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Updating Your Employee Handbook And COVID-19 Policies

Published on
Apr 12, 2022
Written by
Natalie Sulimani
Read time
2 min
Category
Employment

Natalie Sulimani

NY Technology Attorney

The effects of COVID-19 on the workforce and operational methods of organization are lingering, and the impact on workplaces is still subject to so mm many expositions; therefore, the employee handbooks which organizations have to capture all the necessary matters and standard protocols might not be fully updated to encapsulate the new normal of the COVID-19. The new employee handbook must contain and encompass the federal and state rules that have been set in place and several other procedures that all employers must have and adopt. Here are a few crucial things that require an update in light of the aftermath of the pandemic and should be clearly stated in your employee Handbook.

Attendance and remote working

If you haven't already updated the procedures about this work model, then you immediately should, as the government has made it possible for the remote working model to be widely accepted in organizations. Employers should make clear in the employee handbook the situations where employees are permitted to work from home and should also include the regulations that must be abided by. When people decide to work from home, details that include the working time and how the work hours would be recorded should also be included.

Sick and medical leaves

The new regulation mandates employers with less than 500 employees to make sick leave and medical leave available for all COVID-19 related illnesses. This is a paid leave that covers the employee while he is either in quarantine, experiencing symptoms of the Coronavirus, or is caring for someone else or a closely related person or family who has COVID-19.

Workplace safety

 Employers are regarded to outline in the handbook the safety and health policies and information that contains the role of every employee to maintain safety at work; this includes mandating reports of health hazard injuries, illnesses, and any other work-related accidents.

People with disabilities

 Employees who are within the age bracket of vulnerable people to Covid-19 should be covered under the Americans with Disability Act, and they may request permission to adjust their work schedules; the procedures for this should be catered for in the new employee's handbook.

Dress code and environmental cleanliness

The employee handbook should, when updated, contain the protocols that are necessary to have a clean and safe workplace that poses no risk to the employees. All the strategies should be explicitly stated in the handbook. Dress codes should also be highlighted, and the protocols for regular hand cleaning and sanitizers should also be stipulated.

Conclusion

Updating the employee's handbook is necessary to encompass and enhance the safety of the employees and the organization at large. It is also necessary to be on the safe side of the law and comply with the rules stipulated by these things and avoid any form of legal charges or sanctions.

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