CREATING A CULTURE THAT UNLEASHES YOUR PRACTICE’S POTENTIAL
so may result in the withholding of their final paycheck.
Acknowledgment of Receipt
You will need to include a separate acknowledgment page to be signed by the employee, stating they have received, read, and understood the handbook. Hav- ing the signed acknowledgment of receipt prevents an employee from claiming to be unaware of the policies of the practice. It is difficult to enforce rules an employee can claim they didn’t read and/or understand, so the signed acknowledgment page should be retained in the employee’s personnel file.
5. Summary
An employee handbook can diminish the stress and risks of practice ownership by spelling out policies and expectations for employees. If you are unsure about any part of your employee handbook as you create it, research the law, contact the proper state or federal agency, and/or consult an attorney. All employee handbooks should be reviewed by an at- torney in your state to ensure compliance with fed- eral and state laws and regulations.
6. Resources
1. NFIB Small Business Legal Center. NFIB guide to the employee handbook: How to create a custom and effective handbook for your em- ployees. Available from: https://www.nfib. com/foundations/legal-center/compliance- resource-center/legal-guide-series/#eh.
2. Justworks. A simple guide to exempt vs non- exempt employees under the FLSA. Available from: https://justworks.com/blog/understand- differences-exempt-non-exempt-employees.
3. United States Department of Labor. Wage and Hour Division (WHD). Family and Med- ical Leave Act. Available from: https://www. dol.gov/whd/fmla/.
Acknowledgments
Declaration of Ethics The Author has adhered to the Principles of Vet- erinary Medical Ethics of the AVMA.
Conflict of Interest The Author is a self-employed business consultant.
2. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967. Avail- able from: http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req;(title: 42%20section:6103%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid: USC-prelim-title42-section6103)&ftreesort&edition prelim&num0&jumpTotrue.
