At first glance, HR documentation might seem like a series of administrative tasks you need to complete as an employee of a business. However, having a well-organized HR document is crucial for your business.
Here’s why:
• The story tells of the business’s interactions with every employee from the beginning to the completion of their period of employment.
• This is your assurance that you’re in conformity with all federal, state and local laws on employment and rules and.
• It’s your protection in case an employee files a lawsuit against your business for discrimination, unfair termination, or any other issue.
Managers and owners of businesses there’s an abundance of sensitive data of employees that needs to be protected and managed and a myriad of employee concerns to be addressed on a daily basis.
Inadequate employee data, along with an area that is secure in which this information is centralized is a sure way to get into trouble very quickly.
This is the guide you need to get complete, exact HR documentation. It includes:
• What do you need to record?
• How do you gather this information?
The purpose for HR documents
An adage can be adapted to HR: if you don’t record it the event didn’t occur.
When you write evidence to justify your policies and decisions your goal should be fair, credible and consistent. It is advisable to work under an assumption that some third-party might, at a certain time, look over your documents.
Confidentiality is a crucial element of record keeping. Managers and HR professionals are in an obligation to handle information that is shared – either in writing or in a verbal manner – about the performance of employees or their personal situation.
The information you collect must be kept confidential and only disclosed to those within your company that have a need to be aware of.
Let’s look at the most popular areas where proper HR documentation is crucial.
Onboarding documents
Each time a new employee joins an organisation when they join an organization, they have to go through an onboarding procedure.
The process involves new employees being handed a pile of forms to fill in and supplying personal information. This involves the exchange of highly sensitive information, such as their:
• Driver’s license
• Passport
• Social Security number
• Information about your bank account
• Information about health or medical condition
The process must be self-contained and should be designed to keep the information secret.
In addition, any documents that contain sensitive information should be kept for the need for which it’s necessary.
In this period it’s an excellent idea to ask the new employees to take a note of an official job description with their name and duties to avoid confusion later on.
Communication for performance
This kind of communication is comprised of two major categories:
• Performance development
• Correction of performance
• Performance development
In this case the employee is performing their job properly. You are satisfied with the quality that they perform their job. But, in order to increase their skillset, take on more responsibilities, or get an increase in rank, the employee might require further training.
In both scenarios, the procedure differs somewhat.
How do I identify the requirements for training for employees taking on new responsibilities within the same position?
• Record the qualifications the employee is currently possessed of at the time of writing.
• Define why the individual is ready to assume more responsibility in their current job.
• It is important to note that they have the capacity and the desire to expand.
• Include the dates on which training was completed and when it ended.
• Incorporate this information into your personnel record.
If employees are being taught to take on a new job take the same steps but with one difference:
Employees shouldn’t submit a revised work description until after they’ve started the new position.
Problems of attendance
There are times where an employee performs well at their job, but only when they’re at work.
But excessive delays, absences or breaks during the day may affect the performance of the most skilled worker. This can lower morale and cause problems in teams, when employees are constantly providing for someone who’s not even present.
Here’s how you can be able to document your absence from work:
• Make sure you are specific.
• Keep track of the date of each instance.
• If you are able, mention the extent of tardiness or the length and number of breaks, as an example.
• Every time an issue with attendance occurs, you should ask the employee’s explanation for it and write it down on your notepad.
• Find out if the worker thinks they have something you could help the employee with. The aim isn’t to look into the employee’s personal problems however, to figure out what can be done to resolve the issue.
• Or is it is simply the employee’s difficulty getting up after their alarm clock goes off in the early morning?
• Do employees provide contradictions in their explanations? You need to know why the employee may give contradicting reasons and be able address the differences when needed.
• It’s crucial to realize that the employee isn’t in agreement with the contents. If they do not want to sign the document, record the reason for their refusal.
However, be aware the fact that, if you are excused an absence due to the reason mentioned above, you must excuse all employees that had to be absent due to this reason. If you experience delays due to traffic delays, it’s likely that more than one of your employees traveling in the exact same direction simultaneously are affected. Everyone should be given the reason.
This shows that your company is fair and impartial in its application of policies, including any possible exceptions.
Conformity with office guidelines
Employees can take part in any of the following actions that aren’t in accordance with the policies of your organization:
• Infractions to confidentiality rules or privacy rules
• Insubordination to a member of the management
• Engaging with co-workers in an unprofessional way
• Violating an dress code
• Violating social media policy
• The possibility of dating a co-worker
• Disregarding safety rules
In extreme instances employees’ behaviour can lead to dismissal at the point of a fright. As we’ve discussed in the previous paragraphs, record what transpired and include it in your personnel record.
