Employee Handbook Development
I write and update employee handbooks for startups, nonprofits and small businesses of 5 to 100 employees across St. Petersburg, Tampa and the rest of Tampa Bay — in plain language your team will read, backed by policies that hold up under Florida and federal law. A handbook does two jobs: it tells your people how things work here, and it proves, to an auditor or an unemployment hearing, that you told them.
- employees
- 5–100
- typical timeline
- 3–4 wks
- on-site and remote
- Tampa Bay
You probably need this if…
Built for small businesses and other Tampa Bay employers of 5 to 100 people. HR for small businesses →
- 01
You have 5+ employees and no written policies — or a handbook downloaded from the internet years ago.
- 02
You've had a dispute where "but we never said that" came up.
- 03
You just added remote employees, a new state, or your first manager.
- 04
Your handbook still references laws or benefits that no longer exist.
Everything you need, nothing you don't.
Scope adjusts to your size and situation — this is the standard engagement.
- New handbook written for your culture
- Update and legal review of an existing handbook
- Florida-specific and multi-state policies
- Manager guide and rollout plan
- Employee acknowledgment process
- Annual update check-in
Four steps, about four weeks.
- 01
Discovery call
A 45-minute conversation about how you actually work — schedules, PTO, remote days, how conflict gets handled — and what your current handbook covers, if you have one.
- 02
Draft
I write or rewrite the handbook in plain language, layering in every required federal and Florida policy so nothing is missing.
- 03
Review together
We walk through it line by line. You flag anything that doesn't sound like you; I flag anything that won't hold up.
- 04
Rollout
A short manager guide, an all-hands walkthrough if you want one, and signed acknowledgments from every employee.
“Sarah is a joy to work with — always responsive, helpful, and patient. Hiring SBW HR Consulting is one of the best small business decisions we've ever made.”
How long does a new handbook take?
Typically three to four weeks from our first conversation to a final, reviewed draft — faster for an update.
Can you just update the one we have?
Yes. I review it against current law and your actual practices, mark what needs to change, and rewrite only what's necessary.
Does Florida law require an employee handbook?
No statute requires one, but several written policies are required or expected, and a handbook is the simplest way to deliver them and prove employees received them.
We have employees in other states. Does that matter?
Very much. Leave, pay, and notice rules differ by state. I include state addenda so one handbook covers everyone.
What happens when the law changes?
I check in annually and send you the specific edits — you're not rewriting from scratch every year.
Often paired with this.
Ready to put it in writing?
Call, or send a message — whichever is easier.