Sample Employment Handbook Table of Contents
Section 1: Employment at Will and Legal Disclaimers...... 1
Section 2: About Us ...... 2 About Us...... 2 Mission Statement...... 2 Values ...... 2
Section 3: Commitment to Ethics in the Workplace...... 3 Code of Ethics...... 3 Conflicts of Interest ...... 4 Reporting Potential Conflicts...... 4 Outside Employment and Self Employment ...... 4 Whistleblower Policy...... 5 Confidential Nature of Work ...... 5 Confidentiality of Patient Matters & HIPPA (for medical and dental practices) ...... 6 Care of Patient Records (for medical and dental practices)...... 7 Patient and Public Relations (for medical and dental practices) ...... 7 Media Relations ...... 7 Hiring of Relatives...... 7 Relationships in the Workplace ...... 8 Gifts ...... 8 Special Events...... 8 Fundraising & Distribution of Non-Work Related Information...... 8 Personal Beliefs and Partisan Political Activity (for 501(c)(3) only)...... 9 Political Campaigns (for 501(c)(4) only)...... 9
Section 4: General Employment Provisions...... 10 Open Door Policy ...... 10 Employment Categories...... 10 Overtime for Non-Exempt Employees (Payroll Status) ...... 11 Overtime for Exempt Employees (Payroll Status) ...... 11 Compensatory Time Policy ...... 11 Travel Comp Time...... 11 Payroll...... 11 Time Keeping ...... 12 Violations of this Policy or Questions about this Policy ...... 12 Pay Transparency (required for All Government Contractors and all MD Employers)...... 12 Job Postings ...... 13 Business Expenses ...... 13 Professional Dues and Fees ...... 13 Access to Human Resource Files...... 13 Personal Data Changes ...... 14 Performance Appraisals...... 14 Attendance Policy...... 14 Work Hours...... 14 Flextime ...... 15 Telecommuting ...... 15 Nursing Mothers Policy...... 15 Immigration Law Compliance...... 15 Appearance and Attire ...... 15 Telephone Courtesy ...... 16 Office Etiquette/Salutations (mostly for medical/dental practices)...... 16
Section 5: Facility Management, Safety & Security...... 17 Safety ...... 17 Parking...... 17 Security ...... 17 Threats, Acts of Violence & Emergency Reporting Procedures ...... 17 Personal Responsibility...... 18 Reporting Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses ...... 18 Health Safeguard Procedures (for medical and dental practices) ...... 18 Receiving the HBV Vaccination (for medical and dental practices)...... 19 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) (for medical and dental practices) ...... 19 Nitrous Oxide (for medical and dental practices)...... 19 Procedures and Use of X-Ray Equipment (for medical and dental practices) ...... 19 Assigned Equipment...... 20 Use of Ear Buds/Ear Phones...... 20 Cell Phones in the Workplace...... 20 Safe Driving...... 20 Tobacco Free Workplace ...... 21
Section 6: Employee Conduct & Work Environment...... 22 Rules of Conduct & Discipline...... 22 Disciplinary Action...... 23 Prohibition and Deterrence of Workplace Violence...... 23
Section 7: Drug-Free & Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy ...... 25 Alcohol at Company Events ...... 25 Drug-Free Workplace Requirements ...... 25 Consent to Search ...... 25
Section 8: Classified Material & Security Clearances ...... 31 Classified Material Clearance...... 31 Access Requirements and Need-to-Know ...... 31 Report to Security ...... 32 Security Hotline Phone Numbers ...... 32 Security Violations ...... 32
Section 10: Information Technology & Social Media Policy...... 34 Information Technology Policy...... 34 Workplace Monitoring...... 35 Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Considerations (Customer Cardholder Data) ...... 35 Personal Devices Policy...... 36 Social Media Policy ...... 36 Retaliation is Prohibited...... 37
