Research Report

Number 4489 Guide to

August 2017
Developing HR
Policies and Procedures

Offices: Mailing Address:

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 DISCLAIMER

These materials are provided by the Hawaii Employers Council for illustrative
and general informational purposes only, are not intended to constitute legal advice,
and should not be interpreted by you as legal advice. Because legal advice is
dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation, and because relevant
law often changes, you should consult with competent legal counsel before relying
upon or using any informational materials provided to you.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

© 2017 Hawaii Employers Council. All rights reserved. This publication

contains propriety and copyrighted material of the Hawaii Employers Council.
These materials are being provided to HEC member organizations for internal use.
Member organizations may not reproduce, redistribute, disclose, share, utilize,
email, or otherwise transmit any part of these materials to any other individual or
entity, without prior written permission of the Hawaii Employers Council.

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 Guide to Developing
HR Policies and Procedures

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1
Getting Started ......................................................................................................................... 3
Establishing Goals .............................................................................................................. 3
Creating Your Action Plan ................................................................................................. 3
Implementing Your Action Plan ......................................................................................... 5
Writing Your Policies and Procedures .................................................................................. 9
Revising Current Policies and Procedures .......................................................................... 9
Creating New Policies and Procedures ............................................................................... 10
Organizing Your MaPP and the Policies it Contains.......................................................... 11
Obtaining Approvals ............................................................................................................... 13
Publishing and Communicating ............................................................................................. 14
Keeping It Relevant ................................................................................................................. 15
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 17
Exhibit A – Sample Action Plan Worksheet ...................................................................... 18
Exhibit B – Partial Listing of Federal and State Laws Affecting Employee Relations ...... 19
Exhibit C – Sample Questionnaire ..................................................................................... 25
Exhibit D – Sample Policy Manual Checklist .................................................................... 26
Exhibit E – Sample Priority List ......................................................................................... 31
Exhibit F – Sample Data Gathering Form .......................................................................... 33
Exhibit G – Sample Policy Manual Format ........................................................................ 35

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 INTRODUCTION

While policies guide actions and activities toward a desired outcome, procedures are the specific
methods for ensuring that actions align with and result in the achievement of those outcomes. To
be effective, companies need to have both (1) written policies and (2) procedures for
implementing those policies to reach their desired outcomes.

A company’s HR policies and procedures manual is an important part of its communications

program. A manual of policies and procedures (MaPP) provides managers and supervisors with
a “roadmap” to deliver clear and consistent communications to employees regarding the
company’s expectations and conditions of employment.

A company’s MaPP also formulates guidelines for:

 A systematic approach to HR policies and practices;

 Providing fair and equitable treatment of the employees;
 Forming the basis for the organization’s employee handbook, training for supervisors
and managers, and the context for employee orientation;
 Clarifying the relationship between the company and all of its employees;
 Resolving difficulties and misunderstandings that may result from unwritten policies,
inconsistencies and lack of communication; and
 Clarifying lines of authority and responsibility.

Your company’s HR MaPP has uses that differ from those of your employee handbook. The
primary audience for the employee handbook is your employees. As such, the document should
be used as a description of company rules and expectations. It offers a brief description of the
organization’s history, products and/or services, outlines employee benefits programs, and
identifies the obligations of both the employee as well as the company. The HR MaPP, on the
other hand, provides managers and supervisors with a tool to guide them through their daily
interactions with employees. The HR MaPP should therefore contain more detail and step-by-
step instructions on procedures for how the company’s policies should be carried out.

To develop or update your organization’s HR MaPP, it is critical to understand the distinction

between “Policy” and “Procedure.” The following outline will help you distinguish between the
two.

Policy Procedure
Definition  A “policy” states the company’s  A “procedure” describes how
intent the company’s intent is to be
 A statement of company accomplished
philosophy covering a specific  The method or technique by
aspect of the employer- which a given policy is
employee relationship implemented or accomplished

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 Policy Procedure
 A guiding principle used to set  A series of operational processes
direction required to implement the policy
Purpose  Sets, controls or directs actions  Explains how to implement the
or conduct to ensure consistency specific requirements of the
and compliance with the processes and achieve the
company’s strategic direction desired results

Function  Explains who is responsible for  Explains who performs the

the execution and enforcement procedure, what steps are
of the policy, what the policy is, performed, how the steps are
and why the policy is required performed and when the steps
are to be performed
What’s  What the rule is  When the rule applies
Included  Why the rule exists  When and how actions are to be
 Who the rule covers taken
 Who has responsibility for  Consequences, if applicable,
enforcing the rule when rules are not followed
 Graphs, forms or charts
 Who has responsibility for
updating the rules and
procedures
Characteristics  Widespread application  Narrow application
 Changes less frequently  Prone to change
 Usually expressed in broad  Often stated in detail
terms

Once you have distinguished between company policies and procedures, you may also need to
consider what constitutes a company “practice” versus an organizational “process.” A simple
way for keeping the four terms straight in your mind follows:

 “Policy” is a statement of the company’s intent;

 “Procedure” describes how the intent is to be accomplished;
 “Practice” is what is actually being done. To ensure effective employee relations, the
company’s practice must conform to its stated policies and procedures; and
 “Process” help define the separation of responsibilities and control points.

Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s time for the real work to begin!

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 GETTING STARTED

The development of the HR MaPP is a major undertaking. The process of developing an HR

MaPP is similar to any other management process:

Develop action Implement the Monitor the

Establish goals
plan plan results

 Step One. Establish clear goals with measurable milestones and timetables.
 Step Two. Develop an action plan to achieve those goals.
 Step Three. Implement the plan.
 Step Four. Monitor the results to ensure accomplishment of both the plan and goals.

Establishing Goals

To assign someone to sit down and write a HR MaPP without first determining your objectives
and goals is not only wasteful, but could result in a major company objective being misstated or
omitted. Therefore, before you begin, understand what you are trying to accomplish and confirm
that understanding with senior management.

Creating Your Action Plan

Once you have established your goals, you will be ready to develop your action plan. This plan
is formulated by determining and sequencing the tasks required to accomplish your goals. The
tasks will help you in the next step, which involves identifying who will be assigned and what
resources will be necessary to accomplish your goals. Your action plan tasks should include the
following:

 Identifying and prioritizing a list of policies and procedures your organization needs;
 Obtaining approval for their development;
 Developing the policy statements for each identified subject;
 Obtaining approval for the policy statements;
 Developing the procedures for implementing and administering each policy statement;
 Obtaining approval for the procedures;
 Publishing and communicating the completed and approved policies and procedures; and
 Establishing a process for periodic review of the policies and procedures.

