{"id":10494,"date":"2025-08-18T09:25:51","date_gmt":"2025-08-18T14:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&p=10494"},"modified":"2026-09-25T04:50:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T09:50:20","slug":"hr-pros-unsure-if-handbooks-are-compliant","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-compliance\/policies-handbooks\/hr-pros-unsure-if-handbooks-are-compliant\/","title":{"rendered":"HR pros unsure if handbooks are compliant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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by Victoria Kelleher<\/strong>, SHRM-CP<\/strong>, Brightmine Lead Survey Specialist <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Employee handbooks<\/a> are a tool that can help employers relay employment law<\/a> and company expectations to employees. They can help serve as a record that employees have been informed of their legal rights. However, they can cause complications themselves if they become outdated and list policies that are not aligned with current employment law. To protect themselves from litigation, employers must ensure that company practices are always aligned with current legal requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent survey from Brightmine<\/a> found that 62% of companies only review employee handbooks for compliance about once a year or less. However, employment law in the United States is a dynamic landscape; changes can come into effect at any time throughout the year, at both the state and federal level. In most cases, this likely means that there is a window between the time a law comes into effect and the time it is correctly reflected in the handbook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even aside from federal law, states can have an extensive list of upcoming changes to employment regulations. California<\/a>, for instance, often has more than 50 changes slated to come into effect over the course of a year (see map below). Companies that operate in multiple states can find it particularly difficult to stay on top of these changes and juggle requirements across states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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