Ensuring that your Domestic Staff are aware of and understand the procedures, policies, and rules of the household is vital. An Employee Handbook is an ideal way to communicate this and other important information. Below, you’ll discover exactly what’s needed to create one.

Before You Begin

Before you begin writing, get a thorough understanding of federal and state laws regarding the total amount of wages and compensation for overtime. Because the volume of available information regarding labor and tax law is significant, it is helpful to obtain the services of a professional.

It’s also a good idea to consider the assistance of a professional to confirm that employees understand and can access the information in your handbook and that it’s written concisely, simply, and clearly.

Essential Sections

You’ll want to ensure that your Employee Handbook covers the following essential sections:

• Values statement
• Work hours and duties
• Code of conduct
• Employee benefits, compensation and PTO
• Workplace safety
• Social Media conduct
• Termination

Values Statement

Simply put, your values statement details the reason why you have decided to hire domestic employees. Be sure to explain the goals you have and how your Domestic Staff will assist you with achieving them.

You’ll also want to include a short sentence or two about your personal expectations so that your staff can get a better understanding of your leadership or management style.

Work Hours and Duties

This is the section where you discuss all of the details regarding staff leave policy and duties. This section should include how many hours staff will work daily and/or weekly, sick leave and vacation leave.

When composing this section, it can help to think like your staff. What details would you want to know if you had just been hired? What information would eliminate the guesswork of being a new employee?

Code of Conduct

In this section, you will provide details about your expectations for employee behavior while they are working. If you don’t already have a Household Manual, this section can also include household rules such as how to address family members, who to contact in case of emergency, and so forth.

Some examples regarding code of conduct are dress code, use of cellphones, and employee policy for social media. Again, you will want to be very specific and include as many details as possible.

Employee Benefits, Compensation and PTO

Information about employee compensation and benefits should be clearly communicated in this section. Include when and how your staff will be paid for regular hours, overtime, and during holidays, as well as any dental, medical, and other coverage they’ll receive. This is also the section in which any incentives or perks will be detailed.

Workplace Safety

This part of your Employee Handbook should cover everything your staff need to know about important safety topics such as allergies of household members and guests, safety procedures, medication schedules, dietary restrictions, as well as areas in the home where staff are not permitted.

The locations of fire extinguishers and first aid kits should be included here, as well as the names, phone numbers, and email addresses of authorized emergency contacts.

Digital/Social Media Code of Conduct

This is an important section to include in your Employee Handbook, as it will lay out your expectations for how domestic staff should behave while online. Some examples of details to include are discussing their jobs on social media, logging online while at work, and taking pictures of the home, property, or family members.

As with the other sections, it’s important to include as much detail as possible so that there are no misunderstandings.

Termination

It is just as important to provide details regarding termination in your Employee Handbook. This section should include all the reasons for termination, as well as a list of specific items that could cause an employee to be terminated.

Along with the above, provide information about the procedures regarding the return of any devices or uniforms provided to an employee, including their condition. Final wages and any deductions should also be included here.

Still Need Help?

An Employee Handbook is an important document that should answer as many questions as possible about what employees can expect while working for you.

If you wish to find the most highly skilled and educated candidates to work in your household Staffing at Tiffanie’s can help. We are a Premier Domestic Staffing agency with over 26 years of experience in placing domestic staff and working in the industry. Visit us to learn more or call 866-484-5550.