Completing these will require you to identify your work team. Roles that need to be filled
include identifying (1) who will be in-charge of MaPP drafting or revision, (2) who will
participate in the process, (3) who will approve the MaPP project’s work, (4) who will be

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responsible for publishing and communicating the policies and procedures, and (5) who will be
responsible for updating the MaPP to ensure it remains useful and relevant to the needs of the
organization.

Use your action plan to:

Prioritize
Objectives

Revise Plan Focus Thinking

Monitor
Organize Time
Progress &
& Resources
Resources

Stay on Track

Once your action plan is complete, it is important to remember that it is not a static document.
Instead, you should be prepared to evaluate your action plan periodically throughout the process
to help identify potential problem areas. Nothing can derail a project faster than not being
prepared for or failing to anticipate potential problems. Potential challenges to the project
include:

 Are any of the tasks too complex? Do they require sub-tasks? If so, have you identified
someone to coordinate tasks and sub-tasks?
 How will the team leader (project coordinator) track overall progress?
 To whom does the team leader report the team’s progress and how often?
 Do team members understand the steps necessary for the successful completion of this
project?
 Does the team have the necessary resources, time, skills and management support
required for this project? If not, how can the organization support its efforts?
 Does the team have a method to check for consistency, relevance and value to the
organization?

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  Does the team have a method for revising the initial plan if feedback indicates a need for
change?
 Are there possible alternative courses of action?

In addition to considering possible roadblocks, you should also set a completion date for the
project and a timeline for meeting incremental goals. In so doing, you should note that certain
circumstances may necessitate a longer timeframe than others. For example, it is less time
consuming if you are reviewing existing policies and procedures as opposed to creating new
policies and procedures. Timelines may also be affected if your organization’s policies and
procedures differ by locations, departments and types of employees.

To assist in drafting your Action Plan, see Exhibit A for a Sample Action Plan Worksheet.

Implementing Your Action Plan

Identify Your Organization’s Needs

The first step in implementing your action plan is to identify and prioritize what should be
included in your HR MaPP. This step can prove difficult, as it requires thorough consideration
of external and internal influences the appropriate policies and procedures for your organization.
Spend some extra time with this task to make sure that you have captured all the policies you
may need and ensure that you do not create policies that are inapplicable to your organization.

There are several categories of policies that you should consider in determining what should be
included in your HR MaPP.

 Policies that are Legally Required

Certain policies are required by external sources. Federal and State regulations will mandate
many of your policies and procedures. Exhibit B, which contains a list of laws and regulations
that apply to many employers, may serves as a starting point in your consideration of policies
that may be required. Exhibit B does not contain an exhaustive list of all applicable laws and
regulations. There may be additional requirements depending on your industry and number of
employees Policies may also be required by vendors, consultants, or financial restrictions.
Failing to develop and distribute required policies, along with making procedural mistakes in
implementing them, can prove very costly to the organization in terms of fines, lawsuits, and/or
loss of contracts and licenses.

 Policies and Procedures that are Necessary for Company Operations

You may determine that a policy or procedure is necessary for your organization for one or more
of the following reasons:

o Your employees seem confused about the appropriate way to behave;

o Clarification is needed to keep the company compliant with legal requirements
and to protect the company from legal actions;
o Guidance is needed to ensure the most prudent way to handle various situations;

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 o There is a need for consistent work rules and standards; or
o There is a need to provide fair and equitable treatment for employees.

Often organizations find a need to formalize and clarify current practices. Previous allegations
of unfair or inconsistent treatment, employment lawsuits, multiple grievances, or claims of
discrimination may help you identify specific policy and procedural needs. That said, before you
reinvent the wheel, it is important to recognize that HR policies and procedures may already
exist – they just may be covered in some other documents throughout the organization. If that is
the case, instead of drafting new policy language, your work may instead concentrate on
consolidating existing documents into one manual. This will ensure consistency in meeting the
organization’s goals and make it easier to apply policies and procedures uniformly throughout
the organization.

To better understand the organization’s need for a specific HR policy or procedure, be sure that
you understand the objectives of the senior management executive who has asked that a policy or
procedure be created. When putting policies and procedures together into a manual, you should
ensure that the objectives you have created for the manual align with those of senior
management.

 Policies and Procedures that Support Organizational Change

While it is important to update your MaPP to remain compliant with legal changes, it is also
important to ensure that it reflects organizational change. For this reason, it is important to have a
good understanding of the company’s goals for the next three to five years when developing your
policies and procedures. You can anticipate the organization’s future needs by considering some
of the following:

o Operational changes (i.e. new equipment, changes in business hours, etc.);

o Plans for opening/closing locations with different classifications of employees;
o Changes in employee staffing levels; and
o Responses from employee exit interviews or employee opinion surveys.

By anticipating upcoming changes to the organization, you can be proactive in developing

policies and procedures that won’t be in conflict with the organization’s future plans.

Identifying Sources of Information

Gathering the information for your MaPP will require obtaining input from a variety of internal
and external sources. Before you begin collecting data, you should establish a standard format
for gathering that information. This will help you obtain information in a consistent and similar
manner.

 Existing Policies and Procedures

A review of existing manuals, bulletin board notices, employee newsletters, and other materials
distributed to employees provides a great starting point for gathering information. You can use

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these materials to compile an initial list for sharing with senior management, managers,
supervisors and/or project team members.

You should also plan to interview managers and supervisors throughout the organization to
determine what current practices are, how well they are working, and whether they are
implemented differently between locations and/or departments. This step will help identify areas
of inconsistencies, complaints or grievances, or past misunderstandings.

Some questions to ask when interviewing your managers and supervisors are:

o Are you aware of our policy on {subject}?

o Do you think this policy has been effective in supporting the goals of both the
organization and the employees? Please explain.
o Do you understand the policy enough to explain it to the employees in your
department?
o What kind of misunderstandings have there been about this policy?
o If you could revise this policy, what kinds of revisions would you make?

These questions can assist in assessing the effectiveness importance of current policies (or
practices) to meeting the organization’s needs. They can also help identify any necessary
revisions or new policies and procedures that are required.

Exhibit C can also be used in soliciting input on current policy topics from senior management
and managers.

 No Existing Policies and Procedures

Even where there is no documentation of existing policies and procedures, you should
nonetheless provide senior managers, managers, supervisors and team members with an initial
list of policies and procedures to consider. This list will serve as a reference point for generating
thoughts and discussion on essential components of the HR MaPP, which will be critical to your
productivity in this work and the success of the project. The listing of topics in Exhibit D
provides some general headings that might be helpful as you establish your subject listing.

