03/01/2018
Employee Manuals - Day 4
What is an "acknowledgement clause"?
You can’t enforce rules an employee didn’t read, so every handbook needs to include a clause, signed by the employee, stating they have received, read, and understood the handbook.
This document should come at the end of the handbook and be included in the employee’s personnel file in case there’s a disciplinary issue later. Having the signed acknowledgement of receipt prevents an employee from claiming to be unaware. It should include the employee's name and date, and state clearly that they have read the entire employee manual and understand it. It should also state that if they had any questions about the manual or it's contents, they have had those questions answered fully.
I usually recommend that you have employees sign a new one every year, or when there are major changes to the employee manual.