Employee Handbook

EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

State of Delaware

[COMPANY LEGAL NAME]

Effective Date: [MM/DD/YYYY]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Handbook Status and Administration
2. Equal Employment and Accommodation
3. Wage, Hour, Payday, and Break Policies
4. Family, Medical, Jury, and Company Leave
5. Safety and Workers' Compensation
6. Records, Privacy, and Protected Activity
7. Conduct, Attendance, and Corrective Action
8. Separation of Employment
9. Administration and Acknowledgment

1. HANDBOOK STATUS AND ADMINISTRATION

1.1 Purpose and Scope

This Handbook states the general policies of [Company Legal Name] (the “Company”) for Employees working in Delaware. It must be completed for the Company's workforce, benefits, locations, industry, and any collective bargaining agreement before distribution.

1.2 Not a Contract; Employment Relationship

This Handbook is not an employment contract, a promise of employment for a fixed term, or a guarantee that any particular corrective-action step will be used. Unless a signed agreement, collective bargaining agreement, or applicable law provides otherwise, either the Employee or the Company may end employment at any time. Only [AUTHORIZED TITLE] may sign an agreement changing that relationship.

1.3 Reporting Channels and Anti-Retaliation

An Employee may report a concern orally or in writing to [SUPERVISOR], [HR CONTACT], or [ALTERNATE/ETHICS CONTACT], and may bypass anyone involved in the concern. The Company will respond promptly and impartially and prohibits retaliation for good-faith reports, accommodation requests, wage complaints, protected leave, jury activity, safety reports, workers' compensation activity, participation in an investigation, or other legally protected conduct.

1.4 Definitions and Coverage Review

“Employee” means an individual employed by the Company, whether full-time, part-time, temporary, or seasonal.

“Workweek” means the seven-day period beginning at [DAY/TIME] and ending at [DAY/TIME] for payroll and overtime purposes.

Complete before issue:

• Total Delaware Employees: [____]
• Four or more Employees for Delaware discrimination-law coverage: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Fifty or more Employees for Delaware sexual-harassment training: ☐ Yes ☐ No
• Delaware Paid Leave coverage: ☐ Exempt (9 or fewer) ☐ Parental only (10–24) ☐ Full (25+)
• Employees with 12 months and 1,250 hours for Delaware Paid Leave/FMLA: [identify/report method]
• Federal FMLA-covered employer and eligible worksites: ☐ Yes ☐ No ☐ Review required
• Collective bargaining agreement applies: ☐ Yes ☐ No

2. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT AND ACCOMMODATION

2.1 Equal Employment Opportunity

The Company prohibits unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on race, including traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and protective hairstyle; marital status; genetic information; color; age forty or older; religion; sex, including pregnancy; sexual orientation; gender identity; national origin; military status; housing status; reproductive-health decisions; or any other status protected by applicable law.

Employment decisions will be based on lawful job-related considerations.

2.2 Complaint Procedure

Employees should report discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or an accommodation need to [HR CONTACT] or [ALTERNATE CONTACT]. Reports will be addressed promptly and as confidentially as reasonably possible. Employees may contact a government agency or pursue another protected remedy without first exhausting this internal process.

2.3 Disability, Religion, and Pregnancy Accommodation

The Company will engage in an appropriate interactive process and provide reasonable accommodation when required by applicable disability, religious-accommodation, pregnancy, childbirth, and related-condition laws.

For a known pregnancy-related limitation, the Company will not require leave when another reasonable accommodation can be provided, deny an opportunity because accommodation is needed, force an unnecessary accommodation, or retaliate for requesting or using an accommodation. Possible accommodations may include additional breaks, periodic rest, equipment, assistance with manual labor, job restructuring, light duty, a modified schedule, a temporary transfer, time off after childbirth, or break time and facilities for expressing breast milk, depending on the circumstances and undue-hardship standard.

2.4 Sexual-Harassment Information and Training

The Company will provide Delaware's required sexual-harassment information sheet to new Employees at commencement of employment. If the Company has fifty or more Employees, it will provide interactive sexual-harassment training within one year of hire and every two years thereafter, plus supervisor training within one year of assuming a supervisory role and every two years thereafter.

3. WAGE, HOUR, PAYDAY, AND BREAK POLICIES

3.1 Classification and Minimum Wage

Human Resources will classify workers based on actual duties and the working relationship, not labels alone. Salaried status by itself does not establish an exemption.

Employees covered by the Delaware Minimum Wage Act will receive at least $15.00 per hour in 2026, subject to lawful exemptions and any higher federal rate. Tipped pay, tip credits, retention, and pooling will be administered under current Delaware and federal law.