 Conditions of Employment

The subjects of your HR MaPP may vary from other organizations. Variations reflect
differences in the size and type of your company, the industry in which you operate, any
organizational changes you are undergoing, the purpose of the manual, as well as the managers
and/or supervisors who will receive and use the manual.

 Internal Records and Resources

You should also review records and resources to gather additional insights on policies and
procedures that may be necessary. Information that can help identify needed policies including

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employee grievances, disciplinary actions, exit interviews, sources of misunderstanding,
employee opinion surveys, etc.
Look for patterns in conditions of employment, and take advantage of your internal resources.
Managers and supervisors may have useful information. Questions you can ask include:
o What are the areas of misunderstanding or complaints?
o What decisions did the supervisors make in trying to resolve the
misunderstanding?
o Were the decisions and actions taken effective in resolving the issue? If not,
what could have been done differently?
o What kinds of questions have the employees been asking about their
employment?

 Experts or Consultants
Labor attorneys and consultants may also be helpful in creating your list of MaPP topics. Your
labor attorney may not be able to identify all the subjects requiring policies, but he/she can
ensure that you are aware of all subjects that are mandated by federal and state law.
Outside consultants may have knowledge of your organization and industry. They may also
have contacts with other businesses/industries in your area. As such, they may have a list of
subjects that you can consider in drafting your MaPP.

 Other Organizations
Companies in similar industries or of a similar size can be a wonderful resource – especially in
determining areas of importance to be covered in the MaPP. If another organization’s MaPP
does not contain proprietary information, they may be willing to share not only their policies, but
also their procedures.
Some companies are not comfortable sharing their documentation directly with other companies,
especially those they deem to be direct competitors. Hawaii Employers Council may be able to
assist you by collecting data from those companies and by providing you with sample topics
collected through on-going surveys.

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 WRITING YOUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Once you have prepared a list of subjects requiring policies and procedures, it is time to consider
the next steps in implementing your action plan. These steps include:

 Prioritizing your list of subjects to best meet your organization’s needs. When you begin
developing your HR MaPP, start with the policies that will have the most immediate
impact to the organization. Exhibit E provides a sample format for prioritizing your
policy subject matter.
 Obtaining senior management’s approval of your proposed list and the sequence of
development. Review of the subject list by senior management will help ensure you are
on the right track and may also generate some discussion as to the relevance of the
policies.
 Organizing your materials before you start writing, and making sure the information you
have is relevant to the policy and the overall goal of the project. Materials that may be
relevant include: current policies and/or practices of the organization; legal
considerations (laws, contracts, vendor requirements); financial considerations; sample
policies from other organizations; input from managers’ and supervisors’ surveys; and
input from consultants and labor attorneys.

You should also decide whether you’re going to write the policies and procedures together or
separately. This decision is dependent on the organization’s culture, project goals, timelines, and
perhaps your available resources. Some organizations create their policies first, and then create
their procedures. Others create both in one step, hoping to minimize the number of times they
need to question the same people. There is no right or wrong way to accomplish this project.

Revising Current Policies and Procedures

When reviewing current policies and procedures, you will need to evaluate how well the policy
meets the needs of the organization. You should also consider whether the procedures reflect
efforts to implement the policy at the organization. Consider the following to help determine the
effectiveness of established policies and procedures:

 Does the policy achieve the organization’s goals? If not,

 What kinds of changes need to be made? or
 Is this policy still needed?
 How well does the policy reflect what the employees have been told?
 How well does the policy reflect the practices and procedures of the organization?
 Are there problems with the implementation of the policy?
 What is procedures are in place in the workplace?
 Are there problems with the implementation and administration of the policy?
 Is there anything else that might help with the administration of the policy?

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  Are there differences between locations (departments) or classifications of employees?
 Are there operational needs for these differences?
 Do these differences need to be resolved?
 How can procedures be updated to address the differences?

Once you have the answers to these questions, you will have to combine the responses to find
common elements and differences. Most differences will be minor. However, significant
differences will need to be investigated to better understand what is causing them. Clarify
whether there is a misunderstanding in the information requested or if there are different
practices in separate locations/departments. If there are different policies and/or practices, senior
management will need to determine whether there needs to be a common policy and procedure.
If the decision is to have different policies, understand the reason(s) for the differences and the
potential consequences of taking this approach. You may be asked to explain the necessity of or
otherwise account for policy and procedure variations.

Creating New Policies and Procedures

While many employers have policies in place that need updating, other organizations may be
starting from scratch in creating written policies and procedures. When creating new policies,
your best resources will be senior management and the HR department. This is because senior
managers have global overview of the organization, while HR has knowledge of and
accountability for the conditions of employment within the organization.
Once you have a policy in place, it may take more time to develop written procedures for
implementing it. This work may also involve staff that with direct knowledge about the subjects
related to policy implementation. Your work drafting procedures will likely involve the
following steps:
 Obtaining senior management’s approval of the policy statement;
 Discovering what is currently being done to implement or address matters covered in the
policy;
 Ensuring that organizational practices compliment the objectives contained in the policy
statement; and
 Confirming the appropriate groups of employees that are covered by the policy and
procedures.
To do this work, you should talk to employees about current practices and review any
documentation (memos or letters to the employees, bulletin board notices, newsletter articles,
etc.) that describe how supervisors and managers are handling situations. Your effort should
focus on determining:
 What problems, if any, have been experienced in the area of {subject matter}?
 What documents are being used to influence supervisors’ decisions and actions when
addressing {subject matter}?
 What decisions and actions are required when dealing with {subject matter}?

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Once you obtain information responsive to these questions, you will need to identify any
significant differences between different resources and determine whether the organization can
support those differences. If it cannot, then you must work to resolve any differences that cannot
be supported. You should avoid making final decisions without consulting senior management,
managers and supervisors. Finding an acceptable procedure that will accommodate differences
within the organization requires understanding and buy-in at all levels – especially from
managers and supervisors who will be charged with implementing it.

Finally, there are a few additional matters to consider when creating new policies and
procedures. To ensure that the policies and procedures are relevant, accurately reflect the
company’s intent, there is no conflict with other policies or procedures, and there is some
accountability for the policy and procedures, you should consider the following:

 What forms, if any, are necessary to accomplish the steps in the procedures?
 Have all the steps in the procedure been identified? Are all the steps necessary?
 Who is responsible for implementing the procedure?
 Does the policy and/or procedure overlap with any other policies or procedures in the
organization? How can you address this overlap to minimize conflict or redundancy of
effort?

Organizing Your MaPP and the Policies it Contains

Because the MaPP is intended to provide a reference resource and communications guide for
managers and supervisors, you should ensure it is formatted to ensure easy access to policies and
all related procedures.

