Employee Handbooks: Required Changes and Most Common Mistakes

WEBINAR

Employee Handbooks:
Required Changes and Most Common Mistakes

Wednesday, September 2 • 1:00 p.m. (Eastern)

Updating your handbook is an essential task.
We’ll tell you what you must include, along with sample language!

The world has changed, and your handbooks must change along with it. AI is no longer in its infancy. A viral social media post can sink your management team—or your company. Federal agencies have changed their stance on everything from affinity groups to civility rules.

New protected classes are entitled to telework accommodations. Updating your handbook is an essential task you must get right. No AI usage policy? Big mistake. Lax fraternization rules? That’s inviting a viral moment. This webinar covers these and many other must-have policies with sample language to use right away.

It’s always necessary to regularly review and update your handbook to stay in compliance with the latest rules and regulations, but that’s exceptionally true in 2026. Important White House and EEOC guidance means you must rethink policies and practices on equality for all, religious expression, religious accommodations and much more.

You must harmonize these with current court cases and state laws, too. Plus, leave rules on pregnancy and breaks for nursing mothers continue to evolve. For example, you need to empower your supervisors to make on-the-spot pregnancy accommodation decisions with clear, example-rich handbook rules.

Keep your handbook updated and lawsuits at bay

On September 2, join employment lawyer and author Anniken Davenport as she dives into the top policy changes you need to make to stay in compliance. In this rapidly changing and litigious environment, you can’t afford to let your handbook go stale. Get the rundown you need to stay ahead and avoid expensive lawsuits.

WEBINAR AGENDA:

Directives from the Trump administration. Federal agencies like the EEOC, DOL and the NLRB are making big changes to handbook rules that speak to diversity, equity and inclusion—even those you changed in 2025.
New kinds of discrimination. Handbook rules must be modified to include emerging forms of discrimination and recognize the potential for reverse-discrimination claims.
AI policies. You absolutely need AI policies that explain exactly what systems can be used and which are prohibited.
Employee leave. What to include and what to leave out regarding FMLA, ADA and pregnancy accommodations.
The fractured workplace. What happens when workers disagree on topics like politics and religion now that the administration is encouraging such workplace expression? Handbook policies that set reasonable conduct rules can create a more harmonious workplace.
Speech and civility rules. When you can restrict what employees say and when you can’t (salaries, politics, hate speech, etc.).
Dress and grooming. Learn how to set rules on appropriate behavior, attire and decor when it comes to both in-person and remote appearances.
Sexual and other harassment. Even if employees are remote, you need rules on email, telework, texting and off-site meetings.

✔ Discover the new and updated compliance requirements, including rules for pregnancy accommodations, nursing moms, religious accommodations and reverse discrimination.

✔ Easily check off outdated rules with new compliant language and rest easy.

✔ Know what your handbook should say about remote work, dress and grooming, use of AI, protests and politics, religious expression and worship, pregnancy accommodations and more.

PRESENTED BY:

Anniken Davenport is a noted employment law attorney and the legal analyst and senior editor of HR Employment Law Advisor. She has authored several books, including the Employer’s Practical Legal Guide and Bullet-Proof Your Employee Handbook. Anniken has served as a professor at Penn State University, where she taught business law and HR management, and she directed the Legal Studies Program at Wilson College.

REGISTRATION BONUSES:

Everyone who signs up will receive a copy of Employee Handbook Essentials. Whether you’re starting from scratch or simply updating your handbook, this white paper will walk you through a foolproof process and provide 20 customizable sample policies. Take the guesswork out of one of the most important documents for your organization.

You’ll also receive one month of exclusive access to The HR Weekly, our comprehensive service with all the HR advice and compliance tools to simplify your job … and to keep your organization out of court. So that you continue to benefit from The HR Weekly, we will continue your subscription after that for the then current rate, unless you tell us “no, thanks”—your choice.

RECERTIFICATION CREDITS:

Business Management Daily is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDC) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

This Program has been pre-approved for 1.25 HR (General) credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).

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WE PROMISE YOU’LL BE SATISFIED:

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Updating your handbook is an essential task.We’ll tell you what you must include, along with sample language!