| name | hr-handbook |
| description | Generate employee handbook sections covering required-by-law policies (EEO, anti-harassment, ADA accommodation, FMLA, lactation, voting/jury/military, pay transparency, whistleblower, at-will + handbook-not-a-contract, NLRA §7 carve-outs) and standard-but-optional perks. Templates only - not employment-law advice. |
| slash_command | false |
| argument-hint | <section topic> |
| attribution | {"lineage":"anthropics/knowledge-work-plugins/human-resources/skills/policy-lookup/SKILL.md (Apache-2.0)","upstream_commit":"9789ea78ad66"} |
| metadata | {"wayland":{"tags":["handbook","policy","hr","people-ops","smb"]}} |
Templates only - not employment-law advice. Employee handbook policies are state-specific and rapidly changing - Have HR counsel review before publishing or distributing.
HR - Employee Handbook
Generate clear, professional, legally-defensible employee handbook sections.
Pre-flight
- State(s) of employment (drives state-specific requirements)
- Country (US handbook structure differs from UK/EU)
- Total headcount (FMLA 50+, Title VII 15+, etc.)
- Federal contractor status (OFCCP additional requirements)
- Any cannabis/recreational-use jurisdiction (CA, CT, IL, MT, NJ, NV, NY, RI, WA + DC require off-duty protections)
Usage
/hr handbook <section topic>
Two tables: required-by-law vs standard-but-optional
Required-by-law sections (every US handbook should have)
| Section | Why it's required / strongly recommended |
|---|
| EEO / Anti-Discrimination policy | Title VII / ADEA / ADA / GINA / state FEPAs; affirmative-action contractors required |
| Anti-Harassment with reporting + non-retaliation | CA FEHA explicit requirement (2 CCR §11023); Faragher/Ellerth defense in any harassment case |
| ADA reasonable-accommodation request process (interactive) | ADA + state equivalents; failure to engage = automatic loss |
| Religious accommodation | Groff v. DeJoy (2023) raised standard from "de minimis" to "substantial burden" |
| Pregnancy / PWFA accommodation | PWFA (June 2023, 15+ EE) + state PFLA-like statutes |
| Lactation accommodation | PUMP Act (2022) - federal, nearly all employers; private space + reasonable break time |
| FMLA + state PFML | FMLA at 50+ EE; state PFML thresholds vary (CA CFRA 5+, NY 1+, etc.) |
| PTO / sick leave | State paid-sick-leave laws (CA, AZ, CO, CT, IL, ME, MA, MD, MI, MN, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, RI, VT, WA + cities) |
| Voting / jury duty / military leave (USERRA) | State voting-leave laws; federal USERRA |
| Domestic-violence leave | CA, NY, IL, KS, RI, others |
| Pay transparency / right to discuss wages | NLRA §7 - handbooks regularly violate this with confidentiality clauses; explicit carve-out required |
| Whistleblower / SOX protection | SOX, Dodd-Frank, state whistleblower acts |
| At-will disclaimer + handbook-not-a-contract | Case-law-driven; without it, handbook may be construed as contract |
| NLRA §7 carve-outs in confidentiality, social-media, off-duty-conduct sections | Handbook policies that "chill" §7 activity are unfair labor practices |
| Social media + off-duty conduct | NLRA §7 limits employer rights; CA Lab. Code §96(k) protects off-duty lawful conduct |
| Drug & alcohol with cannabis-jurisdiction nuance | NY Lab. §201-d, NJ CREAMM, CT, NV - recreational-use protection; CA AB 2188 (2024) |
Standard-but-optional perks sections
| Section | Coverage |
|---|
| Remote work / WFH | Equipment stipend, location restrictions, tax considerations |
| Parental leave (paid) | If exceeding statutory minimum |
| Bereavement | Number of days, family definition |
| Sabbatical | Eligibility, duration, pay continuation |
| Professional development | Learning budget, conference policy, tuition |
| Wellness / EAP | Employee assistance program, wellness stipend |
| Travel | Booking, accommodations, international |
| Equipment / BYOD | Laptop policy, software requests |
| Conflicts of interest | Outside employment, vendors, investments |
| Performance management | Review cadence, ratings, PIP framework |
Output Format
## [Section Title]
**Last Updated:** [Date] | **Owned By:** People / HR | **Jurisdiction:** [State, Country]
### Policy Statement
[1-2 sentence summary of what this policy covers and who it applies to]
### Details
#### [Subsection 1]
[Policy text - clear, plain language, specific where it needs to be]
#### [Subsection 2]
[Policy text]
### How It Works
[Step-by-step process if applicable - e.g., how to request PTO, how to file an expense]
### Eligibility
[Who this applies to - full-time, part-time, contractors, by tenure, etc.]