You can do this by reviewing your policy list, identifying main subject categories, and grouping
and indexing the policies into subgroups under applicable categories. Some policies may fit into
more than one category. If this happens, ask your managers and supervisors which category they
would most likely search to find information on that subject and place the policy there.

In addition to ensuring that the MaPP is well organized, it is also important to apply a uniform
structure for your policies and procedures. Here is one template option:

a. Heading – Provides a descriptive title of the subject matter, making it easier for
someone to find the correct policy and procedures. It also includes the effective date
(and any revision dates) of the policy and/or procedure.

b. Purpose – Describes the company’s intent for the policy.

c. Policy Statement – Explains the company’s course of action.

d. Scope – Identifies the employees and locations of the organization that are covered by
the policy. It is important to clarify if a policy covers other locations, functions, or
classifications of employees. If a policy specifically excludes areas of the organization,

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 you should state the exclusions and why. You should also reference other policies and
procedures that may address the exclusions.

e. Accountability – Identifies the individuals responsible for the implementation and

administration of the policy and for performing the actions required by the policy. Do
the operations managers and supervisors have any roles in the implementation of the
policy and procedure? What role does HR have in this policy and procedure?

f. Definitions – Defines any terms unique to the policy and terms that require specific
clarification i.e. full-time vs. part-time employees. Are the definitions consistent with
how the terms are used in other policies and procedures?

g. Procedures – Outlines the detailed action steps for implementing the policy.

h. Forms – Provides sample forms, if necessary, required for implementation of the

procedure. You should note that not all policies have forms. If a form is not required,
leave the item in the policy, but write ‘NONE.’ When forms are required to implement
a policy, you should reference the title and form number where applicable.

i. References – Identifies the policy’s relationships to other policies (noted by policy

name and number where applicable).

j. Approvals – Indicates who approved the policy, when the policy was approved and
notates any revisions (including dates).

Note that this template is very structured and contains more information than would usually be
found in an employee handbook. Indeed, the way that policies are presented in a MaPP is often
quite different from how they are presented to employees in the employee handbook.

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 OBTAINING APPROVALS

As you work through your action plan to complete your organization’s MaPP, one component of
the process that should not be overlooked is ensuring that senior management reviews and
approves of the documents you are generating. Obtaining approval of draft policies and
procedures should occur throughout the development process. Items you should have reviewed
for approval include:

 Policy subjects should be approved prior to beginning work to develop a policy and
procedure.
 Draft policy statements should be approved prior to the development of any related
procedures.
 Draft procedures should be approved prior to the printing, distribution and
communication of the policy and procedure to managers and supervisors.

Any policy and procedure that is required by federal and/or state laws should also be reviewed
by a competent labor law attorney prior to finalizing the HR MaPP and being communicated to
your employees.

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 PUBLISHING AND COMMUNICATING

Once your HR MaPP is completed, your focus will likely shift to the publication, distribution
and communication of its contents to managers and supervisors. The budget of the project will
influence the design, format and printing of the manual. If your company has an intranet,
determine the feasibility of having the information available on-line for your managers and
supervisors. If you decide to have it in written format, consider the following:

 Number of manuals to be printed – one for each department, manager or supervisor?

 Format – loose-leaf form in a three-ring binder (easier to replace pages for re-issuing
policy / procedure revisions) or bound?
 Size 8½” x 11” or 5½” x 8½”.

The date of publication (and effective date of policies) should be future-dated to provide
sufficient advance notice to managers and supervisors while allowing time for final preparation
steps – proofreading, printing, distribution, training and communicating. A policy and/or
procedure effective date should not be before the policy is communicated to the managers,
supervisors or employees.

Each manager and supervisor should have access to a manual – whether that be an electronic or
printed hard copy. Is distribution of the manual sufficient to get the message across? Policies
and procedures can be somewhat complicated, but their clear understanding is essential to good
employee relations. As a result, it is important to consider the best method for communicating
with MaPP recipients about its contents. Managers and supervisors can be advised of the
MaPP’s contents in a number of ways:

 General meeting with senior management;

 General meeting with their supervisor;
 Written notices distributed to each individual;
 Bulletin board postings; and/or
 Revisions to the employee handbook.

Regardless of the method that is most appropriate for your organization, remember that your
objective at this stage is the same. You should ensure that any changes and new policies and
procedures are understood by all current and new managers and supervisors. They are
responsible for administering and interpreting the policies as well as implementing all related
procedures, so it makes sense to set them up for success through proper training on relevant
topics..

Encourage feedback from your managers and supervisors after your manual has been distributed.
Begin a file with constructive suggestions for future manual revisions. It will be easier for you to
get started when the time comes, and it will streamline the rewriting process.

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 KEEPING IT RELEVANT

Your HR MaPP should be reviewed on a regular basis. It is recommended that it be reviewed

once every two years. However, time between formal reviews of the manual should not be
longer than five years to ensure compliance with the ever-changing employment laws as well as
the changing environment of the organization.

To help in future reviews of your policies and procedures, consider developing procedures to
track changes. Such procedures may include:

 Maintaining a master copy of the MaPP.

 Maintaining “historical files” for each category and/or subject covered in the MaPP.
These files should contain information collected to draft the initial policy and
procedures. Having such information easily accessible will help when managers and
supervisors have questions regarding the intent of a policy or procedure. Between
formal reviews, you can also document changes in your procedural practices and
communications to the employees in these files.
 Establishing “interpretation files” to document questions and related decisions from
managers/supervisors that were not specifically addressed by the current policy or
procedure. These files maintain a record of ‘practices’ that have occurred since the
policy’s implementation that will assist in subsequent revisions and training of managers
and supervisors.

Some companies prefer to update the manual every time a policy change is made. Others re-
issue updated policies and procedures as they change. Either way, a fully updated manual should
be reissued periodically to avoid confusion and misinterpretation.

Bulletins or memoranda to the employees should be issued on a timely basis, informing them of
any changes. Supervisors should be advised to keep these notices in the policy manual with the
original policy statement until a formal revision to the policy and/or procedure is issued.

The steps in undertaking a formal review of the HR MaPP are similar to those described earlier
in this guide. Each policy and procedure must be reviewed for relevancy and applicability;
suggestions for improvement must be solicited; and an evaluation of the overall effectiveness of
the manual should be conducted. Questions to consider include the following:

 Does the current manual accomplish its objective?

 Has the organization changed? If so, how have those changes affected the objectives of
the manual?
 Was the manual well-received by the managers and supervisors? If not,
 Were there errors made in preparing the original manual?
 Was there enough input from the managers and supervisors?
 Was communications during its implementation sufficient?

