Every nonprofit organization should have personnel policies and procedures, in addition to its regular policies and procedures. Policies state what the organization believes in and supports, and reflect those laws they need to adhere to. Procedures are the steps or actions that need to be taken to support a specific policy. For example, a policy of the organization might be to provide equal employment opportunities for all individuals. A procedure to support this policy would be that all job announcements clearly state that the organization is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations, upon request.
The following is a list of personnel policies and procedures that all nonprofit organizations should have in place. Please note that this list is not exhaustive; some organizations may have policies and procedures not mentioned below.
1. Equal employment opportunity - provides equal opportunities for employment to all individuals, regardless of their gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion, disability, gender preference, etc.
2. Discrimination - avoids discrimination based on gender, age, ethnicity, race, religion, disability, gender preference, etc., when it comes to hiring, promoting, and other employment related activities.
3. Sexual harassment – delineates what sexual harassment is, that it will not be tolerated, and how sexual harassment allegations will be handled.
4. Alcohol and drug free workplace - states that the workplace is alcohol and drug-free and what will happen if employees violate this policy. This policy could also address smoking within the building and on the premises.
5. Recruitment - states how the agency will recruit employees, including resources to be used, how long job announcements will be posted, and how applications/resumes will be handled.
6. Hiring policy/background checks - clarifies the hiring process, including checking references, background checks, what types of documents the employee needs to submit prior to employment, signing an employment contract, etc.
7. Orientation - states the employee must complete an orientation program and what areas the orientation includes.
8. Probationary period - states what the probationary period is, how long it will last, and what will happen at the end of the period (permanent employment versus termination).
9. Training - states what types of training the organization provides and whether or not the training is mandatory.
10. Performance evaluation - states when and how performance evaluations will be conducted and by whom, what the evaluations will be based on, and that evaluations will be filed in the employee’s personnel folder.
11. Employee conduct - states how employees should conduct themselves at the workplace. These types of policies generally address work ethics (e.g. showing up for work on time), professionalism, the organization's dress code, cell phone use, etc.
12. Disciplinary action - states which types of actions may result in disciplinary action, the steps involved in disciplining an employee, and how the disciplinary action will be resolved.
13. Appeals - states which decisions an employee can appeal and the steps involved in the appeals process.
14. Grievance - states how an employee can file a grievance and how the grievance will be handled.
15. Termination - states the grounds for employee termination and how terminations will be handled and documented.
16. Vacation, sick leave, and PTO (personal time off) - states how much time employees accrue in these areas per year, when and how this time can be used, and if this time can be carried over into subsequent years.
17. Work hours and holidays - states the hours employees work, including lunches and breaks; the holidays they have off; and whether or not the holidays are paid holidays.
18. Maternity leave, military leave, jury duty, and FMLA - defines the parameters for leave in these areas, if applicable.
19. Insurance - states which types of insurance the employer provides; the employer's contribution, if applicable; and which types of insurance the employee can purchase.
20. Whistleblower - states that the employee can report an unethical or illegal practice or violation without repercussion.
21. Customer service/relations - describes the organization’s commitment to customer service, what it is, how it expects its employees to treat and work with customers, and how customer complaints are handled and addressed.
22. Handling and use of office equipment and supplies, including personal use - states which types of equipment and supplies are available for use, how they should be used, and that the equipment and supplies are the property of the organization and are not available for personal use. These types of policies generally include the appropriate use of e-mail and the Internet.
23. Personnel files - states which documents should be included in the personnel file.
24. Retention - states the importance of employee retention and what steps the organization will take to retain its employees.
25. Paycheck - states when and how employees will be paid.
It is a good idea to review your personnel policies and procedures at least annually, as employment laws and practices change. You'll want to ensure you have the appropriate policies and procedures in place, and that they are current. This will help to protect you, your employees, and your organization.
Coach Sharon
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Thanks, Ramon!
Posted by: Sharon | 09/01/2010 at 01:07 PM
Congratulations! You have so much useful information, write more.
Posted by: RamonGustav | 08/24/2010 at 12:41 AM