Halloween is coming. Candy and pumpkins are plentiful and everywhere. It’s also the season for scary, but the current status of an employee handbook shouldn’t be frightening. A nonexistent or outdated handbook can be as haunting as having Freddy Krueger on the payroll. It doesn’t have to be that way. SDHRC provides an easy solution. And with out-of-state employees, creating state-specific handbook addendums are no problem!

What percent of employer handbooks are up to date in California? There is no official statistic because the State does not require or audit handbooks – not yet. But a 2023 Brightmine study indicated that between 57% and 67% of organizations nationwide struggle with legal compliance with state and local laws. According to the same study, approximately 62% of the companies surveyed review their handbooks only once a year or less. 

And it’s no wonder that keeping handbooks up to date is a monumental task. California Governor Newsom signed more than 35 bills into law since 2024 alone that significantly affected Human Resources policies and employee handbooks for California employers. More are sure to follow. Here are some examples:

AB2499 – Amends Jury, Court and Victim Time Off Provisions

AB2123 – Changes Managing Leave Under Paid Family Leave (PFL)

SB100 – Restricts Driver’s License Requirements in Job Postings

SB399 – Curtails Employer Mandatory Meetings With Employees During Union Organizing

SB988 – Changes the Freelance Worker Protection Act

AB2975 – Amends Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention Requirements

AB1034 – Extends Construction Industry PAGA Exemptions

AB250 – Extends Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assault Claims

AB288 – Expands Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) Enforcement of Labor Laws in the Private Sector

AB406 – Strengthens the Safe Leave Act Permitting Employees to Use Paid Sick Leave for Judicial Procedures

AB692 – Ban on Stay Or Pay and Training Repayment

SB642 – Wage Equity Term Classification

SB7 – No Robo Bosses Act

SB590 – Paid Family Leave Designated Person

AB1136 – Immigration and Work Authorization

SB294 – The Workplace Know Your Rights Act

AB1326 – Right To Wear A Mask

SB 513 – Personnel Records Include Training Certificates

Compliant, up-to-date, and comprehensive employee handbooks benefit both employers and employees. For employers, it provides a first line of legal protection and liability reduction against a host of potential workplace lawsuits by reinforcing the uniform application of legally supported organizational policies by managers and supervisors. It also offers a source of accurate information that helps educate employees and minimize the HR team’s need to repetitively answer questions typically found in the handbook.

For employees, policy clarity provides transparent, predictable guidelines and expectations for job performance, behavioral standards, and benefits that minimize confusion and guesswork. Handbooks also describe policies that define employee rights, procedures for accessing legally mandated paid and unpaid leave and time off, and processes for reporting issues and resolving conflicts.  A culture of fair treatment and the ability to address concerns without fear of retaliation is demonstrated through the value and importance an organization places on ensuring it maintains a compliant, up-to-date, and comprehensive handbook.                

It’s never a bad time to review and update your current employee handbook. Contact SDHR Consulting to sweep away the cobwebs and give your handbook a fresh start.