Guide to Developing HR Policies and Procedures

August 2017 – rr4489 15
  Who will be responsible for preparing revisions?
 Whose input is needed?
 Is there a central location of all the changes that have been made since the original
manual?

When you are ready to distribute an updated manual, be sure to collect and destroy any old
MaPPs from managers and supervisors. This is to ensure that there is no confusion or
misunderstandings regarding which version of the manual is in effect.

Guide to Developing HR Policies and Procedures

August 2017 – rr4489 16
 APPENDIX

Hawaii Employers Council has prepared and published the following information and sample
forms for internal use by management personnel of member firms. It provides examples of a
company’s policies and procedures and is not intended to address specific situations. It should
not take the place of individual consultation or legal advice.

Users of this guide are advised to have their policies reviewed by competent legal counsel or
other knowledgeable HR consultant prior to being communicated to their employees. HEC
further recommends that employers have their human resources policies reviewed annually to
ensure that the contents keep pace with evolving laws, rules, and regulations.

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August 2017 – rr4489 17
 Exhibit A – Sample Action Plan Worksheet

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August 2017 – rr4489 18
 Exhibit B – Partial Listing of Federal and State Laws
Affecting Employee Relations

The following information is not intended to be an exhaustive listing of applicable Federal

and State laws, but instead to provide you with a basic understanding of some laws that
may have a direct impact on your employee relations. Additional laws may apply to your
organization depending on industry, employer size, and geographic location. It is
recommended that policies be reviewed periodically by a competent labor attorney or
knowledgeable HR consultant to ensure that that the contents keep pace with evolving
laws, rules, and regulations.

Federal Laws

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA): The ADEA applies to employers with 20 or
more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment
agencies, labor organizations, and the federal government. This law prohibits employment
discrimination against individuals who are at least forty years of age. There is no upper age
limit. It does not protect workers under the age of 40 (although the State of Hawaii does
have laws that protect younger workers from age discrimination).

Affirmative Action Laws: Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 require federal
government contractors and subcontractors to maintain written affirmative action plans if
they have contracts of at least $50,000 and employ 50 or more employees. Executive Order
11246 requires a written affirmative action program to help the contractor identify and
analyze potential problems in the participation of utilization of minorities and women in the
workforce. The Rehabilitation Act requires affirmative action for qualified individuals with
disabilities. The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act requires affirmative
action for special disabled veterans or Vietnam-era veterans.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): The Title I employment provisions apply to private
employers, State and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions with 15 or
more employees. This law prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with
disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job
training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. It also requires
employers to make reasonable accommodations in certain circumstances for disabled
individuals who are employees or applicants for employment, unless doing so would cause
undue hardship.

Civil Right Act of 1964 – Title VII: Employers with 15 or more employees are prohibited from
discriminating in terms and conditions of employment based on race, color, religion, sex
(including pregnancy) or national origin. It also prohibits unlawful harassment in the
workplace that is based on any protected class.

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Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): Group health plans with 20 or
more employees on more than 50 percent of its typical business days in the previous
calendar year are subject to COBRA. Both full- and part-time employees are counted to
determine whether a plan is subject to COBRA. Each part-time employee counts as a
fraction of an employee, with the fraction equal to the number of hours that the part-time
employee worked divided by the hours an employee must work to be considered full-time.
This law gives employees and their dependents who would otherwise lose their health
insurance benefits the right to continue group health (and dental) benefits for limited time
periods under certain circumstances.

Employee Polygraph Protection Act: This law generally prohibits employers from requiring or
requesting any employee or job applicant to take a lie detector test, and from discharging,
disciplining or discriminating against an employer or job applicant for refusing to take a test.

Equal Pay Act: This act is an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938
requiring employers to provide all employees with equal pay for equal work, regardless of
their sex.

Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA): This law regulates the collection and use of “consumer
information” which includes consumer credit information and the manner and means by
which employers may obtain criminal history, job history and background checks done on
job applicants.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): The FLSA provides for minimum standards for both
wages and overtime entitlement, and spells out administrative procedures by which covered
work time must be compensated. Included in the Act are provisions related to
recordkeeping, child labor, equal pay, and portal-to-portal activities.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA): Employers with 50 or more employees must grant an
eligible employee up to a total of 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during a 12-month period
for one or more of the following reasons: for the birth and care of the newborn child of the
employee; for placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care;
to care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health
condition; or to take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of his/her
own serious health condition.

Employees may also take FMLA leave for certain “qualifying exigencies” when a spouse,
son, daughter, or parent is a covered military member who is on active duty or called to
active duty in the National Guard, Reserves or Regular Armed Forces to a foreign country.

Finally, there are also special provisions in this act which permit a “spouse, son, daughter,
parent, or next of kin” to take up to 26 workweeks of leave to care for a covered service
member with a serious injury or illness.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): Under Title II of GINA, it is illegal for
employers with 15 or more employees to discriminate against an individual based on an
individual’s “genetic information.”

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Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA): This law requires all employers to verify the
identity and employment eligibility of anyone hired to work in the United States. New hires
must provide specific documents proving their identity and eligibility for employment.
IRCA also prohibits employers with 4 or more employees from discriminating on the basis
of citizenship (including discriminating in the employment eligibility verification process).

National Labor Relations Act (NLRA): This law gives employees a right to form a union and
to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other
mutual aid or protection. Employers are prohibited from discriminating against an
individual because of union membership or activity.

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): This act requires employers to establish a safe
and healthy workplace. It also prohibits the discharge (or any other type of discrimination)
of any employee who exercises his rights under the act. Employers with 11 or more
employees must maintain records of occupational injuries and illnesses.

Older Workers Benefit Protection Act: This act amended the Age Discrimination in
Employment Act (ADEA) and prohibits the reduction of employee benefits because of an
employee’s age. It also provides specific requirements rules for obtaining a release of claims
under the ADEA.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): Requires employers with 50 or more
full time employees to offer health insurance coverage to full-time employees or pay a
penalty. The act also prohibits employers from limiting eligibility for health coverage based
on wages or salaries of full-time employees; requires plans offering dependent coverage to
allow unmarried individuals to remain on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age
of 26; and prohibits any waiting period for group or individual coverage which exceeds 90
days. Finally, this Act requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide nursing
mothers with reasonable break times and a private location to express breast milk.

Pregnancy Discrimination Act: This act amends Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
prohibits discrimination of women on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical
conditions.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act: The legislation sets new or enhanced standards for all U.S. public
companies, boards, management and public accounting firms. It prohibits retaliation and
discrimination against employees of publicly traded companies who provide information,
cause information to be provided or otherwise assist in an investigation of a violation of
federal securities law, rules or regulations of the Security Exchange Commission, or federal
laws prohibiting fraud against shareholders.

