Introducing an Employee Handbook in Hyderabad: Do We Need Legal Approval?

Hi,

We are a registered IT company based in the US and would like to introduce an Employee Handbook at our offshore center in Hyderabad. Does an employee handbook need to be reviewed and approved by a lawyer or legal authority? Please suggest.

After framing the HR policy (Employee Handbook), it should be verified and approved by your top management. Some policies should be framed according to the respective laws. There is no need to seek approval from legal authorities.

Dear Kalpana,

Having your Employee Handbook reviewed and approved by a lawyer or by a legal authority is the preferred approach, as one of the key objectives of a well-crafted handbook is that it must be a legally defensive document to protect both the employer and employees. However, in real life, this is not the norm. Policies that are statutorily required (e.g., Employment Act) must be framed according to the respective laws, as per akssivakumar5's post. Policies that are provided beyond statutory requirements have to be linked to your reward strategy and approved by Top Management. You may like to craft out a draft handbook and seek advice from other HR seniors on this site before launching it.

Regards,
Autumn Jane

Thanks, Sivakumar. Yes, even I thought the same - to get it verified by Top Management, but my bad, all are from a tech background. Need a super HR to suggest better. Let me talk to some seniors on this site.

Regards,
Kalpana

Dear Kalpana,

As suggested by Jane, getting the handbook reviewed by a lawyer will safeguard your company from all angles, as there are a lot of laws that apply to policies framed by companies. However, the lawyer's job shall be to incorporate the language in such a way that in case there is any dispute in the future, the interpretation of the words therein shall be in favor of the company, which a layman will not be able to do.

Should you require any further assistance, you may contact me at [Login to view]. We are a law firm.

Regards,
Sachin

Importance of Legal Review for HR Handbook

Getting your HR Handbook reviewed by a legal professional is an important step for the following reasons:

1. Safeguard the company's interest against any unenforceable clause included in the HR Handbook.
2. Ensure that the clauses included in the HR Handbook are consistent with the labor laws of the land.
3. Interaction with them will provide you with additional and different learning that will be helpful for the future.

Don't you think these are good enough reasons?

Best Regards,
RAJESH MISHRA
AGM - HR & ADMIN.