Category: employee handbook

Top Ten Questions to Ask BEFORE getting a Church Employee Handbook

Top Ten Questions to Ask BEFORE getting a Church Employee Handbook

Eric Lorenzen

Buying an Employee Handbook for your church is a big investment of money and time, so it’s best to ask some questions before you ever start down this road. Here are the top 10 questions to ask when considering what to buy and from whom:

1-Do We even need a Church Employee Handbook?

Not everyone does. No employees? Then you don’t need it, even if you are working with numerous volunteers or 1099 contractors. As the name implies, these are policy manuals specifically for employees. Your relationship with contractors is better governed by a detailed contract. Your relationship with volunteers is probably better served by a simple list of rules. You don’t have the same amount of control over either of these groups, nor the same responsibilities like offering benefits and pay.

Just starting a ministry? You may need one, especially if you anticipate hiring staff within the next few months. It is actually a smart approach to have your employee policies in place before your hire up, because it prevents a lot of bad habits from even getting started. It also shows that your ministry is a professional one, ready to go from Day One.

2- Will this Church Employee Handbook be Legally Compliant?

You can find lots of free or cheap templates out there, but do they follow the latest legal guidelines? Something written ten years ago and posted on the internet most likely won’t be compliant. The factors that could affect your ministry include federal laws, state laws, local laws, and even the size of your ministry staff. Laws deal with wages, hours worked, harassment, disabilities, paid leaves, pay periods, employee classification, and so much more.

In addition, does this handbook service understand religious exceptions and the need for a shared belief among staff? Are you confident that the free or cheap version that you found will address all these rules and laws appropriately?

3- How Much Money and Time will this Church Employee Handbook Cost Us?

There are some good, legally-compliant template programs available online. Expect to pay $400 or more for one. However, you will now have to spend hundreds of labor hours learning the program, deciding what applies to your church or not, and then compiling your final Employee Handbook.

After all that work, it will still just be an online document. To now print it, requires exporting the online Handbook and converting it into a print form and then printing and binding those manuals. Expect another $100 or so to get those Employee Handbooks finished and ready to distribute.

So the cost of creating your own Church Employee Handbook from a good template can easily range into the thousands of dollars when you count all your labor hours. For some that have more time than money, this could be the better route. For most, hiring a professional makes sense, because your handbook ends up being less expensive and you get your deliverable much quicker.

For a professional service, expect to pay anywhere from $1500 to $4000, depending on the size and complexity of your ministry. If you choose to go with a lawyer who specializes in labor law (which is recommended for ministries that have high-regulated industries under their umbrella, for international ministries, and for some others), expect the price to be much higher because you will be paying for their expertise.

4. Is this only an online Church Staff Handbook?

Many services offer only an online handbook. You answer questions and that decides which forms the program will generate in your digital staff manual. There is no paper version, just an online one. That rises other questions. Who will have access to this online document? Do you have to pay for each employee’s online access? How do you get it to your staff, especially if not everyone uses a computer for their work? Where is that online handbook hosted? (Almost always it is kept at the website of whoever you hired and not on your own servers.) What happens when you lose power or internet connection?

When your employees have a printed copy of an Employee Handbook, then there is no excuse for not knowing church policy. In addition, pastors and supervisors have it in print as well, ready to use wherever its needed.

5- Do We have to Sign-Up for an Ongoing Service?

Many companies offer an Employee Handbook if you will commit to a monthly HR service that costs thousands of dollars per year. That’s the fad in all industries: to make money through monthly subscriptions. Their hope, much like a gym with its memberships, is to make their money on how little you use the services over the coming months and years. The enticement is an online HR support, but how thorough and complete is that service?

Remember, you came there for the best Employee Handbook for your church, not for all those other bells and whistles. Is their offered service going to generate a great manual for you or just a mediocre, cookie-cutter handbook? All that other stuff might sound good, but what are they really offering you when it comes to Employee Policies?

6- Who Controls Our Church Employee Handbook?

When your Church Employee Handbook is part of an ongoing service or is hosted on someone else’s site, it usually means you are at their whim when it comes to access. Stop their monthly service and it disappears. Refuse to renew a yearly license for your online handbook and get locked out.

To prevent any of that, you should insist on receiving the final files of your Church Employee Handbook, including printable versions of the document. This Church Staff Handbook should be yours to control and to edit as you want.

