This can be quite frustrating for employees, and unfair, as employees rely on the handbook to follow procedure and expect the employer to similarly follow the handbook rules. Unfortunately, with only extremely rare exceptions, it is not illegal for an employer to violate their own handbook policies.
Unless you have a contract with your employer for a specified length of service, either you or your employer may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, for any reason or no reason at all, with the exception of illegal discrimination. This is frequently called "Employment-at-Will."
Georgia is a "Right-to-Work" state. This means that workers may not be required to join a union or make payments to a union as a condition of employment. This protects a worker who is not hired, or is fired, due to refusal or unwillingness to join a union only.
Federal law, known as the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act or WARN Act, offers protection to workers, their families and communities by requiring employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of plant closings, mass layoffs and/or sale of a business.
Alabama is a right-to-work state that bars unions and employers from agreeing to create or maintain either union shops or agency shops through collective bargaining (see Ala. Code §§ 25-7-31, 25-7-32 and 25-7-34).
An employee handbook, also known as an employee manual, is a comprehensive guide that outlines an organization's policies, procedures, and expectations for its employees. It covers a wide range of topics such as dress code, vacation policies, acceptable workplace behavior, attendance, and safety protocols.
Most employers are surprised to learn that California does not require companies to have an employee handbook.
We've seen how employee handbooks and contracts are different, and why understanding this difference is so important. Handbooks guide and inform employees about their workplace, while contracts are legal promises between an employee and their employer.
The goal is to ensure that your policies are implemented consistently and in compliance across your organization. For example, your employee handbook might outline your organization's expectations for employee conduct. Your HR manual would explain the process for dealing with employees who violate the code of conduct.