3.2 Timekeeping and Overtime

Non-exempt Employees must accurately record all time worked, including authorized or unauthorized work before or after a shift, remote work, compensable travel, training, interrupted meals, and work communications. Working off the clock is prohibited, but all time actually worked must be recorded and paid.

Covered non-exempt Employees will receive one and one-half times the regular rate for hours worked over forty in a Workweek when required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Overtime should be approved in advance, but lack of approval does not permit unpaid work.

3.3 Paydays, Statements, and Deductions

The regular pay period is [____], and payday is [____]. Wages will be paid on regular paydays designated in advance at least once each calendar month and within seven days after the pay period closes, subject to the limited statutory exceptions.

At payment, the Company will provide a retainable statement showing wages due, the pay period, separately specified deductions, and hours for hourly Employees. The Company will withhold or divert wages only when required by law, for qualifying care without financial benefit to the Company, or under a signed authorization for a lawful deduction benefiting the Employee.

3.4 Meal Periods

An Employee who works seven and one-half or more consecutive hours will receive an unpaid meal period of at least thirty consecutive minutes sometime after the first two hours and before the last two hours, unless a statutory agreement or exemption applies. Employees must be completely relieved of duties during an unpaid meal period and must record and report any work performed during that time.

The Company rest-break policy is [____ minutes / frequency / not offered]. Short breaks will be treated as paid time when required by applicable law.

3.5 Vacation, Sick Time, and General PTO

Delaware vacation, sick-time, or general PTO benefits are governed by the written Company policy selected below, subject to any other applicable law:

• Accrual method: [____]
• Carryover or cap: [____]
• Permitted sick/safe uses: [____]
• Separation payout rule: [____]
• Scheduling and approval rules: [____]

4. FAMILY, MEDICAL, JURY, AND COMPANY LEAVE

4.1 Delaware Paid Leave

Delaware Paid Leave benefits began January 1, 2026. An employer with nine or fewer Employees is generally exempt; an employer with ten through twenty-four Employees generally provides parental-leave coverage only; and an employer with twenty-five or more Employees generally provides parental, family-caregiving, and medical coverage.

An Employee generally must have worked for the Company for at least twelve months, completed at least 1,250 hours of service during the preceding twelve months, and primarily report for work in Delaware. Covered parental leave may provide up to twelve weeks in an application year. Medical and family-caregiving leave together may provide up to six weeks in a twenty-four-month period, subject to the program's combined maximum of twelve weeks in an application year.

The program generally replaces eighty percent of average weekly wages, subject to the statutory minimum and a $900 weekly maximum for 2026. The Company will provide required notices, collect contributions as permitted, maintain health coverage, provide required job restoration, and coordinate Delaware Paid Leave with federal FMLA and Company leave only as current law permits. Employees should give thirty days' notice when practicable and contact [LEAVE CONTACT].

4.2 Federal Family and Medical Leave

The FMLA applies to private employers with fifty or more Employees in at least twenty workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year and to covered public employers. An Employee generally must have twelve months of service, 1,250 hours worked in the prior twelve months, and fifty Employees within seventy-five miles of the worksite.

Eligible Employees may receive up to twelve workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying family, medical, and military-exigency reasons and up to twenty-six workweeks in a single twelve-month period for qualifying military-caregiver leave. A separate FMLA policy and required notices control administration.

4.3 Jury Service

An Employee receiving or responding to a jury summons must notify [CONTACT] promptly. Company pay status during jury service is [UNPAID / PAID BY COMPANY POLICY]. The State juror allowance is not Company pay. The Company will not deprive an Employee of employment, threaten, or coerce the Employee because the Employee received or responded to a summons, served as a juror, or attended court for prospective jury service.

4.4 Military and Other Protected Leave

The Company will provide military leave and reemployment rights required by USERRA and other applicable law. Human Resources will also evaluate requests for reasonable accommodation, workers' compensation absence, Delaware Paid Leave, and any other protected leave rather than treating the absence as ordinary attendance misconduct.

4.5 Company Leave

5. SAFETY AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION

5.1 Workplace Safety

Employees must follow safety rules, use required protective equipment, and promptly report hazards, injuries, and illnesses to [CONTACT]. The Company prohibits retaliation for a good-faith safety or injury report.