7- Can We Edit Our Church Staff Handbook Later?

Editing an Employee Handbook should always be done with caution, but sometimes church leadership needs to update things. Maybe there’s change in benefits. Maybe you’ve updated your dress code. For major changes, you should go back to your original provider, but you should have the ability to carefully make minor changes.

Unfortunately, if all that you have is a pdf or an online copy, you might not be able to change things easily. Check to see what’s provided to you and if you will be able to make changes on your own.

8- Will We Receive Printed Copies of my Employee Handbook for Our Staff?

Most companies will not complete that “last mile” to you. They help your get a Church Employee Handbook put together. They might even create a print version as a Word document or a pdf. However, they don’t actually print out the Church Employee Handbook and ship it to your office. That requires extra work and extra commitment on their part. It is much easier to leave the printing to you, but that will cost you.

If you are having to print your new Church Staff Handbook yourself, expect a cost of $100 or more. You will have to get the file prepped and sent to a printer, pay their charges, and then travel there to pick up your copies. It is so much easier when you get all your Employee Handbooks already printed and delivered, ready to distribute to your team.

9- Will the Church Employee Handbook have Customized Policies Specifically for Our Ministry?

All good service providers will get you the basic policies needed for your organization. Things like overtime rules and sick leave, employee classifications and pay periods. However, will they customize to your specific needs and wants? You might need ministry-specific policies for “pastor accountability” or “working with minors” or any number of other reasons.

Ministry-specific policies can address areas like food-handling, church vehicles, working with volunteers, sabbaticals, leave for short-term missions, licensing and credentials, church membership, and so much more. Will your provider craft custom forms just for you?

10- Does this Church Staff Handbook Come with any Guarantee?

Does the provider of your Employee Handbook service stand behind their product? Do the guarantee satisfaction? Do they take care of legal updates? (If so, for how long? 30 days/ 90 days/ 1 year?)

You should get an Employee Handbook with appropriate support behind it.

Ready to Get an Custom Employee Handbook that’s a Complete Service?

Designing employee handbooks is what we specialize in here at New Wind.

Learn more about what we have to offer: Church Employee Handbook Experts.


New Wind Business Solutions
Top Ten Questions to Ask BEFORE getting an Employee Handbook

Top Ten Questions to Ask BEFORE getting an Employee Handbook

Eric Lorenzen

Buying an Employee Handbook for your business is a big investment of money and time, so it’s best to ask some questions before you ever start down this road. Here are the top 10 questions to ask when considering what to buy and from whom:

1-Do I even need an Employee Handbook?

Not everyone does. No employees? Then you don’t need it, even if you are working with numerous volunteers or contractors. As the name implies, these are policy manuals specifically for employees. Your relationship with contractors is better governed by a detailed contract. Your relationship with volunteers is probably better served by a simple list of rules. You don’t have the same amount of control over either of these groups, nor the same responsibilities like offering benefits and pay.

Just starting a business? You may need one, especially if you anticipate hiring staff within the next few months. It is actually a smart approach to have your employee policies in place before your hire up, because it prevents a lot of bad habits from even getting started. It also shows that your business is a professional one, ready to go from Day One.

2- Will this Employee Handbook be Legally Compliant?

You can find lots of free or cheap templates out there, but do they follow the latest legal guidelines? Something written ten years ago and posted on the internet most likely won’t be compliant. The factors that could affect your business include federal laws, state laws, local laws industry-specific laws, and even the size of your business. Laws deal with wages, hours worked, harassment, disabilities, paid leaves, pay periods, employee classification, and so much more. Are you confident that the free or cheap version that you found will address all these rules and laws appropriately?

3- How Much Money and Time will this Employee Handbook Cost Me?

There are some good, legally-compliant template programs available online. Expect to pay $400 or more for one. However, you will now have to spend hundreds of labor hours learning the program, deciding what applies to your business or not, and then compiling your final Employee Handbook.

After all that work, it will still just be an online document. To now print it, requires exporting the online Handbook and converting it into a print form and then printing and binding those manuals. Expect another $100 or so to get those Employee Handbooks finished and ready to distribute.

So the cost of creating your own Employee Handbook from a good template can easily range into the thousands of dollars when you count all your labor hours. For some that have more time than money, this could be the better route. For most, hiring a professional makes sense, because your handbook ends up being less expensive and you get your deliverable much quicker.

