagree with the decision and giving their reason(s) why and providing any new evidence they seek to rely on.
- The employee will be invited to an appeal meeting, normally within 10 working days of us receiving the employee's letter of appeal. The employee's appeal will be heard by an impartial manager or if necessary an independent HR advisor who has not been part of the process up until the appeal stage. The employee's appeal will either be a review of the grievance decision made or a complete rehearing, at our discretion. The right to be accompanied to the appeal meeting is the same as set out in (e)-(g) in Stage 2 above.
- After the meeting, the employee will be given a decision, normally within 24 hours. Our decision is final and there is no further right to appeal.
EXISTING POLICIES
In addition to the policies contained within this Staff Handbook, has the following policies in place:
These policies are available from your line manager or the HR Department.
About Employee Handbooks
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How to make an Employee Handbook
Making an Employee Handbook online is simple. Just answer a few questions and Rocket Lawyer will build your document for you. When you have all of the details prepared in advance, making your document is a quick and easy process.
To make your Employee Handbook you will need the following information:
Employer details
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What is the employer's name?
Mandatory policies
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Which mandatory policies will be included in the Handbook?
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A health and safety policy?
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A grievance procedure?
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Recommended policies
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Which recommended policies will be included in the Handbook?
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An equal opportunities policy?
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A maternity policy? Will it be a standard or enhanced policy?
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A paternity policy? Will it be a standard or enhanced policy?
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A data protection and data security policy?
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A sickness policy? Will it be a standard or enhanced policy?
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An annual leave policy? Will it be a standard or enhanced policy?
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A disciplinary procedure?
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Optional policies
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Which optional policies will be included in the Handbook?
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An anti-harassment and bullying policy?
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A bereavement policy?
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An employee privacy notice?
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A flexible working policy?
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A working from home policy? Will it be a standard or enhanced policy?
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An environmental policy?
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Policy-specific questions
Policy-specific questions will be asked based on the policies that will be included in the Handbook. Examples of these include, but are not limited to:
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Who does overall responsibility for health and safety lie with?
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Who does overall responsibility for equal opportunities lie with?
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Who has operational responsibility for the employer’s data protection compliance?
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Will personal data be transferred outside of the UK and European Economic Area (EEA)?
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When does the annual leave year start?
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Can employees take paid leave following a bereavement?
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Who should employees contact for matters related to flexible working?
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What benefits will employees be unable to access during a period of suspension?
Policies not in the Handbook
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What policies are already in place?
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Common terms in an Employee Handbook
Employee Handbooks set out business’ employment policies to make them easily accessible to all staff members. As a result, this Employee Handbook includes:
Introduction
This section provides an introduction to the Employee Handbook, setting out that it does not override any Employment contracts but acts to supplement them. It also sets out which policies are covered by the Handbook.
Workplace management policies
Depending on which policies you include in the Employee Handbook, this section contains a health and safety policy, an equal opportunities policy and/or an anti-harassment and bullying policy.
Family policies
Depending on which policies you include in the Employee Handbook, this section contains a maternity and/or paternity policy.
Data protection policies
Depending on which policies you include in the Employee Handbook, this section contains a data protection and data security policy and/or an employee privacy notice.
Absence management policies
Depending on which policies you include in the Employee Handbook, this section contains a sickness policy, an annual leave policy and/or a bereavement policy.
Management policies
Depending on which policies you include in the Employee Handbook, this section contains a grievance procedure, a flexible working policy, a working from home policy and/or a disciplinary procedure
Other policies
This section contains an environmental policy if you include one in your Employee Handbook.
Existing policies
This section sets out what additional policies the employer has in place (ie those not included in this Handbook) and where they can be found.
If you want your Employee Handbook to include further or more detailed provisions, you can edit your document. However, if you do this, you may want a lawyer to review or change the Handbook for you, to make sure it complies with all relevant laws and meets your specific needs. Ask a lawyer for assistance.
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Legal tips for making an Employee Handbook
Consider whether you want to offer enhanced or standard policies
As an employer you need to provide staff with their statutory entitlements as a minimum. However, depending on your situation, you may wish to provide enhanced entitlements. This is your decision to make, based on the specifics of your situation. Providing enhanced employment entitlements (such as enhanced maternity and paternity leave) will often help you attract and retain staff members and show your commitment towards creating a positive work environment.
For more information, see the FAQ ‘What is the difference between an enhanced and a standard policy?’ above.
Consider what other policies you should have in place
This will depend on the needs (and size) of your business. However, some common and useful employment policies you could consider making to supplement your Staff Handbook include:
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a Recruitment policy - setting out your recruitment and selection processes
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a Social media policy - outlining the rules on workplace use of social media
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a Parental leave policy - outlining the right of qualifying parents to take unpaid leave to look after their child
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an Adoption leave policy - setting out your policies on adoption leave and pay
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a Time off for dependants policy - outlining the rights of employees to take time off to deal with emergencies affecting their dependants (eg children or parents)
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an Expense policy - outlining the rules on employee expenses and how they can be reclaimed
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a Redundancy policy - setting out your redundancy process
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a Lone working policy - setting out your approach towards lone working (ie where someone works themselves without close supervision or support from colleagues)
For information on additional HR policies you may wish to adopt, read HR policies and procedures and HR and use our HR policies checklist. If you require any custom policies drafted for your specific needs, use our Bespoke legal drafting service.
Understand when to seek advice from a lawyer
Ask a lawyer if:
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this Handbook doesn’t meet your needs and you’d like a bespoke version drafted
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you have staff based outside England, Wales and Scotland
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Employee Handbook FAQs
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What is included in an Employee Handbook?