5.2 Workers' Compensation

The Company will secure Delaware workers' compensation coverage when required. Employees should report a work-related injury or illness promptly to [CONTACT] so the Company can meet insurance, notice, recordkeeping, and reporting duties. The Company will not retaliate because an Employee claimed or attempted to claim benefits, reported noncompliance, or participated in a workers' compensation proceeding.

6. RECORDS, PRIVACY, AND PROTECTED ACTIVITY

6.1 Electronic Monitoring Notice

The Company will provide the acknowledgment or recurring electronic notice required before monitoring or intercepting covered telephone, email, or internet activity of a Delaware Employee. Company systems and equipment are provided for business use and may be accessed, preserved, and reviewed for legitimate business, security, legal, and compliance purposes to the extent permitted by law.

6.2 Confidentiality and Lawful Disclosures

Employees must protect legitimate confidential and trade-secret information learned through work. This policy does not prohibit an Employee from reporting suspected unlawful conduct to a government agency or attorney, cooperating in an investigation, discussing wages or working conditions where protected, or engaging in other legally protected activity.

6.3 Personnel and Medical Records

The Company will maintain payroll, leave, accommodation, medical, and personnel records with access limited to legitimate business and legal needs. Protected medical information will be stored separately or treated confidentially when required.

7. CONDUCT, ATTENDANCE, AND CORRECTIVE ACTION

7.1 Expected Conduct

Employees must perform assigned duties safely and honestly; comply with lawful policies; accurately record time and business records; protect Company, customer, and coworker property; avoid unlawful harassment, threats, or violence; and disclose actual conflicts of interest to [HR/COMPLIANCE].

7.2 Attendance and Call-In

Employees unable to report as scheduled must notify [CONTACT] by [METHOD] at least [____] before the shift when practicable. This policy will be administered consistently with accommodation, Delaware Paid Leave, FMLA, jury, military, workers' compensation, and other protected-absence laws.

7.3 Corrective Action

The Company may use coaching, verbal warning, written warning, final warning, suspension, or termination. It may select or skip steps based on the circumstances. This policy does not create a contract or authorize action for a protected reason.

8. SEPARATION OF EMPLOYMENT

8.1 Notice and Return of Property

Employees are requested, but not required by this Handbook, to provide [____] days' resignation notice. At separation, Employees must return Company property and records. Earned wages will not be withheld as leverage for a disputed debt or unreturned property outside deductions permitted by law.

8.2 Final Pay and Benefits

When an Employee quits, resigns, is discharged, suspended, or laid off, earned wages are due on the later of the next date the wages would have been paid through the last day worked under the regular pay cycle or three business days after the last day worked. Vacation, commissions, bonuses, expenses, severance, and benefits will be handled under the governing written policy, plan, agreement, and applicable law.

9. ADMINISTRATION AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT

9.1 Policy Administration

The Company may prospectively revise policies in writing, subject to applicable law, earned wages and leave, contracts, and collective bargaining agreements. If a policy conflicts with controlling law, the law controls and the policy will be administered as closely as possible to its lawful purpose.

9.2 No Mandatory Internal Exhaustion

Employees are encouraged to use internal reporting channels, but nothing in this Handbook requires an Employee to waive or delay a right to contact a government agency, file a charge, report a crime, seek emergency assistance, consult counsel, discuss wages or working conditions where protected, or pursue another protected remedy.

9.3 Separate Agreements

Any arbitration, restrictive-covenant, invention-assignment, confidentiality, commission, bonus, or employment agreement must be separately drafted and reviewed for current Delaware and federal law. This Handbook itself does not impose arbitration, a jury waiver, employee indemnity, a damages cap, attorney-fee shifting, an exclusive court forum, or a force-majeure excuse from wage or leave obligations.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT

I, [EMPLOYEE NAME], acknowledge that I received the [Company Legal Name] Employee Handbook effective [MM/DD/YYYY] and understand that I am expected to follow its lawful policies. I understand that this acknowledgment and the Handbook are not employment contracts and do not promise employment for a fixed term.

Sources and References

• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 9, Minimum Wage
• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 7, Subchapter I, Employment Practices
• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 7, Subchapter II, Discrimination in Employment
• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 11, Wage Payment and Collection
• Delaware Department of Labor — Delaware Paid Leave
• Delaware Department of Labor — Employee Paid Leave Resources
• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 37, Delaware Paid Leave
• Delaware Code — 19 Del. C. Chapter 23, Workers' Compensation
• Delaware Code — 10 Del. C. Chapter 45, Jury Selection and Service
• U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA Hours Worked
• U.S. Department of Labor — FLSA Overtime
• U.S. Department of Labor — FMLA Frequently Asked Questions