For a professional service, expect to pay anywhere from $1500 to $4000, depending on the size and complexity of your business. If you choose to go with a lawyer who specializes in labor law (which is recommended for high-regulated industries, unionized business, and some others), expect the price to be much higher because you will be paying for their expertise.

4. Is this only an online Employee Handbook?

Many services offer only an online handbook. You answer questions and that decides which forms the program will generate in your digital staff manual. There is no paper version, just an online one. That rises other questions. Who will have access to this online document? Do you have to pay for each employee’s online access? How do you get it to your staff, especially if not everyone uses a computer for their work? Where is that online handbook hosted? (Almost always it is kept at the website of whoever you hired and not on your own servers.) What happens when you lose power or internet connection?

When your employees have a printed copy of an Employee Handbook, then there is no excuse for not knowing company policy. In addition, managers and supervisors have it in print as well, ready to use wherever its needed.

5- Do I have to Sign-Up for an Ongoing Service?

Many companies offer an Employee Handbook if you will commit to a monthly HR service that costs thousands of dollars per year. That’s the fad in all industries: to make money through monthly subscriptions. Their hope, much like a gym with its memberships, is to make their money on how little you use the services over the coming months and years. The enticement is an online HR support, but how thorough and complete is that service?

Remember, you came there for the best Employee Handbook for your business, not for all those other bells and whistles. Is their offered service going to generate a great manual for you or just a mediocre, cookie-cutter handbook? All that other stuff might sound good, but what are they really offering you when it comes to Employee Policies?

6- Who Controls My Employee Handbook?

When your Employee Handbook is part of an ongoing service or is hosted on someone else’s site, it usually means you are at the whim when is comes to access. Stop their monthly service and it disappears. Refuse to renew a yearly license for your online handbook and get locked out.

To prevent any of that, you should insist on receiving the final files of your Employee Handbook, including printable versions of the document. This Employee Handbook should be yours to control and to edit as you want.

7- Can I Edit My Employee Handbook Later?

Editing an Employee Handbook should always be done with caution, but sometimes a business owner or authorized manager need to update things. Maybe there’s change in benefits. Maybe you’ve updated your dress code. For major changes, you should go back to your original provider, but you should have the ability to carefully make minor changes.

Unfortunately, if all that you have is a pdf or an online copy, you might not be able to change things easily. Check to see what’s provided to you and if you will be able to make changes on your own.

8- Will I Receive Printed Copies of my Employee Handbook for my Staff?

Most companies will not complete that “last mile” to you. They help your get an Employee Handbook put together. They might even create a print version as a Word document or a pdf. However, they don’t actually print out the Employee Handbook and ship it to your office. That requires extra work and extra commitment on their part. It is much easier to leave the printing to you, but that will cost you.

If you are having to print your new Employee Handbook yourself, expect a cost of $100 or more. You will have to get the file prepped and sent to a printer, pay their charges, and then travel there to pick up your copies. It is so much easier when you get all your Employee Handbooks already printed and delivered, ready to distribute to your team.

9- Will the Employee Handbook have Customized Policies Specifically for My Business?

All good service providers will get you the basic policies needed for your organization. Things like overtime rules and sick leave, employee classifications and pay periods. However, will they customize to your specific needs and wants? You might need industry-specific policies for employee safety or client care or any number of other reasons.

Industry-specific policies can include topics like HIPAA, food handling, client confidentiality, working with minors, and so on. Sometimes, a business needs unique policies to fit their line of work. Will your provider craft custom forms just for you?

10- Does this Employee Handbook Come with any Guarantee?

Does the provider of your Employee Handbook service stand behind their product? Do the guarantee satisfaction? Do they take care of legal updates? (If so, for how long? 30 days/ 90 days/ 1 year?)

You should get an Employee Handbook with appropriate support behind it.

Ready to Get an Custom Employee Handbook that’s a Complete Service?

Designing employee handbooks is what we specialize in here at New Wind.

Learn more about what we have to offer: Employee Policy Experts


New Wind Business Solutions
Do Small Businesses Have to Offer Paid Sick Leave?

Do Small Businesses Have to Offer Paid Sick Leave?

