Employee Policy & Procedure Manual

[duncantls]

What is the name of your state? Missouri

We were recently given a page to insert into our employee policy and procedure manual that states the following:

"WE ARE A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY NOT A SOCIAL SERVICE EMPLOYER"

That is the entire page in big bold black letters. When asked why this page was to be inserted, the answer was, "per the advice of the company attorney". No other info given.

My questions are:

1. Why would an attorney advise that this page be inserted?
2. What purpose does the statement serve?

Some staff found it offensive and I was just curious

 

[Beth3]

1. I find it very odd that an attorney would advise the employer to insert that page as it has absolutely nothing to do with any employment laws. Rather it's a statement of management's philosophy.

2. I can only assume such a statement was inserted as a reminder to employees that they are employees and not clients and will be held to professional conduct and standards of behavior and that employees' personal problems are theirs to deal with, not the employer's.

It gets frustrating for employers when employees regularly bring their personal problems to work and there are always some who think they should routinely receive special consideration because of problems in their personal lives - changes in work hours, frequent absences they think they shouldn't be held accountable for, spending time on the phone to deal with personal situations, child care problems, marital problems and on and on. And it doesn't just happen in social welfare agencies.

In any event, I think that's what your employer is getting at and I agree this was an offensive and ill-advised manner to get that message across.