Houston Employee Handbook Drafting Attorney
As a business owner, a big part of getting the most out of your employees is making your expectations clear. A well-written employee handbook drafted by an employer advising or business attorney can help you lay out your employees’ rights, responsibilities, and obligations to the business. Find out how Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. can help you with an effective employee handbook.
Representing employers across the Houston region, Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. has helped many employers draft employee handbooks that are industry-specific, tailored to the business’s unique goals, and cognizant of the potential issues the business may face in the future. With extensive experience in civil court, attorney Roger G. Jain has assisted businesses with a range of sensitive and potentially costly issues.
Wondering where to find us? Our business law firm is located at 9301 Southwest Freeway, Suite 250, on the second floor of Merlyn Plaza. We’re just minutes from I-69, so we’re easy to reach from anywhere in the Houston area. When you’re ready to set your employees up for success with an employee handbook, give us a call at 713-981-0600 or send us a message online to schedule your free consultation.
Recent Review
“I was very pleased with the representation that I received from Roger Jain. He was very accommodating and respectful of my time. I felt like I could contact him and/or his firm anytime I had any questions or concerns. I appreciated his guidance and patience with me by not letting me agree/accept any rushed decisions just because I wanted things done and over with.”
The Role of Employee Handbooks in Legal Compliance
Employee handbooks play a critical role in keeping your company compliant with various federal laws. A thorough handbook will outline your company’s rules and standards, expectations of employees, and dispute resolution methods. Your handbook should also include legally required information informing employees of their rights—for example, rights included under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the Americans With Disabilities Act. Providing employees with in-depth information regarding their rights at the state and federal level shows that your company strives to treat employees fairly.
A comprehensive handbook can also protect your company from claims of discrimination and unfair treatment. For example, if your handbook clearly outlines your attendance policy and what will occur with each violation of the attendance policy, it is much harder for an employee to claim down the road that they were unfairly targeted for excessive absences. When policies are clearly outlined and followed, they protect your company from frivolous lawsuits.
Employers can also use their handbook to protect against other common sources of employment claims. Providing employees with a specific department or person to turn to when they are facing sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation can help them feel empowered enough to seek help before issues require legal intervention.
Benefits of Customizing an Employee Handbook
A customized employee handbook drafted by a business lawyer can be a powerful tool for your company. While it’s easy enough to find a fill-in-the-blanks employee handbook that may or may not be relevant to your industry, it’s unlikely to be useful enough for your employees to actually turn to it when they have questions. Customization takes into account your industry, the population you serve, legal issues your company has faced in the past, and local laws that may not be relevant in other jurisdictions.
Customizing your handbook also gives you the chance to highlight the benefits and programs that your company offers, giving employees insight into the value you provide them as their employer. For example, you can use your handbook to outline flexible working hours, wellness programs, employee assistance programs, training opportunities for employees at certain levels, or bonuses that come with seniority or excellent performance.
How Our Law Firm Can Help With Your Employee Handbook
When it comes to protecting your business and setting it up for success, choosing the right business lawyer in Houston to draft your employee handbook is critical. While anyone in a leadership role may have the right idea about the goals of the business, what to include in an employee handbook, and the tone they want to strike, it is all too easy to include information that is inaccurate or even against the law. Consider how many employers have included bans on discussing wages in employee handbooks, only to be hit with fines when an employee turns them into the National Labor Relations Board for violating their right to discuss wages. Your business attorney at Roger G. Jain & Associates, P.C. can draft a handbook that is thorough, easy to read, and in full compliance with the law.
Whether your company is just starting up or has been around for decades, take this opportunity to create an employee handbook that serves as a valuable resource for your team. Connect with us online or call us at 713-981-0600.