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10 Sample HR Policies

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List of Policies (for policies, see below):

Bereavement Leave
     An excused paid absence of up to 3 days for missed work time will be granted for purposes of arranging, attending and resolving personal matters with regard to a death in your immediate family. Your immediate family is defined as spouse, parents, grandparents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, stepparents, stepbrothers and stepsisters, mother-in-law and father-in-law.

     The company will also pay employees for time lost from work for up to one day for relatives beyond the definition of immediate family.

     In addition, the company may allow an unpaid leave of absence for up to two weeks to be taken in connection with the death of a relative or close friend. Such absences must have the prior approval of the employee's supervisor and management.

Dress Code
     Our customers judge the Company by its employees, as well as by our products and service. Appropriate dress and appearance project a professional image and contribute to an impression of a high-quality organization.

     Proper business attire is expected for all employees. Examples of appropriate dress include suits, dress slacks, skirts, dresses, sweaters, jackets and ties.

     Casual clothes, including jeans, shorts, halter tops, T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, stretch pants and the like are inappropriate for the office and should not be worn during business hours. Casual clothing may be worn when the nature of the work requires more informal attire (maintenance staff, for example). Department Heads are responsible for decisions in this area.

     Employees who do not meet the standards for appropriate business attire should be counseled by their supervisors and may be sent home to change. It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that his or her staff presents a professional appearance.

Equal Employment Opportunity
     It is the policy of Employer Name to provide equal opportunity in employment to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other legally protected class in accordance with all applicable laws. This commitment extends to all employment decisions, including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, promotion, training, compensation, discipline and discharge, and to all terms, benefits, privileges and conditions of employment. Discrimination in violation of this policy is prohibited and will not be tolerated.

Inclement Weather
     The company maintains the policy of remaining open during bad weather, unless the severity of conditions and/or municipal or state government rulings close the office. Employees should make every reasonable effort to get to work, or continue working if already in the office, unless otherwise notified.

In the event we are forced to close, the company will make every effort to have the details concerning the closing announced on three radio stations: ____, ____ and ____. If there are questions, employees are urged to listen to one of these three stations. If an employee reports to work and the plant is closed at the start of the shift, he or she will receive no pay.

     If operations are canceled after a shift has started, hourly employees will be paid for the time worked, or two hours minimum, whichever is greater.

     It is the responsibility of each employee to contact the plant in case of any doubt regarding plant operations. Hourly employees who elect to leave early due to nervousness over weather conditions will be paid for hours actually worked, but will not otherwise be penalized in any way.

Moonlighting
     Second jobs or other outside employment, such as freelance employment, consulting, or sales (such as Avon, Tupperware, etc.) is not prohibited by the company or its subsidiaries, but it is regulated.

     Outside employment must not be engaged in during the employee's regularly scheduled working hours. The use of the company’s supplies, equipment, telephone, materials, and personnel is prohibited. Outside employment must not cause a conflict of interest or deterioration in satisfactory performance while in our employ.

     Supervisors must communicate the policy and ensure adequate job performance by taking the appropriate action, which could involve terminating or disciplining an employee.

     Employees are responsible for their performance, and if it is adversely affected by their second job, they must decide whether it is necessary to terminate, or cut back the hours of, the second job.

Open Door Policy
We all recognize that the accumulation of unspoken, unanswered problems, complaints and questions can result in dissatisfaction and can impact the working relationship. It is to everyone's advantage to bring these matters out in the open. If you have a problem or complaint, please review it with your supervisor as soon as possible.

We are not implying that we will agree with your position. However, we will listen to you, and hope that in most instances, we will be able to resolve the matter or reach a compromise acceptable to the people concerned.

Overtime
     It may be necessary at times to ask you to work beyond your regularly scheduled hours. If there is sufficient backlog of orders, we use overtime to meet our customers’ demands. Whether there is need for overtime work is determined by the department supervisor, manufacturing manager and the vice president.

     Overtime will be paid at the rate of time and one-half the hourly rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week. With the exception of holiday pay, hours paid but not worked, such as personal time, jury duty, bereavement pay, etc., will not be considered time worked for the basis of computing overtime.

