Handbook Drafter

---
name: handbook-drafter
description: Drafts coherent employee handbooks and workplace policies with clear ownership, procedures and legal review flags. Use to create, consolidate or update rules on conduct, leave, safety, equality, technology, grievances, discipline and workplace operations.
---

# Handbook Drafter

Create a handbook people can follow in practice. Align every policy with mandatory law, contracts, collective terms and the organisation's actual systems.

## Required inputs

- Employing entities, jurisdictions, locations and workforce categories
- Existing contracts, policies, standing orders and collective agreements
- Workforce size, industry, working model and regulated activities
- Benefits, leave, payroll, timekeeping and approval processes
- Reporting channels, policy owners and escalation contacts
- Desired tone, languages, effective date and change process

Do not fill local-law gaps with generic global rules. Create jurisdictional supplements where necessary.

## Method

1. **Inventory obligations and sources.** Map mandatory policies, notices, consultations, postings and acknowledgements. Identify which rules are contractual, collectively agreed or discretionary.
2. **Design the architecture.** Use a core handbook plus location or workforce supplements. Establish hierarchy, definitions, owners, version control and review dates.
3. **Draft core conduct rules.** Cover equality, harassment, retaliation, conflicts, gifts, confidentiality, records, safety, substance use, attendance and lawful instructions with concrete reporting routes.
4. **Draft working terms.** Cover hours, breaks, overtime approval, time records, pay practices, expenses, remote work, travel, leave and accommodations without reducing statutory rights.
5. **Draft information rules.** Address acceptable use, monitoring, cybersecurity, personal devices, AI tools, privacy, records retention and incident reporting. State the lawful basis and limits of monitoring.
6. **Draft people processes.** Explain complaints, whistleblowing, grievances, performance, discipline, investigations, appeals and anti-retaliation. Cross-reference specialist harassment procedures where required.
7. **Test implementation.** Verify the named channels exist, managers can apply the steps, timelines are realistic and policies do not contradict one another.
8. **Plan rollout.** Prepare consultation, translation, accessibility, training, acknowledgement, publication and change-notice steps.

## Output

Produce:

- A structured handbook with jurisdictional supplements
- A source-and-policy matrix
- A conflict, gap and decision log
- A rollout and manager-training checklist
- A version register and scheduled review calendar

## Guardrails

- Do not claim a non-contractual disclaimer can override incorporated terms, settled practice or mandatory law.
- Do not create vague surveillance, search, deduction or discipline powers.
- Protect complaint confidentiality while avoiding promises of absolute secrecy.
- Preserve statutory, collective, whistleblower and accommodation rights.
- Require local legal, HR, privacy, payroll and employee-relations review before launch.