Eric Lorenzen

Are you required to provide Paid Sick Leave (PSL) to your employees? The answer is “depends on where you’re located and how big you are.” This isn’t an easy answer because labor laws differ by state/ city/ size. Let’s get into the the details:

No Federal Requirements of Paid Sick Leave

There are no federal laws requiring your small business to offer paid sick leave. If your state has no regulations on paid sick leave, then it defaults to the federal level, which is none. That doesn’t mean you can’t offer it; it means you will not be forced to offer this benefit to your employees. However, 20+ states do mandate PSL of some kind or other. These laws apply to you if your company has a location in one of those states, cities, or counties. These laws also apply to you if you have a remote employee working in one of these areas.

(CAUTION: Some State and Local laws may have changed since the publishing of this article. As always, we encourage you to research the topic yourself and to seek the advice of a labor law lawyer if needed. This article is meant as general information only.)

States that Require Paid Sick Leave from All Employers

Eight states, plus the District of Columbia, have mandatory paid sick leave, no matter your organization’s size. Those states are Arizona, California, Illinois, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Vermont, and Washington.

The amount of sick days differs per state, as does the rate of sick time is earned. Most states that have required PSL, have a mandate of 40 hours maximum of sick leave per year, but other locations have a maximum PSL of 48 hours or 52. One location has no maximum on how much PSL can be earned.

The rate that PSL is earned can also differ. Some places, employees earn 1 hour per every 30 hours worked, but in other locations the employees earn at a rate of 1 hour per every 52 hours worked.

States that Require Paid Sick Leave from Employers of a Certain Size Only

Another nine states require PSL when you reach a certain size. In these states, once you hit that limit, you have to offer PSL to all of your staff: Colorado (16+ employees), Connecticut (50+), Maine (10+), Maryland (15+), Massachusetts (12+), Michigan (50+), New York (5+), Oregon (10+), and Rhode Island (18+).

If you are located in any of these states, you’ll want to give careful thought when your employee count comes close to one of these thresholds. Once you cross over, then all your employees become eligible for paid sick leave, so take the time to study your state law and see how they define an employee unit. (Part-time Equivalent, Full-Time Equivalent, and so on.)

Sick Leave for those with colds

States where Certain Cities or Counties Require Paid Sick Leave

Another eight states had additional PSL laws for particular localities only. These might be the only ones in that state or they might be more stringent than state requirements. These laws apply to employees who work in these locations, not necessarily where they live or even where your business is located. If you have a remote employee working in one of these counties or cities, you could be liable to these laws even if your actual facilities are in a different city or county. Take the time to know how the law applies your company.

These locations are as follows: California (Berkeley, Emeryville, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco); Illinois (Chicago, Cook County); Maryland (Montgomery County); Minnesota (Duluth, Minneapolis, St. Paul); New Mexico (Bernalillo County); New York (New York City, Westchester County); Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh); and Washington (Seattle, Tacoma).

Quick Reference Table for Paid Sick Leave

(As of 9/9/24- this information is subject to change as state and local laws are implemented and/or revised. Please verify this information before using for your employees.)

STATEMINIMUM # OF EMPLOYEES BEFORE LAW APPLIESMAXIMUM HOURS OF PSL PER YEARPSL EARNED PER HOURS WORKED**
AZall401/30
CA*all401/30
COall481/30
CT(#)50+(#)401/40
DCalldiffersdiffers
IL*all401/40
MA12+401/30
MD*15+641/30
ME10+401/40
MI50+401/35
MN*all–1/30
NJall401/30
NM*all641/30
NV50+400.0193/1
NY*5+40-561/30
OR*10+401/30
PA*(%)see localitysee localitysee locality
RI18+401/35
VTall401/52
WA*all–1/40

*= States with additional PSL regulations in particular cities or counties.
**= States may change the rate that PSL is earned and it can differ depending on the size of your organization. Please verify the rate in your area before applying.
#= Connecticut (at time of publishing) requires PSL from companies of 50+ staff and only for “service workers”, but that term is widely defined, so please verify if any of your employees fall under that category. Law is expanding each year, adding in more categories of employees and lowering the amount of employees needed before PSL is mandated. Please check current law requirements.
%= Pennsylvania currently has NO state PSL requirements, but various cities/counties in PA do. Please check your local area.

Get Help with Your Employee Paid Sick Leave Policies

At New Wind, we design customized Employee Handbooks that cover essential policies and procedures like paid sick leave, overtime rules, and employee classifications. We do all the work; you get a handbook ready to distribute to your team.