     If overtime is needed, we will try to confine it the hours between 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday. On rare occasions, we may need overtime beyond these guidelines.

     We will make every effort to distribute overtime fairly and equitably. The selection of who is to work is based primarily on the job experience and ability to handle the work that needs to be done, and on seniority, one’s productivity and job performance.

     Circumstance may necessitate mandatory overtime for certain employees. This has rarely occurred in the past; most overtime is voluntary.

     There is no guarantee of overtime work, and you are cautioned to not become financially dependent upon it. Anyone working unauthorized overtime will be subject to discipline.

Substance Abuse
     All employees are expected to come to work in a condition fit to perform their duties.

     The unlawful manufacture, possession, distribution, transfer, purchase, sale, use, or being under the influence of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs during working hours, while on company property, while attending business-related activities, while on duty, or while in possession of, or operating a vehicle, or machine leased or owned by the company is strictly prohibited.

     You may use physician-prescribed medications provided that the use of such medications does not adversely affect job performance, your safety or the safety of others.

     Any employee who violates this policy and/or whose work performance or behavior is adversely affected by the use of drugs or alcohol will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

     Employer Name reserves the right to request employees to undergo drug or alcohol testing in accordance with all applicable laws.

Voice Mail
     Voice mail is a resource provided by the company and is the property of the company. It is provided solely for business purposes. The use of voice mail for any reason other than for legitimate business purposes of the company is prohibited. Harassing, threatening, discriminatory, sexually explicit or other inappropriate messages are not to be transmitted or stored.

     Employees are responsible for protecting access to messages. Sharing use is discouraged. Employees may be held responsible for misuse that occurs through unauthorized access.

     Please keep in mind that the company has access to your messages. While the concept of a business need and a respect for legitimate confidentiality will guide our actions, we reserve the right to access your messages at any time we deem appropriate. Use and access can be monitored and tracked by management at any time and without notice to you. Remember that even though messages may appear to be "deleted" procedures by the company to guard against data loss may preserve material for extended periods of time. Access to voice mail and voice mail records may also be provided to third parties, as the company deems appropriate.

     Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Workplace Threats and Violence
     Nothing is more important to Employer Name than the safety and security of its employees. Threats, threatening behavior, or acts of violence against employees, clients, visitors, guests, or other individuals by anyone on company property will not be tolerated. Violations of this policy will lead to disciplinary, including dismissal, and may also result in arrest and prosecution.

     Any person who makes threats, exhibits threatening behavior, or engages in violent acts on company property shall be removed from the premises as quickly as safety permits, and shall remain off company premises pending the outcome of an investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, Employer Name will initiate an appropriate response. This response may include, but is not limited to, suspension and/or termination of any business relationship, reassignment of job duties, suspension or termination of employment, and/or criminal prosecution of the person or persons involved.

     All company personnel are responsible for notifying a dispatcher/supervisor or the President of any threats that they have witnessed, received, or have been told that another person has witnessed or received. Even without an actual threat, personnel should also report any behavior they have witnessed which they regard as threatening or violent, when that behavior is job related or might be carried out on an company controlled site, or is connected to company employment. Employees are responsible for making this report regardless of the relationship between the individual who initiated the threat or threatening behavior and the person or persons who were threatened or were the focus of the threatening behavior. Any dispatcher/supervisor who becomes aware of threatening behavior must immediately notify the President.

     All individuals who apply for or obtain a protective or restraining order which lists company locations as being protected areas, must provide to their manager and/or the TITLE a copy of the petition and declarations used to seek the order, a copy of any temporary protective or restraining order which is granted, and a copy of any protective or restraining order which is made permanent. Employer Name understands the sensitivity of the information requested and has developed confidentiality procedures that recognize and respect the privacy of the reporting employee.

CBIA offers a comprehensive Policies and Procedures Manual to help employers tackle the complicated HR issues that come with running a business. For a complete listing of CBIA's publications, click here.

We also offer members and non-members an employee handbook development and review service. To see a description of these services and others, click here.

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