Although no state or federal law requires an employer to have an employee handbook, there are many policies and procedures the law does require employers to communicate to employees. Many employers use an employee handbook to describe the employer’s history, mission, values, policies, procedures, and employee benefits. A well-written employee handbook also answers many routine questions employees may have and avoids using additional time and resources of employees, the human resources (HR) department, or managers in answering those questions.

Employers often require each employee to sign a written acknowledgment of receiving the employee handbook—but must be careful not to have the handbook construed as an employment agreement, which might change the employee’s status from an at-will employee who can be fired or terminated at will to an employee who can only be fired or terminated for cause.

Employers must also be careful to avoid overly broad statements in the employee handbook that restrict the ability of employees to discuss wages and other terms and conditions of employment—including criticisms of the employer—which are known as protected, concerted activities.

In Louisiana (LA), while there is no specific state or federal law mandating that employers provide an employee handbook, it is a common practice for employers to use handbooks to communicate company policies, procedures, and employee benefits. These handbooks often include information about the company's history, mission, values, and answers to frequently asked questions, which can save time for HR departments and managers. When distributing handbooks, employers in LA typically require employees to acknowledge receipt, but they must be cautious not to imply an employment contract, which could alter the at-will employment relationship. At-will employment allows employers to terminate employees without cause, but if a handbook is construed as a contract, it could imply that employees can only be terminated for cause. Additionally, employers must ensure that the handbook does not contain language that would infringe on employees' rights to engage in protected, concerted activities, such as discussing wages and other employment terms, as protected under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).