Handbook creation
No handbook? Start with your company.
You do not need to upload a document. Set up your company, choose policies from the library, edit the draft, and move through review before you publish an employee edition.
Creation sequence
From company setup to employee edition
- Company setup
Workforce size, locations in scope, and operating details HALO needs for templates.
- Policy library
Required topics for federal and California scope, plus optional policies you choose to include.
- Editable handbook
Customize language. Edited provisions are not automatically compliant.
- Review
Authorized review before publication. Your counsel or HR team confirms wording.
- Published employee edition
Distribute the edition you approve. Exports follow the production builder release.
Policy types
Required, optional, and company-written
- Required topics must appear for your scope before publication.
- Optional policies cover areas you want documented beyond the minimum.
- Company-written sections need the same review discipline as template text.
Creating a handbook does not mean every edited provision is automatically compliant. Plan for appropriate review before employees receive the edition.
Before we begin
Handbook creation FAQs
01 Do I need an existing handbook?
No. The creation path is for companies without a handbook or those replacing an outdated edition. The audit path is for employers who already have a PDF or DOCX handbook to upload.
02 Which locations are included?
Federal and California scope only in the initial release. Other states, cities, and local ordinances are outside that scope unless we announce expanded coverage.
03 Is an audit legal advice?
No. An audit is an automated compliance screen against approved rules. It is not an opinion of counsel and does not replace review by your attorney.
04 Can I add company policies?
Yes, in the handbook builder when it is available. Custom wording still needs appropriate review before you rely on it or publish it to employees.
05 Will employees be able to read the handbook?
The builder path is intended to produce a readable employee edition and exports you can distribute. Acknowledgments and e-signatures are planned for a later phase.
06 Are acknowledgments and e-signatures included?
Not in the initial release. Employee acknowledgments, e-signatures, and rule-change notifications are later-phase capabilities until we announce them as live.
07 What happens to an uploaded document?
When the production retention policy is live, anonymous public uploads are scheduled for deletion after 30 days unless you convert to a verified account under the documented exception. Until that policy is deployed, follow the privacy notice on the HandbookIQ landing page at submission time.
HandbookIQ screens your document against versioned federal and California policy rules. It is a compliance screen, not legal advice or a guarantee of outcomes. Review findings with qualified counsel before you change policies or publish to employees.