Downloading a template is not the wisest thing to do for several reasons.
First, it is not unique to your business. Like you have a “brand” with your business, you want to have a brand with your employees and you want to have your handbook have a look and feel that matches your culture.
You also want to be careful about state specific regulations. Each state may have different requirements that are to be included in an employee handbook and a canned template from the internet may not provide that to you.
You also want to make sure that you’ve got a professional who reviews the handbook to ensure that it is compliant with both the federal state and local laws.
Being a novice and just downloading the template and thinking you have a handbook is a mistake. Even payroll companies provide those templates, but they still should be reviewed by a professional, whether it be an HR professional or an attorney.
If you have more questions, I suggest consulting with an experienced HR professional.
