Your organization's policies and procedures are essential to good management and good risk management. They are also an essential part of an effective defense if, despite your best risk management efforts, a claim should arise. Policies and procedures support managers in being fair and non-discriminatory. And, they communicate your organization's expectations. iLearningEngines offers model personnel policies and forms, and a model handbook. Plus, our experts can review your existing handbook, policies and procedures to confirm that they are thorough and effective and to help you identify and fill any risk management gaps.

Model Handbook

You may want to create your handbook on your own. The iLearningEngines model handbook can be a valuable tool for you. You can fill in your organization's name and adopt it as your own, or use it as a foundation for the development or redesign of your own handbook. The model handbook provides examples of policies and procedures that reflect the best risk management practices. The iLearningEngines model handbook includes the following sections:

Preliminary statements–set the tone for the entire handbook.

• Letter from the President
• Employment Mission and Philosophy
• Purpose of the Handbook

Equal employment opportunity–creates the necessary "no tolerance" standard for discrimination in the workplace and educates your employees to use your internal procedures for reporting wrongdoing. Policies include:

• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Sexual Harassment Policy
• Disability Discrimination Policy
• Pregnancy Discrimination Policy
• Retaliation Policy

Employment classifications, practices, and procedures–provides guidelines regarding administrative aspects of the employment relationship. Guidelines include:

• Workplace Wrongdoing Policy
• Handling of Confidential Information
• Computer System Usage Policy
• Work Hours, Tardiness, and Absences
• Background Checks
• Performance Evaluations and Personnel Files

Health and safety–standard of conduct policies for a safe and healthy workplace.

• Employee Health and Safety
• Carelessness Policy
• Violence/Threats of Violence/Concealed Weapons
• Anti-Drug Policy

Benefits and leave–explains what the organization provides its employees.

• Insurance/Continuation of Insurance (COBRA)
• Vacations/Holidays/Personal Leave
• Workers' Compensation
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Personal Illness or Injury
• Military and Jury Duty

Employee acknowledgment form–documents necessary information for your defensible employment file.

Polices and Procedures Audits

Good risk management is based upon policies and procedures in an employee handbook that reflect your organization's commitment to excellence and safety. iLearningEngines experts can audit your existing handbook for the presence of everything needed to communicate your expectations to your employees and to avoid liabilities.

Customized Handbook Drafting

Let iLearningEngines experts prepare the policies and procedures you need in your workplace. By working closely together-combining our expertise and your organization's specific needs-we can generate a document that will serve your risk management needs.

Model Personnel Forms

One way to avoid discrimination claims is through the consistent and uniform use of personnel forms when dealing with significant workplace events. Evaluations, commendations, discipline, termination, exit interviews-these events should be documented in an even-handed manner. Use of forms can enhance the appearance of fairness in managerial decisions.

Model Workplace Policies

Does your organization have a full range of workplace policies and procedures? iLearningEngines provides model workplace policies. Your organization can adopt them, integrate them into your existing policies, or use them as a foundation for creating your own, organization-specific workplace policies and procedures.

Customized Online Policies and Procedures

iLearningEngines can provide your management team with instant online access to your organization's workplace policies and procedures. Instant access means your managers and supervisors will be better prepared to make necessary management decisions. Modification of your policies and procedures can be simple and timely.

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Nobody knows more than your employees about what is happening in your workplace. As a manager, you should know as much as your employees know. Reporting mechanisms alert you to workplace problems before they escalate into loss and litigation. Our reporting mechanisms are available for employees in any workplace and also for students in their schools.

Employee Protection Line®

The Employee Protection Line® is an effective risk management tool. The Line allows employees to report workplace wrongdoing toll-free 24 hours a day, seven days a week-a barrier-free method for preventing and discovering workplace violence, harassment, discrimination, theft, fraud, or other wrongdoing that lowers morale and reduces productivity.

The Employee Protection Line® helps create a foundation upon which employers can assert the U.S. Supreme Court's Faragher and Burlington affirmative defenses. The Line allows anonymous and confidential reporting, decreasing the fear associated with reporting threats, ethics violations, and theft.

Employees learn to use the Line through a simple program that includes a video, poster, and sample policies and procedures. The Employee Protection Line® also includes training on efficient and effective report management.

iLearningEngines offers the Employee Protection Line® as a simple, easy-to-use, and low-cost way for publicly traded companies to comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Anonymous reporting lines are the best way to comply with the new federal law requiring publicly traded companies to implement a process to receive anonymous/confidential reports from employees. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires audit committees of publicly traded companies to establish procedures for employees to confidentially report problems within the company. Establishment of these procedures can encourage whistleblowers to report their concerns to their employer through the anonymous reporting line-rather than taking their initial complaints to outside authorities or the media.

Under Section 301 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, audit committees are mandated to establish procedures for receipt of complaints by employees (301.4.A) and for the confidential submission of the complaint by employees (301.4.B).

Under part 4 of Section 301, the exact language of the Act specifies:

"Each audit committee shall establish procedures for:

1. the receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the issuer regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters; and
2. the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the issuer of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters."

