I have a new guy starting Monday. He will be my first employee. I haven't presented any paperwork to him yet. I need to create an employee handbook which spells out what is expected, not tolerated, etc.

So I am looking for suggestions as to the content of the handbook.

Thanks in advance......

I can't say this strongly enough: Consult an attorney.

Labor laws vary greatly from state to state. An 'employee manual' can, in some cases, help shield you from spurious claims. In other cases, it can become a real millstone.

Failing that, the only thing I would recommend as a 'short cut' would be to copy precisely the manual currently in use by some company that gets sued a lot. Or, the manual of a Union contractor. In either case, you can be sure that the manual has withstood extensive review and legal challenges.

Since you are in Illinois, I also suggest that you check out the "Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education" )or IICLE). They have a variety of excellent publications that cover nearly every legal topic. Don't let the prices scare you ... they're worth every dollar!

Here in Texas, we have an agency called The Texas Workforce Commission, which is just a fancy name for the unemployment office. They have seminars, and very inexpensive literature on what the employment rules are for our State, and what is legal and not legal to put in your handbook.

They do recommend a handbook and give you an outline of what you should cover in yours. Check your own state agencies and see if your local unemployment office does the same.