Section 10: Leave Policies ...... 38 Requesting Time Off ...... 38 Paid Time Off (Montgomery County and MD Compliant)...... 38 Paid Time Off (regular staff) ...... 39 Paid Time Off at Termination of Employment...... 39 Paid Holidays...... 40 Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (Maryland 15+ EEs – Accrual Model) ...... 41 Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (Maryland 15+ EEs – Granting Model)...... 42 Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (Maryland less than 15 EEs – Accrual Model) ...... 44 Maryland Sick and Safe Leave (Maryland less than 15 EEs – Granting Model)...... 45 Sick Leave (Montgomery County 5+ EEs)...... 47 Sick Leave (Montgomery County 1-4 EEs) ...... 49 Parental Leave...... 50 Maternity Parental Leave...... 50 Spousal Parental Leave...... 50 Jury Duty and Court Appearances...... 50 Inclement Weather and Emergency Closures...... 51 Voting Leave...... 51 Bereavement Leave...... 51 Unpaid Leaves of Absence ...... 52 Maryland Parental Leave Act (unpaid leave, MD employers with 15-49 EEs) ...... 52 Maryland Flexible Leave Act ...... 52 Military Leave...... 52
Section 11: Family and Medical Leave Act...... 54 General Provisions...... 54 Eligibility ...... 54 Type of Leave Covered...... 54 Qualifying Exigency Leave ...... 55 Care for Covered Service Members...... 55 Military Caregiver Leave...... 56 Amount of Leave ...... 57 Employee Status and Benefits During Leave ...... 57 Employment Status After Leave...... 58 Use of Paid and Unpaid Leave ...... 58 Intermittent Leave or a Reduced Work Schedule...... 59 Certification of an Employee’s Serious Health Condition ...... 59 Certification for the Family Member’s Serious Health Condition ...... 60 Certification of Qualifying Exigency for Military Family Leave...... 60 Certification for Serious Injury or Illness of Covered Servicemember for Military Family Leave ...... 60 Recertification...... 60 Procedure for requesting FMLA Leave ...... 61 Designation of FMLA Leaver...... 61 Intent to Return to Work from FMLA Leave ...... 61
Section 12: Employee Benefits...... 62 Medical Benefits...... 62 Dental Benefits ...... 62 Vision Insurance ...... 62 Short-Term Disability...... 62 Long-Term Disability Insurance...... 62 Life & ADD Insurance ...... 63 Supplemental Life Insurance ...... 63 Flexible Benefit Plans...... 63 Life Changing Events ...... 64 Continuation of Benefits (COBRA) (20+ EEs) ...... 64 Maryland Continuation Coverages (less than 20 EEs) ...... 64 Workers’ Compensation Insurance...... 65 Employee Assistance Program ...... 65 Retirement Benefits ...... 65 Prepaid Legal Benefits...... 65 Training and Education...... 65 Employee Referral Program ...... 65
Section 13: Equal Employment & Respectful Workplace Policies...... 67 Equal Opportunity...... 67 Religious Accommodation (15+ EEs) ...... 67 Disability Policy (15+ EEs) ...... 67 Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) (2+ EEs) ...... 68 The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) (15+ EEs for Federal; All MD) ...... 68 Reasonable Accommodations for Disabilities Due to Pregnancy Act (15+ EEs MD and Federal)...... 68 The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)...... 69 Commitment to Harassment-Free Workplace ...... 69 Sexual Harassment...... 70 Hostile Environment...... 70 Retaliation...... 71 Reporting Discrimination and/or Harassment ...... 71 Investigation of Discrimination and/or Harassment ...... 71 Prompt & Remedial Action ...... 71 Maintaining Written Records...... 71
Section 14: Termination of Employment ...... 73 Employment-at-Will and Company Property...... 73 Resignation and Retirement...... 73 Termination for Cause ...... 73 Job Abandonment ...... 73 Final Paychecks ...... 73 Benefits Upon Termination ...... 73 Exit Interviews...... 74 Employment Verification ...... 74
Employment Handbook Acknowledgement Form...... 75