If not, proving the absence of compliance with the policies of your organization should be handled in the following way:
• Be sure you have a handbook for employees that is clear and reflects all policies in force from the beginning.
• Tell the employee why they’re not in compliance. Give specific details.
• Let the employee know how they can improve their behaviour so that they can comply with the guidelines.
• Note down the discussion and the day the conversation took place for each incident.
• Request the employee to acknowledge that the discussion took place.
• It’s crucial to understand that they’re not informing you of their that they are in agreement with the content.
• Inform the employee that a continuation of this conduct could result in dismissal, if appropriate.
• Include this information in your personnel record.
Health documentation
Sick-leave
If an employee has to call in sick, you might be tempted by an official doctor’s note to justify their absence in the work place. It’s not that easy.
A lot of cities, states, and counties have laws on paid leave. Some of these laws apply to sick leave, however. Certain laws are specifically aimed at “safe time,” which applies to those who have been victims of domestic violence or their families Some are just paid time off with no limitation on the reason for the leave.
Although most of these laws require the use of some form of documentation in certain conditions but not all require it. When you are requesting employees for an official doctor’s note, you must first find out if your city, state or county has laws regarding paid leave and the requirements of those laws.
• If your city, state or county has a paid-leave law that allows employees to be allowed to make use of time earned pursuant to the law absent from work without a written record for a specified duration of time. Note down the days that the employee was absent, and make note of the time in accordance with the law.
• If your city, state county, area doesn’t have a law on paid leave it is possible to request documents in the form an official note from a doctor, which is then added to an employee file.
Remember that doctor’s notes could be subjective or contain a lack of important details. For instance, a doctor’s note may not mention whether the patient is allowed to go back to work.
The absence of this information could create a problem in treating employees in a fair way. Do you tell the employee to return to their doctor and obtain an updated note that contains all the required information? What kind of information is needed? In what circumstances do you allow an oversight to go unnoticed?
Take care in these instances. The medical information of an employee is confidential, secure information.
If all you require is a letter stating that the employee has been seen by the health provider You may not need to inquire about additional details.
Medical Leave
If an employee has to take unpaid leave due to pregnancy, personal illness or health of a relative’s member, they could take medical leave.
Each state is a subject of Federal regulations under Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, it is important to find out if your state, city, county or another location is subject to additional regulations which run concurrently or in tandem with FMLA.
Generally speaking, you must record:
• A medical condition is present (but it is not clear what the condition is) The required time off or scheduling accommodation, and how long the absence is expected to last.
• Health care providers provide the information. The problem should not be identified, or the request for documentation must clearly state that there is there is no diagnosis or prognosis sought.
• The date on which the employee is allowed to return to work or the duration expected for the absence.
• A health professional is the person who submits the release to work. Most likely, it is identical to the individual who approved the leave.
• The length of the leave required is intermittent or continuous and the criteria around the need for such.
• Include this information in the record of personnel.
For an ADA Interactive process here’s what you should record in your file of personnel:
• Include the request of the employee to accommodation, or describe how you learned of the need for accommodations.
• Employees do not have to formal ask for an accommodation.
• Remember the conversation as well as the date of its occurrence making it as specific as is possible.
• If you can, include quotations of the statement made. Beware of paraphrasing statements as this could result in inaccurately recorded data.
• Give your answer.
• What do you have the capacity to allow?
• If you’re not able to provide an requested modification, explain the reason.
• What was the deal between you and your employee?
Documents that are renewed
However, it’s not an everyday situation. It’s typically only applicable to situations where the employee is legal residents or green-card holders.
If you use a paper-based system, make sure you be aware of the dates for expiration of the documents and make plans in advance.
After you’ve informed that employee, the subsequent process will largely be identical to the procedures and procedures for handling paperwork onboarding.
Conclusion: In conclusion, implementing an HRMS software in India can significantly streamline HR documentation processes. By utilizing an HRMS software, organizations can efficiently manage and store HR documents, ensuring data accuracy, accessibility, and compliance. This technology empowers HR departments to automate tasks, reduce manual errors, and enhance overall efficiency. Investing in an HRMS software solution can be a valuable asset for organizations seeking to optimize their HR documentation management and improve overall HR operations.