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act (USERRA): This law prohibits
employment discrimination based on past or present service or membership in a uniformed
service such as the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and National
Guard. It also requires employers to allow employees to take leave for military service and
reemploy those individuals upon return from military leave under certain circumstances.

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 Employers are prohibited from retaliating against any individual who assists in the
enforcement of USERRA rights.

Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN): Employers are covered by
WARN if they have 100 or more employees, not counting employees who have worked less
than 6 months in the last 12 months and or employees who work an average of less than 20
hours a week. This act requires covered employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of
covered plant closings and covered mass layoffs. This notice must be provided to either
affected workers or their representatives (e.g., a labor union); to the State dislocated worker
unit; and to the appropriate unit of local government.

Hawaii Laws

Employment Practices: This law prohibits employers from discriminating against any
individual because of race, sex (including gender identity or expression), sexual orientation,
age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital / civil union status, arrest and court record,
or domestic or sexual violence victim status. This law also prohibits any person from
aiding, abetting, inciting, compelling or coercing any discriminatory act. Employers are
prohibited from discriminating against any individual who has child support obligations or
breastfeeding or expresses breast milk in the workplace. Finally, this law requires all
employers to provide nursing employees with reasonable break times and a private location
to express breast milk, except for employers with less than 20 employees who can show an
undue hardship.

Hawaii Child Labor Laws: These laws set forth standards for the employment of minors
relating to their safety, health, education, and welfare, including restrictions on when and
how many hours a child may work. Requires a child labor certificate or “work permit” for
working minors until they reach 18 years of age.

Hawaii Family Leave Law (HFLL): This law applies to employers with 100 or more
employees (including full-time, part-time, temporary, casual or intermittent workers.)
Employees who have worked for the covered employer for 6 consecutive months are entitled
to receive up to 4 weeks of unpaid leave for the birth or adoption of a child, or to care for the
employee’s child, spouse or reciprocal beneficiary, sibling or parent with a serious health
condition. There is no requirement that an employee work a minimum number of hours
within the 6-month period.

Hawaii Payment of Wages: This law sets forth requirements on when employers must pay
employees, explains the impermissible deductions from employee paychecks, and regulates
the methods of payments (check, direct deposit, or pay/debit cards).

Hawaii Prepaid Health Care (PHC) Act: Under this law, employers must provide health care
coverage to employees who work at least twenty (20) hours per week and earn 86.67 times
the current Hawaii minimum wage a month. Coverage commences after four (4) consecutive
weeks of employment or the earliest time thereafter at which coverage can be provided by
the health care plan contractor, which is usually the first of the month. The employee’s

Guide to Developing HR Policies and Procedures

August 2017 – rr4489 22
 contributions to the premium cost is limited to 1.5% of the employee’s monthly wage and
may not to exceed 50% of the premium cost.

Hawaii Victims Protection Law: Employers with 50 or more employees must allow an
employee up to 30 days of unpaid leave from work per calendar year. Employers who do
not have more than 49 employees must allow an employee to take up to 5 days of unpaid
leave from work per calendar year. Employees who are a victim or have a minor child who
is a victim of domestic or sexual violence may take leave under this Act after exhausting
other paid and unpaid leave benefits. This law also requires an employer to make
reasonable accommodations in the workplace, unless the accommodations cause undue
hardship on the work operations of the employer.

Hawaii Wage and Hour Law: This law explains State requirements for exempt positions and
sets the minimum wage for Hawaii employers. If the State minimum wage is different from
the Federal minimum wage, the higher rate is applicable.

Leave of Absence Law for Organ, Bone Marrow, or Stem Cell Donation: This act requires
private employers with 50 or more employees to provide a seven day leave of absence to
employees for bone marrow or stem-cell donation and a 30 day leave of absence for organ
donation. This law also provides employees with reinstatement rights.

Plant Closing Notification and Dislocated Worker Allowance: Employers with 50 or more
employers in the State of Hawaii at any time in the preceding 12-month period must provide
60 calendar days written notice to the employee, the State and union when employees are
covered by a collective bargaining agreement of any closing, divestiture, partial closing or
relocation outside the State of Hawaii that results in one or more employees losing their job.

Temporary Disability Insurance: The Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) law
requires employers to provide partial “wage replacement” insurance coverage to their
eligible employees for non-work-related sickness or injury. The law provides TDI benefits
to individuals in employment who suffer disabilities resulting from accident, sickness,
pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or organ donation. Weekly benefit amounts are
subject to a cap that is set annually by the State of Hawaii.

Unlawful Suspension or Discharge: This law prohibits employers from suspending,

terminating, or discriminating against employees solely because the employee suffered a
work injury, because the employer was summoned to garnish employee’s wages, or because
the employee filed for a petition in proceedings for a wage earner plan under the Bankruptcy
Act.

Whistleblowers’ Protection Act: This act protects employees from discrimination because the
employee reported or was about to report to a public body, verbally or in writing, a violation
or suspected violation of a State or Federal law or contract. An employee is also protected
from discrimination because he/she is requested by a public body to participate in an
investigation, hearing, or inquiry.

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Workers’ Compensation Law: Employers are required to provide workers’ compensation
coverage to employees who suffer injuries or illnesses that arise out of and in the course of
employment. Benefits may include wage replacement, medical benefits, vocational
rehabilitation benefits, and death benefits. Weekly benefit amounts are subject to a cap that
is set annually by the State of Hawaii.

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 Exhibit C – Sample Questionnaire

TO: Date:

FROM: {Senior Management Executive}

The Company is currently reviewing its existing policies and procedures to determine their
effectiveness in supporting our organization’s mission and values. Your input is valued and
would be of considerable assistance in this effort. Please take some time to respond to the
following questions and return the questionnaire to {HR or Project Team Leader} by {Date}.

Listed below are the current policies and procedures. Please indicate your satisfaction with the
effectiveness of each of these policies and procedures in meeting organizational objectives.

Very Very
Policy and Procedure Satisfied Dissatisfied
Satisfied Dissatisfied

List below any subjects you feel require an HR policy or procedure, indicating how important the
policy would be to organization’s success.

Very Somewhat Not that

Subject Important
Important Important Important

Please list any upcoming changes in your department / location that may have an effect on our
policies and procedures.

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 Exhibit D – Sample Policy Manual Checklist

The following checklist will help you consider options on policies that can be included
your MaPP. Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list of possible policies. It is
strongly recommended that your MaPP be reviewed by a competent labor and
employment attorney or other qualified professional at annually to ensure that the
contents keep pace with evolving laws, rules, and regulations.