This Staff Handbook template covers:
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an introduction to the Handbook
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the following mandatory policies (ie policies that employers are legally required to have in place):
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a health and safety policy
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a grievance procedure
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the following recommended policies:
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an equal opportunities policy
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a maternity policy
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a paternity policy
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a data protection and data security policy
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a sickness policy
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an annual leave policy
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a disciplinary procedure
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the following optional policies:
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an anti-harassment and bullying policy
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a bereavement leave policy
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a working from home policy
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an environmental policy
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an employee privacy notice
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a flexible working policy
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the option to include enhanced (ie more detailed) provisions for certain policies
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the other policies that you already have in place
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How does this Employee Handbook template work?
You can use our Staff Handbook to make a document that is tailored to your business’ needs. Start by selecting the policies that you want to include and, for some of the policies you select, the level of detail you want to include. You will then be asked a series of interview questions related to each policy.
We recommend that you create and log into a Rocket Lawyer account before starting to make your Staff Handbook. This ensures that, so long as you have an adequate internet connection, your progress will be saved if you’re interrupted whilst answering the interview questions.
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Do I need an Employee Handbook?
While an Employee Handbook is not required in the UK, it is an important part of your hiring package and workforce management. While you can have individual policies, a Handbook consolidates them into one document, which can be easily provided to staff when they start working for you. By implementing an Employee Handbook you ensure that staff have easy access to relevant business policies and that you have a clear, transparent and consistent approach to handling staff issues and rights throughout the workplace.
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What are the mandatory policies?
In the UK all employers must:
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have a health and safety policy, setting out how they comply with workplace health and safety obligations. Employers with at least 5 employees must have a written health and safety policy
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provide a process for raising grievances to all employees. To ensure transparency and consistency, this should be recorded in writing in a grievance procedure
You should always include these policies in your staff handbook unless you already have them in place. For more information, read HR policies and procedures.
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What are the recommended policies?
Recommended policies are those which, while not mandatory, employers should strongly consider having in place to meet their obligations as an employer. The recommended policies include:
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an equal opportunities policy - setting out the employer’s commitment to equal opportunities and preventing discrimination under the Equality Act 2010
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a maternity policy - setting out the employer’s policy on maternity leave and pay
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a paternity policy - setting out the employer’s policy on paternity leave and pay
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a data protection and data security policy - setting out the employer’s policies and procedures for processing (eg storing and recording) personal information and personal data (eg names and addresses), in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018
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a sickness policy - setting out how the employer handles sickness absences, including prolonged absences and sick pay
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an annual leave policy - setting out when employees can take holidays and the procedures for requesting annual leave
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a disciplinary procedure - setting out the steps an employer will take to deal with disciplinary issues at work (eg how disciplinary hearings are run)
For more information, read HR policies and procedures.
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What are the optional policies?
Optional policies are those that employers do not need to have in place. However, having them can help employers comply with their legal obligations and be conscientious employers. The optional policies include:
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an anti-harassment and bullying policy - setting out the employer’s approach towards workplace bullying and harassment
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a bereavement leave policy - setting out the employer’s approach towards employee bereavements and bereavement (or ‘compassionate’) leave (this is different to a parental bereavement leave policy)
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a working from home policy - providing guidance on how employees can request to work from home and the guidelines they should follow when working from home
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an environmental policy - setting out the employer’s environmental position and values and outlining how the business can operate in a more environmentally friendly way
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an employee privacy notice - informing staff about how you collect, use, retain and disclose their personal data
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a flexible working policy - setting out the flexible working arrangements that are available within the workplace and procedures for making flexible working requests
For more information, read HR policies and procedures.
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What is the difference between an enhanced and a standard policy?
In this Employee Handbook, certain policies can be ‘enhanced’ or ‘standard’.
An enhanced policy is a policy that allows you to offer employees more than required minimums (eg the minimum statutory sick pay or maternity pay entitlements) and/or which allows you to provide more detail about your approach to the policy’s topic. You, as the employer, have more discretion as to what you want to include.
On the other hand, a standard policy is a more straightforward document which sets out the minimum employment rights that employers are required to uphold by law. You have less control over what you want it to include.
The following policies can be enhanced or standard:
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the maternity policy - while the standard maternity policy sets out employees’ entitlement to statutory maternity pay (SMP), the enhanced maternity policy allows you to provide maternity pay above SMP and a bonus for returning to work
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the paternity policy - while the standard paternity policy sets out employees’ entitlement to statutory paternity pay (SPP), the enhanced paternity policy allows you to provide paternity pay above SPP
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the sickness policy - while the standard sickness policy sets out employees’ entitlement to statutory sick pay (SSP), the enhanced sickness policy allows you to provide sick pay above SSP
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the annual leave policy - the enhanced annual leave policy allows you to set out more details about when annual leave can be taken, if annual leave can be 'carried over' into a new year, and whether you'll honour employees' holiday plans that they made before starting to work for you. The standard annual leave policy simply sets out the minimum requirements and considerations
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the working from home policy - the enhanced policy sets out more details about expenses, equipment and insurance for employees working from home and more information about when working from home arrangements might be terminated
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What about any existing policies?
If you already have certain policies in place, these can be listed in the ‘Existing Policies’ section of the Handbook. This way you inform your staff about their existence and highlight that they are available from line managers and/or the HR department.
If you wish, you can also include any existing policies in your Handbook by editing it and inserting the policies where relevant.
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