An employee handbook is key for setting workplace expectations and staying compliant. Outdated policies can create legal and operational risk. With evolving compliance requirements in the form of new laws and revised regulations, employers need to keep a watchful eye on their handbook policies to make sure they stay compliant. They should also be sure that the “oldies but goodies” – like harassment prevention and conduct guidelines are up to snuff. If you pulled a template for one of these off the internet in 2007, it’s almost guaranteed to need a refresh. 

Using outdated policies can lead to confusion, operational disorder,and potential legal exposure. Here are some key end of year activities to make sure you start the new year off right: year:

1. Keep Up with State Leave Laws 

State leave laws of all kinds have been trending for years now from paid family leave, to bereavement, to sick and safe leave. If you haven’t had expert help with your handbook policies, there’s a good chance you’re missing key details. For instance: 

• California requires accrued paid sick leave with specific accrual caps and revises its law at least some part of that law on an almost yearly basis.
  
• Many states, including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Washington, and Illinois have paid family and medical leave programs that offer job protection
  
• Colorado (and a handful of other states) have expanded their paid sick leave to cover public health emergencies
  

Why it matters: Multi-state employers face a patchwork of rules. Ignoring them can result in fines, penalties, and disputes.

Action for Employers: Audit leave policies against the laws and rules in each state and locality where you have employees. Clearly outline eligibility, accrual, carryover, duration, and payout provisions to avoid disputes.

Pro Tip: Mitratech Mineral’s state law library is continuously updated so you can verify compliance quickly. But better yet, the Smart Employee Handbook Builder will do this for you! Our team of employment attorneys is tracking legislation on a daily basis and updating the Smart Employee Handbook before laws take effect, so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting. Just accept our new policies and updates!

2. If Your Discrimination, Harassment, and Complaint Policies Feel Outdated, They Probably Are

Your employee handbook should create a safe and inclusive workplace. But many organizations are still relying on policies written years ago that don’t reflect current laws or best practices.

Common gaps include:

• Outdated lists of protected classes that omit new state or federal protections.
• Limited examples of unacceptable behavior.
• Insufficient or unclear complaint procedures.
• Not having specific language or contact information required by state law.
  

Action for Employers: Refresh anti-harassment, discrimination, and complaint policies to include any and all information required by state law, clear reporting procedures, and protections against retaliation. Pair handbook policies with mandatory training to reinforce expectations.

Pro Tip: Keep your policies and training in sync. Mitratech Mineral provides harassment prevention training that aligns with updated handbook language and automatically tracks completion for compliance records. You can also access customizable handbook templates, policy guidance from Mineral Experts, and real-time legal updates, so every update you make to your handbook is supported by the tools and expertise to back it up.

3. Review Your Workplace Conduct and Social Media Policies 

Although employers have a lot of latitude to dictate employee behavior, the National Labor Relations Act does create some limits, several of which you might find surprising. (If you don’t have union activity, you might be surprised to find that this law applies to you at all!) For instance, you can’t prevent employees from complaining about their working conditions or discussing their wages.   

Things to check for in your written and unwritten policies:

• Prohibiting Wage Conversations: Even a word-of-mouth rule against wage discussions is problematic. Make sure your managers understand this and that rules again such discussions haven’t found their way into offer letters or handbooks.
  
• Rules Against Speaking Up or Having a “Bad Attitude”: Rules like this can crop up in many places, including your policy that covers standards of conduct. While you can certainly try to enforce decorum and respectful behavior in the workplace, the devil is in the details, and you need to be careful about over-restricting employee behavior.
  
• Social Media Limitations: You can certainly restrict social media use during work hours, but generally you can’t stop employees from discussing their employment conditions online (e.g., wages, hours, safety issues, bad management). Unfortunately for employers, there’s a lot of nuance in this area of law.  
  

Action for Employers: Make sure your handbooks policies–and even unwritten practices–don’t run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act..

Pro Tip: Stay compliant with confidence. Mitratech Mineral’s in-house employment attorneys keep a very close eye on the laws and guidelines related to the National Labor Relations Act, and we make sure your handbook policies that could be problematic aren’t! We also provide Law Alerts (on the platform and by email) when there are legal changes employers need to know about. 

4. Ensure Handbook Distribution and Acknowledgment

A great handbook is only effective if employees receive it, read it, and acknowledge it. Too often, employers update policies but fail to track distribution or obtain acknowledgments, leaving them unprotected in a dispute.

Best practices include:

• Communicating changes clearly to avoid misunderstandings. If you’ve made big changes to your handbook, point those out when distributing new copies.
• Requiring signed acknowledgment forms or e-signatures from every employee.
  
• Storing acknowledgments in a secure and easily accessible format.
  
• If distributing updated handbooks digitally, also have a print version available in an easily accessible location in the workplace.
  

Action for Employers: Make handbook acknowledgment part of your compliance checklist every year. Ensure everyone receives important updates promptly.

Pro Tip: Mitratech Mineral’s digital acknowledgment tracking helps employers maintain airtight compliance records, making it simple to show proof during audits or investigations.

Why Updating Your Employee Handbook Before 2026 Matters

Updating your employee handbook is not just about avoiding penalties. It helps create a compliant, transparent, and inclusive workplace that builds trust and engagement. Employers with up-to-date handbooks will enter 2026 ready to adapt to new laws, strengthen employee relationships, and reduce compliance risk.

How Mitratech Mineral Helps Employers Stay Compliant

Mitratech Mineral provides employers with:

• Customizable handbook templates that meet federal and state-specific requirements
  
• State law updates that keep policies current across jurisdictions
  
• On-demand training that reinforces updated policies
  
• Digital tracking of handbook distribution and acknowledgments
  

👉 Ready to refresh your employee handbook before 2026? Learn how Mitratech Mineral can help you stay compliant and confident.