I have been in the Human Resource field for over 40 years now and have worked with many employment attorneys. They are a critical part of the organization and I always tell my clients to have a relationship with an employment attorney who they can go to with any concerns they have.
Employee handbooks need to contain zero tolerance for any type of harassment or discrimination.
They need to provide the policies of the company so that employees know where they stand.
They also need to address the various employment laws and which ones apply to a particular business. There are different criteria for various employment laws such as COBRA, FMLA, FLSA, OSHA, etc.
Employee handbooks protect employers from potential litigation if properly administered.
If you have more questions, I suggest consulting with an experienced HR professional.
Barbara Flynn, MS, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
All About The People by Barbara Flynn @ People First 