About this Handbook: US

This About this Handbook (or Disclaimer) policy sets clear expectations for how employees should use your handbook, what it covers (and what it does not), and how updates will work over time. Handbook disclaimers are a widely used best practice because they helps reduce confusion and legal risk around common handbook issues like at-will employment and your right to revise policies to stay compliant with changing laws and business needs. A well-written version also tells staff where to go with questions, which version controls, and what happens if a handbook provision conflicts with applicable law.

The History Behind About this Handbook Policies in US

Employers started adding disclaimers to their handbooks in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when workplace rules moved from informal shop practices to written manuals and "master and servant" style treatises that tried to standardize duties, discipline, and notice. Those early texts treated workplace rules as enforceable obligations, and that mindset stuck around as handbooks became more common in growing, multi-site employers. Modern Disclaimers language grew out of the practical need to say what a handbook is and is not.

As employment at-will became the default rule in most states, employees increasingly argued that handbook language created an implied contract or promised termination only for cause. A well-known case was Woolley v. Hoffmann-La Roche (N.J. 1985), where the court held that a detailed termination policy in a handbook could be enforceable unless the employer used a clear, prominent disclaimer. Other states took different paths, but the pattern was consistent: vague welcome language plus detailed rules invited lawsuits, and clear disclaimers reduced the risk.

Handbook disclaimers also evolved as employers began updating policies more often and rolling them out digitally. Employers wanted flexibility to change benefits, procedures, and internal guidelines without accidentally locking themselves into last year's version. That is why "not a contract," "at-will," and "we can revise this" statements became standard, especially once multi-state employers had to manage inconsistent state rules on implied contracts, wage-and-hour promises, and benefit communications.

Which Law is the About this Handbook Policy Meant to Comply With at the Federal Level?

There's no federal law that specifically requires an About this Handbook policy for US-based employees. We include this anyway because it's a common best practice that answers employee FAQs, sets clear expectations, and reinforces at-will employment.

How to Write a General About this Handbook or Disclaimer Policy

• Start with "why" and introduce the concept.
• Explain what the handbook covers at a high level and that it is not exhaustive.
• Tell employees where to direct questions about the handbook.
• State that employment is at-will and can be ended by either side.
• Clarify that the handbook is not an employment contract and does not promise fixed terms.
• Reserve your organization's right to change or end policies, procedures, and benefits.
• Explain that employees are responsible for following the most current version of the handbook.
• State that the handbook is intended to comply with applicable laws and that the law controls in a conflict.

Read this blog article for the full history and details for how to write a Disclaimer policy for your handbook, including information about South Carolina's unique law on the topic.

When to Include this in Your Employee Handbook

The law does not require you to publish a policy or issue a specific notice. That said, you still have to comply with the requirements that apply to you as an employer. 

Even when notice is not required, this is still the kind of policy most employers should put in their handbook or otherwise publish to employees.

Other Considerations

The law applies to US employers who have at least 1 employee in the US.

Exceptions

None.