Learn More: Customized Employee Handbooks.

Retail Store Employee
New Wind Business Solutions
Church Employee Policies Concerning Working with Minors

Church Employee Policies Concerning Working with Minors

Eric Lorenzen

Children hold a special place with our Lord and need our protection while they are at any church functions. Whether they are a helpless infant, an impressionable kid, or an alienated teen, all deserve a safe place among us.

Children's Ministry

Start that protection by establishing staff policies that determine who can work with minors in your church, whether its paid employees or volunteers. Your Church Employee Handbook is an important place to set these standards in writing, so that everyone understands and follows them.

 A sample policy covering Working with Minors might start with something like this:

Working with Minors
Before anyone is allowed to work or volunteer with minors at (CHURCH NAME), he or she must
complete our application form, be fingerprinted, and have a background check successfully run.
We do not allow anyone (whether staff or volunteer) to work with children if they have ever
engaged in any child neglect, molestation, exploitation, or abuse. Everyone is expected to follow the
Church’s guidelines for protecting the children and youth who attend (CHURCH NAME) or any
of its events or functions.

Kids Church beach outing

As your ministry grows, that policy can expand with added details like: restricted areas where photography is banned, restrictions on who can change diapers, avoiding pesticides and herbicides around children, sick child policies, pick-up and drop-off restrictions, as well as guidance on transporting or counseling minors.

Your employee handbook shouldn’t have procedures that are prone to change (pick-up times, particular events, and so on), but should have those policies that need to be consistent, no matter the location or event.

Need Help Crafting your Church Policies Concerning Minors?

See us at New Wind. We design church employee handbooks that cover this topic and all the other procedures and policies that are necessary for your church to thrive at ministering to toddlers, children, and youth.

Learn More: Church Employee Handbooks

 

New Wind Business Solutions

 

Employee Handbooks for Construction Companies

Eric Lorenzen

We design professional-grade Employee Handbooks for construction companies, customized to your specific situation. We handle the whole process, from consult to completion, crafting your employee policies into a comprehensive written manual. The final result: a custom Construction Employee Handbook that’s ready to distribute to your team

You have enough work on your plate, as does everyone in your office. Let Us take care of this for you.

3 Reasons to get a Custom Employee Handbook

“Very thorough and took the time to understand my business.”

Roger B

1. A Complete and Comprehensive Service

We design employee handbooks that meet each client’s needs and wants. We do a thorough review of your current policies and we take the time to understand what you need to get into writing. When we’re done, your new policy manual will be ready-to-use.

Compared to trying to create a handbook by using a template or a software program, you will:

  • Save 120 labor hours (or more) on research, formatting, and editing
  • Save hundreds of dollars in labor costs
  • Save the headaches of trying to understand what applies to your business and what doesn’t

2. Compliant with Federal, State, and Local Laws

We design employee handbooks that comply with the laws for your state, industry, and employee count. All of the core employee policies that we use have been reviewed by one of the country’s leading labor law firms.

Your employee policies will be clear, concise, and complete:

  • Define employee benefits such as PTO, vacation, sick leave, and  holidays
  • Establish employee behavior standards, including dress code, customer interactions, and use of company property
  • Clarify mandatory policies such as at-will employment, anti-discrimination, and overtime rules

3. Customized to your Specific Business

We design employee handbooks that reflect each client’s unique culture and priorities. We customize policies to match your established rules and benefits. We also add policies to reflect your specific niche in the construction industry. Are you doing new construction and/or remodeling? Are you a design & build firm or you a company focused on retrofitting and upgrades? Each niche has its own unique approach to employee policies and work environment. We will make sure your Construction Employee Handbook reflects your business needs and wants.

Your custom employee handbook will capture specifics like:

  • Phone, text, and social media rules
  • Vehicle safety, business expense reimbursements, and heat exposure
  • Jobsite security and client privacy

“The service was excellent. Eric always got back to us in a timely manner, and was extremely professional.”

Leslie O.
Custom Employee Handbook

We offer a complimentary 20-minute phone consult, where we discuss your needs
and determine pricing for your customized employee handbook for your construction company.
Go ahead and Pick the Day and Time for your free phone consult with Eric.

