Q: I’m doing my yearly update to the employee handbook for 2020 and was wondering what areas you think need our attention?

A: Without annual updates,some handbooks become outdated and employees stop trusting that they represent actual company policy. That’s not good. So, kudos for staying on top of your handbook on a yearly basis.

These are some areas I would concentrate on:

#1 Pay attention to cybersecurity.

If all you have right now is a general policy –“don’t share passwords”, “don’t download unapproved apps”– you need to up your game. Cyberattacks for ransom have become common in the last couple of years, against hospitals, small and large cities, even police departments. These are not only financially costly but crippling to operations. Although small businesses will have less worry about being targeted for these, other data breaches can still occur. So they should still address security risks like whether it’s okay to access personal accounts from work, and how wearable tech and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices might interact with your wireless network.

Also, if you use employee monitoring tools such as GPS tracking (providing location, speed and duration) and productivity software (login times, programs used, duration) your policy should explain why and how they are used and what you do with the info.

#2 Revise your drug policy.

If your drug-free workplace policy says that employees who test positive for marijuana may be disciplined or fired, you should re-word it and give yourself wiggle room for those cases where someone flunks a drug test because they used unregulated CBD oil or they just returned from vacationing in Colorado or Oregon where recreational pot is legal.

Although medicinal marijuana is legal in 29 states including Florida and Washington, D.C. it is still illegal under federal law. So, you may want to consider treating marijuana as a prescription drug, like some opiates. If an employee tests positive for a substance that requires a prescription, they simply provide it and there’s no violation.

#3 Create a Disaster plan.

Climate change is real. Australia is burning, there were massive floods in the Midwest, and here in the South we now get multiple devastating hurricanes each year. The likelihood that your workforce may need t to evacuate or have to work remotely is significant. It’s best to be prepared. If you don’t already have a policy (few employers do) there are lots of resources online, from the state and from my previous columns.

Lastly, -not for the handbook, but don’t forget in Florida we have a new Minimum Wage $8.56/hr (up 10 cents from last year, woo!) effective Jan 1, 2020, get your free poster from floridajobs.org

©Copyright Eva Del Rio

Eva Del Rio is creator of HR Box™ – tools for small businesses and startups. Send questions to Eva@evadelrio.com