Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• **Conduct** a comprehensive risk-based audit of the existing employee handbook and HR policies.
• **Identify** key policy gaps that expose the organization to legal, compliance, or financial risk.
• **Draft** legally sound, clear, and consistent policy language that minimizes ambiguity and litigation risk.
• **Design** and implement policy controls and enforcement mechanisms for high-risk areas (e.g., harassment, social media).
• **Manage** the version control, communication, and attestation process for all HR policies.
• **Ensure** global policy compliance by managing localization requirements across different jurisdictions.
• **Integrate** an 'at-will' or other relevant employment doctrine into policy without compromising employee trust.
• **Develop** a continuous policy review and update cycle aligned with evolving case law and regulations.

Target Audience

• HR Generalists and Specialists responsible for policy drafting and enforcement.
• HR Leaders and Managers overseeing compliance and employee handbooks.
• Internal Legal Counsel and Compliance Officers who review HR documentation.
• HR Operations and HRIS Specialists managing policy distribution and attestation.
• Managers who regularly interpret and enforce company policies.

Policy audit case study (finding risky language), Group exercise on redrafting a high-risk policy (e.g., social media), Discussion on global compliance challenges and localization, Role-playing a policy communication and attestation process, Workshop on developing policy controls, Expert discussions on employment law trends.

Outline

Unit 1: The Policy as a Risk Control

Policy's Role in Risk Management

• Defining the purpose of HR policies and their legal status (e.g., contracts, guidelines).
• The policy lifecycle: from drafting to communication and enforcement.
• Case studies of how poorly drafted policies led to litigation and financial loss.
• Integrating policies into the organization's overall control environment.

Conducting a Risk-Based Policy Audit

• Methodology for reviewing all HR policies against current law and best practice.
• Identifying 'high-risk' policies that require immediate attention (e.g., code of conduct, anti-harassment).
• Analyzing policy language for ambiguity, inconsistency, and legal exposure.
• Developing a policy risk remediation roadmap and prioritization plan.

Unit 2: Designing High-Risk Policies

Workplace Conduct and Ethics Policies

• Drafting a legally defensible and comprehensive anti-harassment and non-discrimination policy.
• Policies for workplace violence and threat assessment and reporting.
• Creating a clear disciplinary and corrective action policy framework.
• Policies for social media, internet usage, and data protection/security.

Wages, Hours, and Time-Off Policies

• Risk mitigation in wage and hour policies (FLSA compliance, classification risk).
• Policies for remote work, flexible work arrangements, and telecommuting.
• Drafting clear, compliant FMLA, sick leave, and paid time off (PTO) policies.
• The policy challenges of managing contingent and temporary workers.

Unit 3: Drafting Policy Language and Controls

Best Practices for Policy Drafting

• Using clear, concise, and non-legalistic language in policies.
• Incorporating disclaimers and 'at-will' statements (where applicable) effectively.
• Strategies for achieving policy consistency across all documents and employee levels.
• The importance of periodic legal review and sign-off for all policies.

Embedding Policy Controls and Enforcement

• Designing policy-based controls (e.g., dual sign-off on hiring, required training).
• Developing a robust, multi-step investigation protocol for policy violations.
• Training managers to be the front-line enforcers of policy and procedure.
• Strategies for consistent, fair, and non-discriminatory policy application.

Unit 4: Global Compliance and Policy Communication

Global Policy Harmonization and Localization

• Identifying the global policies that must be consistent (e.g., Code of Conduct).
• Strategies for localizing policies to comply with specific country laws and norms.
• Managing the risk of 'over-compliance' and cultural insensitivity in global policies.
• Working with external counsel on multi-jurisdictional policy review.

Communication and Technology

• Developing a policy communication strategy for launch and revisions.
• Implementing a digital attestation process to prove employee receipt and understanding.
• Strategies for maintaining policy version control and an accessible repository.
• The role of training in ensuring policy knowledge and compliance.

Unit 5: Policy Lifecycle and Review

Policy Change Management

• Developing a policy governance council and a scheduled review calendar.
• Managing the change and communication for significant policy revisions.
• Collecting employee and manager feedback to inform policy improvements.
• Integrating policy changes with HR systems and processes (e.g., HRIS, payroll).

Policy and Organizational Culture

• Analyzing how current policies support or undermine the desired culture.
• Drafting policies that mitigate risk while supporting a high-trust, flexible environment.
• Avoiding the creation of a 'check-the-box' compliance mentality.
• Personal action plan for a policy risk remediation project.