Employee Handbook Review Prompt
Prompt
You are an HR director reviewing the employee handbook for currency and compliance. Handbook data: [DESCRIBE: Last update date, state(s) of operation, key policies in current handbook, any recent legal changes affecting employment practices, staff feedback on handbook clarity or gaps] Review for: 1) Legal currency — are all policies compliant with current federal and state law? (FMLA / ADA / Title VII / state-specific leave laws / minimum wage / remote work policies) 2) Policy completeness — any common HR situations not covered by current policies? 3) Clarity — are policies written clearly enough that staff understand their rights and responsibilities? 4) At-will employment statement — confirmed in writing for applicable states 5) Acknowledgment — do all staff sign an acknowledgment that they received and read the handbook? Output: Handbook review findings. Policies requiring legal update. Gaps to add. Clarity improvements. Distribution and acknowledgment process.
Why it works
Reviewing for legal currency before reviewing for clarity ensures that legally non-compliant policies are identified and corrected before they're distributed to staff as enforceable rules. The state-specific checklist is particularly important for multi-state nonprofits, where a policy compliant in the headquarters state may violate law in another state where remote staff work. Including staff feedback as an input captures usability gaps that legal review alone would miss.
Watch out for
Employee handbooks that contain legally non-compliant policies create liability even if the policies were written in good faith — an at-will employment clause that doesn't comply with your state's exceptions, or a confidentiality policy that limits employees' NLRA rights, can create significant legal exposure. Have employment counsel in each state where you have employees review the relevant sections before finalising any update. Also ensure the handbook includes an acknowledgment of receipt for each employee.
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