Non-Profit Employee Handbook

Non-Profit Employee Handbook

Non-profit organizations are subject to the same employment laws as any other employer, from paying withholding taxes on employee wages to termination and unemployment compensation. Therefore, it is a good idea to have a non-profit employee handbook that outlines that organization’s policies, employee responsibilities and benefits, and other information that a new or existing employee would need to know about working there. At the same time, a non-profit organization may have unique policies and procedures that a for-profit employer may not have. Creating a comprehensive and effective employee handbook requires significant planning as well as understanding state and federal employment laws and other rules and regulations. Jennifer V. Abelaj Law Firm may be able to help you create your non-profit employee handbook. Speak with one of their experienced attorneys at 212-328-9568 to find out more. 

What Should You Include in Your Non-Profit Employee Handbook?

One mistake that some employers make when creating an employee handbook is trying to create a policy for every possible thing that could ever happen. This creates an overly complicated, unwieldy, and enormous handbook that employees do not read. If they do not read it, there is a much greater chance they will unknowingly violate a policy or not follow a procedure, creating more work for management unnecessarily. 

Instead, non-profits should include the basics that are common to most places of employment. Examples of what employers should consider including are: 

• Notice & Disclaimer/Acknowledgement of Receipt
• Policy about employment at-will
• A statement regarding equal opportunity and anti-harassment
• Work authorization
• Employment classification policy
• Policy on unemployment compensation
• Overtime
• Leaves of absence, including parental leave
• Workplace violence/safety
• Conflict of interest
• Code of conduct
• Holidays and other time off
• Health, welfare, insurance benefits, payroll deductions, direct deposit, 
• Programs for employee assistance

These are basic sections for an employee handbook. Some of them may not apply to every non-profit and some organizations may need other sections that are not mentioned here.

What Should You Not Include in a Non-Profit Employee Handbook?

When attempting to be comprehensive, employers can unintentionally include phrases, words, or concepts that can later become a problem. While non-profit employers should try to be thorough, there are some things they should not include in a non-profit employee handbook. A few examples include: 

• Language that implies if the employee gets through an introductory period, they are less likely to be fired or that there are any other circumstances that make them less likely to be fired. 
• The words “permanent employee.” The use of the word permanent would be language implying an employee cannot be fired. Instead, use terms such as “regular employee” to differentiate from temporary staff members and volunteers. 
• Burying the disclaimer about at-will employment. This should be prominently placed at the beginning of the handbook to ensure it is seen, read, and understood.
• A narrowly defined list of reasons for termination or statements that imply or specifically state that termination can only be for cause. 
• A list of disciplinary actions that can be interpreted as requiring that all or some steps must be followed before termination can occur. While you may need a list of disciplinary actions, it should be clear that offenses are handled individually and may or may not require the use of all disciplinary actions before termination. 

This is not a full list. When creating your handbook, the experienced nonprofit attorneys at Jennifer V. Abelaj Law Firm may be able to help you determine which things to include and which to avoid so your handbook is comprehensive yet effective. 

Why You Cannot Find and Use a Template As-Is

It is easy to search online and find many templates for employee handbooks. However, while a template can be a good starting point, it is not enough as it is. One reason not to use a template as it is, is that it may not be up to date. In addition, it may also: 

• Not consider the non-profit’s state and local laws or use laws from another state that do not apply. 
• Not be specific to the organization’s specific needs and therefore, be too general to be effective. 
• May use overly complicated legal language that confuses employees instead of clarifying policies. 

Non-profits can use a template to save themselves some time and work. This sample employee handbook from the National Council of Nonprofits may be a good beginning. Employers should go through the template they choose carefully and make sure to tailor the sections to their specific needs. They should also consider consulting with a lawyer to ensure they are including all the information they should and not including anything that may cause a problem in the future. 

Tips to Ensure Your Handbook’s Effectiveness

Once employers have created a finished non-profit employee handbook, the work is not done. There are a few more things to do that will ensure the handbook’s effectiveness. Consider implementing the following:

• Have employees sign an acknowledgement of receipt and reading upon hire and each update.
• Review the handbook every 1-3 years and update when needed. 
• Have standing personnel or a committee to review and revise so updates are consistent. 
• Compare current practices to handbook policies and determine which should change. For example, if your dress code is business casual in the handbook, but everyone dresses casually, decide if you need to enforce the dress code or revise it to reflect the way everyone dresses. 
• Remove or do not include irrelevant or rare policies that will not be used often. There may be issues that arise only once or twice in the lifetime of the organization if ever and therefore, do not need to be addressed in the handbook. 
• Make sure it is not overly verbose or complicated. 
• Do not combine policies for different groups. Give regular employees, independent contractors, and volunteers each their own handbooks. 
• Offer training or team meetings to go over new and updated policies so employees have a chance to ask questions and gain a better understanding. 

Is Your Non-Profit Employee Handbook Effective and Legally Compliant?

Whether you have an existing non-profit employee handbook that you would like to update or need to create one from scratch, an updated and clear handbook is a crucial component of a stable, productive work environment. If you need guidance to create or update your handbook, or you would simply like an experienced attorney to look it over for any legal issues that may arise, consider contacting the Jennifer V. Abelaj Law Firm at 212-328-9568 to find out how one of our experienced attorneys may be able to help.