Schedule Phone Meeting
5 Steps to an Employee Handbook by New Wind

Each employee handbook is custom designed for that client, with a unique mix of policies to reflect that construction company’s particular standards and priorities. There are 5 steps to the process of getting a completed employee handbook:How long does it take to complete a custom employee handbook? Each project has its own timeline. It may take two weeks or two months- the timing really depends on the client. We want to complete your project in a timely fashion, but we also understand that some clients need time to decide on things, so we will not rush you. On our end, we promise prompt and professional response times.

“I like that you guys did all the work! Made it super easy for me.”

Genessy R.

Get Started with New Wind

We offer a free phone consult. You have nothing to lose except twenty minutes of time as we talk about your business pains and how we might be able to solve them.

This is a get-to-know-each-other meeting where we establish a firm price for designing an employee handbook for your organization.

This is also an opportunity for you to find out if New Wind is the right business consultant for you. We want it to be a good fit between us. So let’s talk and we’ll see where it leads. Go ahead and Pick the Day and Time for your free phone consult with Eric.

Schedule Phone Meeting
What is the Price for a handbook

How much does it cost to get a professional employee handbook? That’s a fair question. We offer three types of handbook designing services: Pro Grade Employee Handbook™, Pro Grade 50 Employe Handbook™, and Pro Grade Plus Employee Handbook™.

Please see our Pricing page to learn more about the cost for a professionally designed, customized employee handbook.

Our Commitment at New Wind

Employee policies and labor laws can get confusing, but there’s no reason for you to stay confused. Not when you can lean on us. Are you concerned about what policies are required for your staff? Well, at New Wind we work with you to design a custom employee handbook that’s just right for you. Get an employee handbook that’s comprehensive, while also being a practical help in your day-to-day managing of your team.

Have New Wind craft an Employee Handbook that is unique to your particular organization, considering its size, industry, and location. We will put in the policies that you need and want, and we will make sure that you understand the “why” behind each. It’s all part of our commitment to our clients, which is:

We design professional Employee Handbooks,
customized to your Specific Situation.

Contact New Wind
New Wind Business Solutions

Pro Grade Employee Handbook™, Pro Grade 50 Employee Handbook™, and Pro Grade Plus Employee Handbook™ are trademarks of New Wind Business Solutions.

New Wind Business Solutions designs professional, customized employee handbooks for new start-ups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and medium-sized businesses. We have experience consulting and training with businesses from a variety of industries and from around the country.

Schedule your phone consultation today.

Schedule a Phone Consult with New Wind

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Texas Employee Handbooks

Texas Employee Handbooks

Eric Lorenzen

Do you have a Texas business or nonprofit that needs an Employee Handbook? At New Wind, we design professional-grade Employee Handbooks, customized to your specific situation. We have crafted employee policies for organizations throughout the state, from Houston to Dallas to Austin. Our employee handbooks reflect all the current Texas labor laws, including local sick leave policies.

We handle the whole process, from consult to completion, crafting your employee policies into a comprehensive written manual. The final result: a custom Texas Employee Handbook that’s ready to distribute to your team.

3 Reasons to get a Custom Employee Handbook

“We are ready to go. Thanks so much!”

Kathleen M.
owner of a Texas restaurant and bakery

“The service was excellent. Eric always got back to us in a timely manner, and was extremely professional.”

Leslie O.
vice president of a wholesale and distribution company
Custom Employee Handbook
Schedule Phone Meeting

We offer a complimentary 20-minute phone consult, where we discuss your needs
and determine pricing for your customized Texas employee handbook.
Go ahead and Pick the Day and Time for your free phone consult with Eric.

5 Steps to an Employee Handbook by New Wind

Each employee handbook is custom designed for that client, with a unique mix of policies to reflect that company’s particular standards and priorities. There are 5 steps to the process of getting a completed Texas employee handbook:How long does it take to complete a custom employee handbook for your Texas business? Each project has its own timeline. It may take two weeks or two months- the timing really depends on the client. We want to complete your project in a timely fashion, but we also understand that some clients need time to decide on things, so we will not rush you. On our end, we promise prompt and professional response times.

“Thank you for your assistance.”

June C.
CEO of a Texas money services company

Get Started with New Wind

We offer a free phone consult. You have nothing to lose except twenty minutes of time as we talk about your business pains and how we might be able to solve them.

This is a get-to-know-each-other meeting where we establish a firm price for designing an employee handbook for your organization.

