Why should your district have an up-to-date employee handbook? A concise and accurate employee handbook is a very useful tool for both employers and employees. It’s an excellent way to provide clear notice as to what your expectations are for employees, and it’s a handy reference tool for employees who have questions about their basic conditions of employment. It helps to support growth and development of employees and supports disciplinary actions when employees fail to follow guidelines.  

Handbooks are valuable tools in districts both with and without labor agreements. If your district has labor agreements, it should mirror the terms and conditions of employment agreed to within the collective bargaining agreement. If your district has non-unionized employees, a handbook is often the only reference tool employees have related to their role in the district.

OSBA's tiered handbook service offers districts a menu of three options. The services range from providing a template for districts to customize on their own to a full-service project in which the handbook is completed by an OSBA consultant. For districts that use OSBA’s policy service, all three levels of the handbook service include the additional benefit of cross-references to OPS policies.

Premium Service — This is the most comprehensive service and allows OSBA to work closely with the district to develop and draft a comprehensive employee handbook that best fits the district’s needs.  For this service, the district provides copies of existing handbooks, negotiated agreements, work rules, employee guidelines and regulations, and any other relevant documents that should be incorporated into the handbook.  An OSBA consultant will work directly with the district to draft a completed electronic handbook.  This service includes two on-site meetings with the district to review and discuss handbook changes and drafts.  The timeline for project completion is established between the consultant and the district.

Review Service — With this service level, the district receives the OSBA electronic employee handbook template, but also receives guidance from an OSBA consultant.  The district will be provided with the OSBA electronic handbook template, which contains sample language and suggested language additions for more than 50 provisions, an instruction page and a Table of Contents.  It’s provided in Microsoft Word format, so it’s easy to modify and edit to fit any district’s needs. Once the district has reviewed the template and made updates to reflect local language, a consultant is available to review the draft version in comparison to handbooks, work rules, applicable board policy and/or regulations provided to the consultant by the district and then provide an analysis and suggestions for changes and/or revisions to the handbook..  The timeline for project completion is established between the consultant and the district.

Standard Service — This service provides districts with the OSBA electronic handbook template, which contains sample language and suggested language additions for more than 50 provisions, an instruction page and a Table of Contents.  It’s provided in Microsoft Word format, so it’s easy to modify and edit to fit any district’s needs.

For more information and fees, please contact Kristine Robbins at (614) 540-4000.