Teresa Tracy Presented on Strafford Webinar Panel on Employee Handbook Best Practices

Teresa R. Tracy was a featured panelist on a live Strafford Webinar Wednesday, March 10th on “Employee Handbook Best Practices in 2021 and Beyond”

Employment law is continually changing, so employers (and their counsel) must regularly review and update employee handbooks, particularly in light of the current pandemic and the expansion of employees working from home. An employer is not protected by handbook provisions which courts have struck down, and regulators have nullified. This webinar will discuss recent developments of which every lawyer who has responsibility for handbooks should be aware.

Regulators have been exercising heightened diligence concerning long-used handbook provisions. The NLRB has challenged at-will disclaimers, social media policies, ambiguous and misleading language, restrictions on employee communications, and arbitration provisions in employee handbooks. The SEC has implemented regulations that, in effect, discard certain confidentiality and nondisclosure provisions.

With a thorough understanding of the latest legal developments impacting employee handbooks, along with careful and strategic drafting, employment counsel can help ensure that employee handbooks legally and effectively address difficult workplace issues.

Employers must consider all the intersecting leave issues related to state and federal regulations and address the need to clarify the policies and requirements for use.