This is also an opportunity for you to find out if New Wind is the right business consultant for you. We want it to be a good fit between us. So let’s talk and we’ll see where it leads. Go ahead and Pick the Day and Time for your free phone consult with Eric.

Schedule Phone Meeting
New Wind Business Solutions

Pro Grade Employee Handbook™, Pro Grade 50 Employe Handbook™, and Pro Grade Plus Employee Handbook™ are trademarks of New Wind Business Solutions.

New Wind Business Solutions designs professional, customized employee handbooks for new start-ups, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, small businesses, and medium-sized businesses. We have experience consulting and training with businesses from a variety of industries, including: retail, retail support, restaurant, manufacturing, industrial, wholesale, construction, and home services. In addition, we have experience consulting nonprofits such as churches, preschools, and research organizations.

We craft employee handbooks for companies and nonprofits throughout Texas, including from the cities of Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Plano, Laredo, Lubbock, Irving, Garland, and more.

Employee Drug Policies in Connecticut

Eric Lorenzen

Recreational use of Marijuana becomes legal in Connecticut in 2022, but that doesn’t mean an employer has to now allow employees to work while high. Instead, you will need to treat marijuana use much like you do alcohol or prescription drug use, requiring that employees not be under the influence while working.

Littler, a leading labor law firm, advises that you can still enforce your drug-free workplace rules, but you need to do with extra care:

Notably, the new law expressly permits employers to continue to prohibit employees from engaging in the recreational use of marijuana, subject to certain statutory requirements. Employers that wish to take action based on positive recreational marijuana test results must carefully comply with those requirements. A positive marijuana test result, standing alone, otherwise will be insufficient to justify adverse employment action.

Elizabeth McKenna and Dale Deitchler from Littler (link to full article)

What you should do: Before January 2022, you should update your organization’s Drug Policy (often a part of your Employee Handbook). At New Wind, we can craft for you a custom Employee Handbook, designed specifically for your organization.

Texas Harassment Law Change

Eric Lorenzen

We at New Wind hope all is well with you and your company. Below is our Labor Law update for your particular state.

Upcoming New Law: Texas SB 45 (HB 48)
What is it about? Discrimination and Harassment
Effective Date: September 1, 2021

Summary of the law: The national law firm of Littler summarizes the new law as this: “Provides that it is unlawful employment practice if an employer knew about prohibited harassment and did not act immediately.”

How could it affect you? Be sure to take any claims of harassment seriously and be quick to investigate any reported or suspected harassment. If you do not already have your company policies in writing, you might consider getting an Employee Handbook. At New Wind, we can craft a customized Texas Employee Handbook specifically for your organization.

Employee Handbooks for Restaurants

Eric Lorenzen

Fairness in employment.  An employee handbook sets your employee policies and procedures in writing for your restaurant, grill, or cafe.   With a well designed restaurant employee manual you will gain many benefits: 1) your HR policies will be clear and consistent, 2) you will lower the chance of misunderstanding or frustration among staff, 3) you will offer protection to the business, and 4) you will equip your supervisors with a good HR resource.  No matter what type of business you have, an employee handbook is an essential for getting your employee policies in writing.

Some policies are necessary for any employee handbook:  at-will employment, non-discrimination, non-harassment, professional ethics, benefits, and a confirmation-of-receipt page.  Consider some of the other policies that can be included:

Employee Policies listEmployee Policies List

What typical policies are specific for restaurants?  Laws differ by state (and sometimes by city). There usually aren’t any that are specific to the industry beyond requirements on hygiene and food handling. Restaurant managers and owners do often choose to add custom policies that are unique to their particular organization, covering topics such as delivery driving safety, money handling, dress code, employee parking, customer respect, or security.

What is not included in a typical handbook?  A typical handbook (30-40 pages) does not cover job procedures which are too intricate and industry-specific.  Those topics not covered include things like job descriptions, day-to-day work procedures, and so forth.  Also, most handbooks are only in English, since good translation services are rather expensive to maintain legally compliant terminology.

How do I get a restaurant employee handbook?  Many wonder how to go about getting an employee manual that covers everything they need it to. Well, there are three paths you can choose to from:

  • Do-it-yourself (template)
  • Consulting Company (custom designed)
  • Lawyer (legally strong but not customized)

1. Do-it-Yourself Path: Many consider buying an employee handbook template online, which can cost from $50 to $350 or more.  A decent one will cost you at least $200.  The features such a template must have are:

  • Does the template include state-specific sections?  Many regulations differ by state, such as overtime, discrimination laws, jury duty, vacation pay, etc.
  • Does the template include size-specific sections?  Some regulations differ also by size, including FMLA, Pregnancy Leave, Sick Leave, etc.

