Company Policy an Procedure

[mari1114]

What is the name of your state? CA

Can the company I work for change their HR Policy and Procedures without notifying their employees?

The Policy and Procedure manual available to me at my work says that a member of my staff is entitled to a 3 weeks vacation benefit. When I hired him I guaranteed him this vacation time. When I emailed HR to ask them why his total vacation hours were showing zero available they simply emailed me back saying the "policy changed last year and he has no hours". The old policy is the only one in our computer system for us to refer to and we have not been given a new policy.

I have contacted my boss, HR, and the director employee relations about this issue and everyone has responded to me the "policy has changed."

My staff member keeps asking me to show him the new policy in writing and I have none to show him.

Am I liable for hiring him under false pretenses?
Is it legal for company to require me to uphold "new" policy that is not in writing?
Is it legal for the company to change company policy and not tell us or give us a new manual?

 

[cbg]

Am I liable for hiring him under false pretenses? No. You hired him in good faith.

Is it legal for company to require me to uphold "new" policy that is not in writing? Yes. There is no law that requires an employer to put all their policies in writing.

Is it legal for the company to change company policy and not tell us or give us a new manual? Yes. See above.

Now, all that being said, CA law is rather stricter about vacation policies than most states and it MIGHT be, depending on how the original policy was presented, that they may have to adhere to it temporarily. However, nothing you have posted suggests that any laws have been violated.

Also, there is no law in any state, including CA, that requires you to allow an employee to take their vacation time whenever they like.