Consistency is the number one priority in managing your Human Resource issues! We do strongly believe in solid employee handbooks for a reason….they are the number one foundation behind ensuring you are consistent in your HR Practices.
Here is a great example of why consistency is so important: Consider a small business owner (less than 50 employees required for FMLA). Employee #1, a 31-year-old white male that has been with the company for 9 months, Owner grants 12 weeks of FMLA so employee can buy a house and be home with his new baby. Employee #2, a 63 year old female, has been with the company for 9 years puts in a two-week-in-advance request for a particular day off and is turned down by the owner because “we are too busy.” When Employee #2 complained to the owner, we were called.
Those of you who are our clients know what our first question was: “What does your handbook say?” In this case, since we wrote the handbook, I knew for a fact that this company’s policy stated: PTO would be granted with two weeks advanced notice. I also knew there was no policy for FMLA, as government regulations require 50 or more employees and I knew we had written a policy stating this company did not allow unpaid leaves of absence. This employer has not set a precedent for any future unpaid personal leaves, despite what the company handbook states. In other words, inconsistency in this case has potentially left the employer vulnerable to any employee claims that they may have been treated unfairly.
The lesson? Being consistent with written HR policies (or at the very least, from situation to situation) will help protect your company, and help your employees know what is expected of them at all times.
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