Purpose of the Manual Yes No

1. Authority of the Manual
2. Definitions of Covered Employees
3. How to Use the Manual
4. Policies and Procedures Changes
5. Purpose of the Manual
6. Relationship to Other Policies
7. Responsibilities of the Managers, Supervisors, and Employees
8. Supplements to the Manual

Employment Yes No
1. Affirmative Action Program (Federal Contractors)
2. Application Retention
3. Definitions of Employee Status
4. Employees with Disabilities
5. Employment at Will
6. Equal Employment Opportunity
7. Fraternization
8. Harassment Guidelines
9. Hiring of Former Employees and/or Relatives
10. Hiring of Minors
11. Internal / External Recruitment Procedures
12. Introductory / Orientation Period
13. Medical Examinations / Medical Records
14. New Hire Orientation
15. Outside Employment
16. Personnel Records
17. Pre-Employment Physicals, Drug Testing, Employment
Verification / Reference Checks

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 Employment Yes No
18. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations
19. Whistleblower
20. Workplace Violence

Hours of Work Yes No

1. Attendance and Punctuality
2. Authorized / Unauthorized Absence
3. Breaks (Meal Periods, Rest Breaks, Lactation Breaks)
4. Flex Time
5. Hours of Work
6. Overtime
7. Personal Leaves of Absence
8. Shift Differentials
9. Travel Time

Business Ethics Yes No

1. Acceptance of Business Gifts
2. Compliance with Laws and Regulations
3. Conflict of Interest
4. Customer Confidential Information
5. Proprietary Information
6. Reporting Violations

Employee Benefits Administration Yes No

1. Required Insurances
a. COBRA (employers with 20 or more employees)
b. Medical (employees working more than 20 hours per week for
4 consecutive week)
c. Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI)
d. Workers’ Compensation
2. Voluntary Insurances
a. Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D)
b. Dental Insurance
c. Drug Insurance
d. Group Life
e. Long Term Disability (LTD)

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 Employee Benefits Administration Yes No
f. Vision Insurance
3. Retirement Plans
a. Defined Benefit Plans
b. Defined Contribution Plans
c. Profit Sharing Plans
4. Required Leaves
a. Family and Medical Leave (50 or more employees)
b. Hawaii Family Leave (100 or more employees)
c. Hawaii Victims Leave
d. Jury Duty
e. Maternity Leave
f. Military Leave
g. Voting Time
h. Victims Leave
i. Organ, Bone Marrow and Stem-Cell Donor Leave
5. Voluntary Leave Plans
a. Bereavement Leave
b. Holidays
c. Sick Leave
d. Unpaid Leave of Absence
e. Vacation / PTO
6. Miscellaneous Benefits
a. Credit Union
b. Employee Assistance Program
c. Employee Discounts
d. Flexible Spending Accounts
e. Length of Service Awards
f. Parking, Bus Passes
g. Service Awards
h. Severance Pay Plan
i. Tuition / Education Reimbursements

Employee Relations Yes No

1. Access to Employee Records and Personnel Files
2. Appearance, Dress Codes, Uniforms
3. Bulletin Boards, Newsletters, Suggestion Programs

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 Employee Relations Yes No
4. Drug Free Workplace and/or Drug Testing Requirements
5. Employee References and Employment Verifications
6. Open Door Policy
7. Personal Use Company Computer, E-Mail and Telephone Systems
8. Property Search
9. Requests for Employee Information
10. Smoking Policy
11. Social Media and Internet Use
12. Solicitation
13. Use of Safety Equipment and Personal Protective Equipment
14. Workplace Violence

Wage and Salary Administration Yes No

1. Basic Wage and Salary Policies
2. Commissions
3. Differentials
4. Incentive Payments
5. Overtime Pay
6. Payroll Deductions
7. Performance Appraisals and Merit Increases

Conduct, Discipline and Discharge Yes No

1. Complaints or Grievances
2. Discipline
3. Work Rules

Employee Expenses and Reimbursements Yes No

1. Cell Phones and Smartphones (Company issued vs. Personal)
2. Membership in Clubs or Civic Organizations
3. Out-of-Town Business Trips
4. Participation in Professional or Trade Organizations
5. Reimbursement of Entertainment Expenses
6. Relocation Expenses
7. Use of Personal Automobile for Business Purposes

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 Employee Separations Yes No
1. Employee Reference Checks and/or Verifications
2. Exit Interviews
3. Layoffs
4. Rehire Provisions
5. Resignation
6. Retirement
7. Severance Pay
8. Termination
9. WARN or HI Plant Closing Notifications

Reviewed (Approved) by:

HRD: Date:

CEO/Senior Management: Date:

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 Exhibit E – Sample Priority List

{Overall Rankings based on information gathered with Exhibit C}

Required Policies and Procedures

(based on legal or contractual compliance) Overall Ranking

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Policies and Procedures Needed Overall Ranking

9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

Existing Policies and Procedures Needing Revisions Overall Ranking

17.
18.
19.
20.
21.

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August 2017 – rr4489 31
 Existing Policies and Procedures Needing Revisions Overall Ranking

22.
23.
24.

Existing Policies and Procedures Not Needing Revisions

25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.

Existing Policies and Procedures Not Needed

33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.

Reviewed (Approved) by:

HRD: Date:

CEO/Senior Management: Date:

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 Exhibit F – Sample Data Gathering Form

Category: Employment Subject: Internal/External Job Postings

Purpose: To provide promotional job opportunities for our employees prior to seeking
external applicants whenever possible.

Policy: It is the policy of the Company to provide promotional opportunities for our
employees prior to seeking external applicants whenever possible.
Employees are encouraged to obtain the necessary knowledge and skills
(through training, education, professional certifications) in order to become
eligible candidates for promotions or transfers.
Employees who request a promotion or transfer will be given preference
over applicants from the outside if they are equally or better qualified
whenever possible.
All jobs vacancies, except senior management positions, will be posted for a
reasonable period of time on the employee bulletin boards or on the company’s
intranet. Outside applications will be accepted at the same time of the postings,
but employees will be given priority consideration.

Eligibility: All employees who have completed 180 calendar days of employment in
their current position.

Exclusions: Temporary positions; Reassignments due to organizational restructuring;

Positions at department manager or above; Positions where an individual
has been identified and specifically trained

Procedure:

Responsible Party Action

Supervisor 1. Prepares Job Requisition Form whenever there is a job vacancy.

2. Forwards to department manager for approval.

Manager 3. Obtains CEO/Controller approval if position is not a budgeted

position.
4. Forwards to HR.

HR Department 5. Prepares Job Posting Notice for bulletin boards and/or intranet
posting.
6. Prepares and places employment ads; contacts recruitment
agencies, school and other resources as necessary.