### Anti-retaliation
Employees are protected from retaliation for reporting concerns, requesting
accommodations, taking protected leave, or participating in any investigation,
under federal and state law including [Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, OSHA, NLRA,
state FEPA]. Report retaliation to [contact].
### NLRA §7 carve-out (where relevant)
Nothing in this policy restricts employees' rights to (i) discuss wages, hours, or
terms and conditions of employment with co-workers, (ii) communicate with
government agencies (NLRB, EEOC, OSHA, SEC, DOL, state DOL), (iii) exercise
Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act, or (iv) testify truthfully
under oath.
### Exceptions
[When the standard policy may not apply and how exceptions are handled]
### Questions?
Contact [HR/People team] at [contact] for questions about this policy.
---
*This policy is subject to change. Material updates will be communicated and a
new acknowledgment may be requested. This policy and the handbook in which it
appears do not constitute a contract of employment, and employment remains at-will
[except as required by Montana law / EU member-state employment law / UK ERA 1996].*
Acknowledgment receipt template (issue at hire and on material updates)
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I acknowledge that I have received and read the [Company] Employee Handbook dated
[Version Date]. I understand that:
1. This Handbook describes [Company]'s policies and procedures and is not a
contract of employment, express or implied.
2. My employment is at-will [or, in MT: subject to the Wrongful Discharge from
Employment Act after probation] - meaning either party may terminate the
employment relationship at any time, with or without notice or cause, except
as prohibited by law.
3. [Company] may revise this Handbook at any time. Material changes will be
communicated.
4. I am responsible for reading and complying with the Handbook.
5. I understand that my discussions of wages, hours, and working conditions with
co-workers, my right to file charges with the EEOC/NLRB/OSHA/state agencies,
and other rights under federal and state law are NOT restricted by this
Handbook.
Employee signature: __________________________ Date: __________
Printed name: ________________________________
Writing Principles
- Plain language - 8th-grade reading level. No legalese.
- Specific over vague - "Up to $500/year" beats "reasonable expenses."
- Show the process.
- Jurisdiction awareness - flag where local law overrides (CA sick leave, NY PFL, EU GDPR, UK ERA 1996).
- NLRA §7 carve-out in any policy that touches confidentiality, social media, off-duty conduct, or non-disparagement.
- GDPR Art. 30 ROPA + Art. 13/14 privacy notice if any EU/UK employee data is processed.
- Tone: employee-first.
Output Path
Save the handbook section using build_report_path("business-hr", instruction) when writing to file.
Output footer (REQUIRED on every generated section)
End every handbook section with this block, verbatim:
---
**DRAFT - REVIEW REQUIRED**
This handbook section was generated as a starting template. It has not been reviewed
by employment counsel and may not comply with applicable law in your jurisdiction.
Before publishing:
1. Verify state-specific overrides (paid sick leave, leave laws, cannabis protections,
pay transparency).
2. Verify NLRA §7 carve-out is present in any policy touching confidentiality,
social media, off-duty conduct, or non-disparagement.
3. If EU/UK employees: verify GDPR Art. 30 ROPA entry + Art. 13/14 privacy notice.
4. Re-issue acknowledgment receipt on material updates.
5. Have HR counsel licensed in your jurisdiction review the full handbook annually.
Generated by Wayland business-hr plugin. Templates only - not employment-law advice.
Templates only - not employment-law advice. Have HR counsel review every handbook section before publication.
