PrintPrior to welcoming new employees into the business and before you show them around the office, plant or sales floor, you should be prepared with all of the proper paperwork.
An employee handbook should include all practical information on:
401k or retirement accounts Pension plans Stock Options Plans Medical and dental benefits Disability insurance Vacation days Sick and personal days Leave of absence Maternity/paternity and family leave Adoption benefits Legal holiday schedule Performance reviews Operational policies and procedures Safety and security policies Codes of conduct Sexual harassment policies Dress codes Email use policies
Short of such a handbook for each employee, there should be a central location such as an Intranet site or a handbook in the office of the person who handles human resources for your company with all of this information spelled out in writing. It’s to your advantage to take the time to carefully think through and list all matters pertaining to employees prior to the hiring process. This can prevent future lawsuits.
You will also need to fill out forms for Worker’s Compensation. This protects your business in the event someone gets injured or sick from a job related accident or occurrence.
Consider the following paperwork for the employee to sign on the first day:
Employee handbook: Have employees sign a receipt indicating that they have received and read the handbook. Form W-4: It is mandatory that an employee completes the IRS W-4 Form used to determine the appropriate level of tax withholding Employee benefit elections: Employees should sign up for any such benefit programs, providing all necessary information. This would include company health or pension plans.
Confidentiality and Invention Assignment Agreement: This agreement stipulates that all proprietary information will remain confidential and that the company owns all inventions created by the employee, relevant to the company business, while under the employ of the company. Emergency notification: This form lists phone numbers to contact should there be an emergency.