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 Category: Employment Subject: Internal/External Job Postings
7. Receives and reviews Job Posting Application forms and resumes
from interested applicants.
8. Conducts initial interviews to determine basic qualifications.
9. Refers qualified applicants to the hiring supervisor.

Supervisor 10. Conducts interviews.

11. Refers qualified applicants along with hiring recommendations to
the department manager.

Manager 12. Conducts interviews.

13. Approves and forwards hiring recommendation to HR.

HR 14. Determines appropriate salary.

15. Makes offer to applicant.
16. Conducts criminal and other background checks.
17. Notifies unsuccessful applicants of outcomes.

Reviewed by:

Department Supervisor: Date:

Department Manager: Date:

Human Resources: Date:

CEO: Date

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 Exhibit G – Sample Policy Manual Format

Policy: Internal / External Job Postings Policy No.: 01.01

Eligibility: All employees who have completed at least 180 Effective Date:
work days of employment in their current
Revision Date:
position.
Page: ______ of ______

Purpose
To provide promotional job opportunities for our employees prior to seeking external
applicants whenever possible.

Policy Statement
It is the policy of the Company to provide promotional opportunities for our employees
prior to seeking external applicants whenever possible. Employees are encouraged to
obtain the necessary knowledge and skills (through training, education, professional
certifications) to become eligible candidates for promotions or transfers.
Employees who request a promotion or transfer will be given preference over applicants
from the outside if they are equally or better qualified.
All jobs vacancies, except senior management positions, will be posted for a reasonable
time on the employee bulletin boards or through company email. Outside applications
will be accepted at the same time of the postings. It is the Company’s policy to give
employees priority consideration for posted positions whenever possible.

Procedures
Job Requisition Form
1. Whenever a job vacancy occurs, the departmental supervisor will submit a job
requisition form (sample attached) to the department manager for approval. The
form must include the reason for the vacancy and a current description of the
essential duties of the position. The requirement applies to positions being filled, not
only by hiring from outside the company, but also by transfer or promotion from
within.
2. A job requisition form, however, is not required for a reclassification of an
employee’s job. This might occur when the employee is to be moved into the newly
classified job and no replacement is to be hired in the old job. A requisition also is
not required for a temporary position which is expected to last less than one month.
3. The hiring supervisor or manager to whom the position reports has the responsibility
of providing the Human Resources Department (HR) with the necessary approved
form.

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Policy: Internal / External Job Postings Policy No.: 01.01
Eligibility: All employees who have completed at least 180 Effective Date:
work days of employment in their current
Revision Date:
position.
Page: ______ of ______

Internal Job Posting

4. A notice of job vacancy will be posted by HR on Company bulletin boards and the
intranet for a minimum of five (5) calendar days. This notice will set forth position
department and location, a general description of the position responsibilities, and the
minimum qualifications. The intent of the posting is to provide employees first
consideration for promotional opportunities. This posting guideline is not applicable
in the following situations:
a. Temporary opening - that is, a position which is established for a prescribed
time period or for the time it takes to complete a project or a series of
assignments.
b. Reassignment of personnel due to reorganization of a department or several
departments within the Company.
c. Reassignment of an employee made at the discretion of management to improve
company organization, relationships between people working together, and to
provide suitable opportunities for disabled employees currently on the payroll.
d. Promotions within a department whereby an individual has been trained and
identified as the successor to the position.
e. Positions above department managers (directors).
5. HR, in conjunction with the hiring manager, has the overall responsibility to determine
positing requirements for any job vacancy.
6. Interested employees must submit, in writing, a Job Posting Application (sample
attached) along with a recent resume for any posted position to the Human Resources
Department. Applicants must have been in their present position for at least 180
calendar days to be eligible for consideration.
7. HR shall inform the hiring manager, as soon as feasible, of any employee’s interest
in the posted position. HR will review all applicants’ background and work history
prior to referring to the hiring manager for interview.
8. The hiring manager will make every attempt to interview all internal applicants who
qualify for the open position.
9. Once a decision has been made, the hiring manager will inform the successful
applicant employee and the current department manager of the decision. Both
managers will coordinate the transfer of the successful applicant employee to the
new position.

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Policy: Internal / External Job Postings Policy No.: 01.01
Eligibility: All employees who have completed at least 180 Effective Date:
work days of employment in their current
Revision Date:
position.
Page: ______ of ______
10. The hiring manager will notify all other internal candidates of their non-selection
prior to any announcement being made regarding the transfer of the successful
applicant employee.

If, within the first six (6) months of transferring to the new position, the employee and/or
the manager decide that the employee is not suitable for the new position, the employee
may be offered another available position that he/she is qualified for instead. The offered
position need not be at the same level or rate of pay as the position previously held. If a
position is not available, or the employee refuses the offered position, the employee may be
terminated.

External Recruitment
11. After the job has been posted internally, HR may contact recruitment agencies, place
“help wanted” ads, and screen potential external applicants. All external recruitment
expenses must be approved (in accordance with the Financial Approval Process)
prior to the expense being incurred.
12. Referrals will be made to the hiring manager after the initial screening process.
13. Resumes submitted directly to the hiring manager will be forwarded to HR.
14. If an external applicant is selected, the hiring manager and HR will prepare the
appropriate offer letter. All offers of employment must be approved by the most
senior executive at that location.
15. HR will be responsible for responding to all unsuccessful candidates to advise that
they have not been selected for the position.
16. Unsolicited resumes will not be kept unless there is specific on-going recruitment for
which the applicant is qualified.

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 JOB REQUISITION FORM

Job Title: Department:

Number of Vacancies: Date Required:
[ ] Full Time [ ] Exempt [ ] Regular [ ] Addition
[ ] Part Time [ ] Non- Exempt [ ] Temporary [ ] Replacement

Reason(s) for Job Vacancy:

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Primary Duties and Responsibilities: (attach job description if available)

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Signatures:

Hiring Manager: Date:

HR Representative: Date:

Senior Executive: Date:

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 JOB POSTING NOTICE

Job Title: Department:

Reports to: {Name and Title} Exempt [ ] Non Exempt [ ]

Position Available: {Date} Posting Date: {from – to}

Job Requirements:
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Interested employees must submit their Internal Job Posting Application Form

to the Human Resources Department within the posting dates listed above.

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 INTERNAL JOB POSTING APPLICATION FORM

Employee Name: Position Applying for:

Present Position: Present Department:

Previous Work Experience:

From To Position Company

Other Related Work Experience

Training / Classes / Seminars / Certifications Related to this Position

Reasons you are interested in this position

Have you informed your supervisor of your interest in this position? Yes [ ]No [ ]

Employee Signature: Date:

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