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Employment Handbooks, Policies & Procedures

Our Employment Team are highly experienced in advising on all aspects of employee staff handbooks, policies and procedures.

These documents are vital to the smooth running of your operation, ensuring that all employees have a common understanding of how your business operates in a manner that conforms with employment law.

We frequently encounter businesses who have failed to invest appropriately in these areas, and as a result, have inadvertently breached the law. This not only puts employees at risk of injury, overwork, bullying and harassment, but it also places the business at risk of data protection, equality and other types of breaches.

The content of Employee or Staff Handbooks is not set in stone, but will typically include:

The company vision / mission /ethos
Information on employment records you hold and associated data protection
Company policies and procedures (this may reference separate documents for each policy and procedure), including:
Disciplinary procedures
Grievance and dispute procedures
Bullying and harassment procedures
Complaints procedures
Health and safety policies
Equality policy
Smoking policy
Overtime policy
Social media policy

Terms and Conditions, including:

Hours of work
Lunch periods and breaks
Absence reporting
Hygiene expectations
Alcohol and drugs
Use of internet, mobile phones and email during work time
Confidentiality
Resignation and termination, including notice periods
Layoffs
Redundancy

Leave and Benefits, including:

Annual leave
Compassionate leave
Maternity leave
Paternity leave
Parental leave
Force Majeure leave (if time off is needed for urgent family or other matters)
Carers leave
Adoptive leave
Jury duty
Pension policies and plans
Training and professional development

The objective of the Employee or Staff Handbook is to be the ‘go to’ reference for all employment-related information and is a ‘living document’ which evolves as the business develops.

Employee Handbooks should be written by HR professionals with enough knowledge of all areas of Employment law covered within the documents. They should also update the handbook regularly as the business changes or as legal requirements evolve.

It is also important that the document and its accompanying policies and procedures are tailored to your business operation, not merely a standard publication.

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Key Contacts

Marc Fitzgibbon

Partner

Nikita Kelly

Solicitor

Why Choose Lavelle for Employee Handbooks & Policies?

Our Employment Team, headed up by Partner Marc Fitzgibbon, are highly experienced in advising on all aspects of Employee Handbooks, Policies & Procedures over the past 35 years.
Marc is ranked in Band 2 in the latest Chambers and Partners Europe 2024 Guide for Employment: Mainly Plaintiff.
Whether you need legal guidance or a completely new staff handbook, our Employment Team can provide expert assistance.
We understand the need to ensure that staff handbooks, policies and procedures are drafted fully in-line with the law, thereby protecting your business or organisation from the threat of a claim or reputational damage.
As a full-service law firm, client's benefit from our multi-disciplinary offering and our specialist legal expertise across a number of related practice areas including Banking & Finance, Corporate & Commercial and Property.

Need Help? Just Ask.

For expert legal advice on Employment Handbooks, Policies & Procedures, call us on +353 1 644 5800 or email law@lavellepartners.ie

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What Our Clients Say

“Marc Fitzgibbon stands out as an expert in his field, providing pragmatic support that goes beyond advice and expertise. He provides guidance with respect and understanding, facilitating decisions in the client’s best interest.”

The Legal 500, 2023

“Marc Fitzgibbon excels in all the particular strengths of the Employment team of Lavelle Partners. His in-depth knowledge of how Employment law works in practice is matched with a thoughtful strategic approach. Coupled with an ability to effectively communicate this to the client, enables a collaborative approach which produces good outcomes.”

The Legal 500, 2023

“Marc Fitzgibbon and his team provide exceptional expertise, practical and pragmatic advice to clients.”

The Legal 500, 2023

“The Lavelle Employment law team is highly responsive, helpful and very well informed. Their attention to detail is very strong and the team’s commitment to their clients is exceptional.”