Even if the employee handbook template you purchase is a decent one, expect to invest 100-140 work hours into research, editing, and customizing.  You will need to become familiar with your state’s labor laws to make sure the final handbook complies to state laws.  Most templates are purchased online.

Cost to you: about $250, plus 100+ work hours.

2. Consulting Company path:  This is the best value for most organizations.  Hire a consulting company to create your restaurant Employee Handbook.  The consulting company will conduct an interview to determine your current employee policies and survey what will be required considering your industry, location, and size.  Pricing starts at $1,500, so it initially costs more than the DIY path, but in reality it will save you both time and money.  See the links below for more information.

Cost to you: About $1,500 to $3,000, plus a few hours reading through the various drafts.

Learn more: Employee Handbook for Businesses

In addition, a consulting company can add custom policies that are unique to your organization, which a template would not offer.

3. Attorney-approved Path:  This route is by far the most expensive for an organization.  Hiring a Labor Lawyer to design an employee handbook can cost $5,000 to $9,000 or even more.  Is it worth the price?  Yes, if you run a highly regulated business or one considered to be at  high-risk for lawsuits.   Be sure to find a lawyer who focuses on employer needs, since many labor lawyers make their money representing employees suing their employers.

Cost to you: Average about $7,000, plus a few hours to review what was created.

(This article was originally published at HR Quick Answers. Republished with permission.)

Employee Handbooks for California Businesses

Eric Lorenzen

Custom Employee HandbookDoing business in California can be fantastic and frustrating at the same time. There are so many huge opportunities to explode in sales (if you are great at Wooing your Customers), but the labor regulations can sometimes overwhelm.  Rules. Rules. Rules. There are regs on OT, breaks, sick leave, discrimination, voting rights, and so much more.

As your company grows, you’ll reach a point when you realize it’s time to get more professional in how we’re handling our rules and policies. You realize that it’s time to get an Employee Handbook.

What are the benefits of an Employee Handbook? Besides offering some lawsuit protection, a handbook helps to get everyone “on the same page” when it comes to expectations, benefits, and potential consequences for failing to work as expected.

Other benefits to having an employee handbook are listed by the info blog HR Quick Answers:

Fairness in employment.  An employee handbook sets your employee policies and procedures in writing for your California business.   With a well designed California employee manual you will gain many benefits: 1) your HR policies will be clear and consistent, 2) you will lower the chance of misunderstanding or frustration among staff, 3) you will offer protection to the business, and 4) you will equip your supervisors with a good HR resource.  No matter what type of business you have, an employee handbook is an essential for getting your California employee policies in writing.

But that leads to the question of how do you get an employee handbook. Well, there are 3 main options in front of you:

1. Download a Template. Priced from $30 to $350, these templates will require you to invest many hours into personalizing the handbook to your state, employee count, and business specifics. Templates do NOT have typical industry-specific policies. A good template from the California Chamber of Commerce coasts about $250.

2. Have a consulting company design a customized handbook for you. Typical price is between $1,500 and $3,000. Pricing might seem high, but consider how many hours it would take one of your employees to create this from a good template (anywhere from 3-4 weeks of work). Even if the employee is only getting paid $10 per hour, it will cost you at least as much as it would hiring a consulting company, and the consultant will have quite a bit more experience at what should (and shouldn’t) be in that manual.

Customized Employee Handbooks

Church Employee Handbooks

3. Go to a labor law lawyer. This is by far the most expensive option, but you will receive a California employee handbook that considers all the legal intricacies of your business (though maybe not industry-specific policies). This is a good option for complex businesses concerned about employee lawsuits. Typical pricing ranges from $5,000 to $9,000.

Another option is to hire a lawyer to simply review a handbook you had designed DIY or by a consultant.

At New Wind, we design customized Employee Handbooks. We invite you to contact us for a complementary 30-minute Phone Consult, where we’ll talk about your business and what you want/need as written policies in an employee handbook. Schedule a consult now- it will only cost you 30 minutes of your time.

Contact New Wind