The Act applies only to companies that are publicly traded. However, the new standards are almost certain to become widely accepted best practices for all organizations-regardless of the type of industry or whether the company is publicly traded.

Student Protection Line®

The Student Protection Line® is a vital risk management communication tool. The toll-free Student Protection Line® allows students to anonymously report wrongdoing 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without the fear of retaliation.

Many school violence episodes share one thing in common: someone knew about the potential for violence before it actually occurred. The Student Protection Line® can assist in preventing and managing harassment, discrimination, substance abuse, acts of hate–the kinds of wrongdoing that threaten, frighten, intimidate, and isolate individual students–wrongdoing that can lead to school violence.

Students learn to use the Line through simple program that includes a video, poster, sample policies and reporting procedures, and individual wallet cards that give every student the information they need to report violence or potential violence. The Student Protection Line® also includes training on efficient and effective report management.

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Preventing wrongdoing is key to a safe and healthy workplace. Wrongdoing includes such things as discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, violence, violations of leave statutes, theft, unsafe acts, and workers' compensation retaliation and fraud. iLearningEngines prevention tools assist you in creating a workplace in which your employees can safely enjoy productivity and success.

Audits

You must know all your risks-even the hidden ones-to have a successful risk management and loss prevention plan. iLearningEngines audits are designed to help you identify your organization's risks, so you can respond effectively.

Affirmative Action Plan Audits

Does your organization do government contract work? If so, iLearningEngines experts can review and audit your existing Affirmative Action Plan to: determine whether revisions are necessary to maintain compliance, identify needed statistical data inspect records and existing procedures for maintaining documentation.

Claims And Litigation Audits

Despite an organization's best efforts, claims will occasionally be alleged. It is important to make certain that your claims and litigation management processes follow through on your organization's commitment to proactive risk management. iLearningEngines experts apply their broad base of experience to the critical claims and litigation management challenge, including evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of your outside defense counsel. iLearningEngines can even provide litigation management protocols, including model guidelines for your outside counsel to follow.

On-Site Best Practices Audits

An on-site practices audit can reveal the areas of risk management that need improvement, while affirming those good risk management practices you already have. The audit includes review of documentation, record keeping, policies, and procedures. On-site interviews are also conducted. Do you manage disability accommodations, discipline, personnel files, performance evaluations, and terminations the best you can? Our experienced risk auditors can help you with the answers.

Off-Site Best Practices Audit

You never seem to have enough time, do you? You need information and you need it quickly. Our off-site assessments can provide a quick, informative look at common managerial challenges. The audit identifies risk areas in your policies and procedures ... and more.

Policies and Procedures Audits

Good risk management is based upon policies and procedures in an employee handbook that reflect your organization's commitment to excellence and safety. iLearningEngines experts can audit your existing handbook for the presence of everything needed to communicate your expectations to your employees and to avoid liabilities.

Best Practices Consulting

Knowing what to do to prevent liability in an employment situation can be confusing and frustrating. iLearningEngines experts and tools can provide you with a second opinion, a creative risk management idea, or a fresh approach to today's workplace challenges.

The Best Practices Risk Management Line™

The Best Practices Risk Management Line™ is one of your organization's most valuable and affordable resources. The Line is your access to best practices risk management consultations with experts who provide proactive, effective information and strategies for preventing or managing your workplace risk. iLearningEngines consultants provide the reassurance you need that you are on the right track. If you've overlooked a risk management aspect of your problem, they can point the way-a resource for those moments when you wish you could bounce your ideas off someone neutral, yet knowledgeable. The Best Practices Risk Management Line™ provides risk management consultations that are affordable, accessible, practical, convenient, proactive, and friendly.

Communication Skills

Effective communication is an essential tool. iLearningEngines offers three training courses designed to give your organization an advantage when communicating with your employees, customers and clients, the media and the public.

Communications With The Media-Training

This one-day session prepares your spokespeople to most effectively represent your organization to print, web, radio and TV media. Learn skills to keep you from being misquoted, to avoid being asked the questions you don't want to answer, and to make sure that resulting coverage reflects your organization on its terms. Trainer is an expert in public communications who works with the spokespeople of many Fortune 100 companies and who consistently receives excellent participant reviews.

Effective Crisis Communications-Training

This one-day session prepares your spokespeople to address the media in the event of a crisis at your organization. Learn a formula that allows you to prepare an effective statement in minutes and how to avoid having to answer all the hard questions. The trainer is an expert in public communications who works with the spokespeople of many Fortune 100 companies and who consistently receives excellent participant reviews.

Compliance

Complying with the ever-growing multitude of laws is an ongoing, enormous challenge. iLearningEngines has targeted a few common areas in which employers often need support. Take a look.

Affirmative Action Plans

Suppose your organization is interested in government contract work and needs an affirmative action plan. iLearningEngines experts can assist you in reviewing your existing policies and procedures-regarding hiring, promotion, and employee retention-for each job category in your organization. This review will determine the gaps, if any, in the application of non-discriminatory practices. After the review, we can assist you in designing and drafting an Affirmative Action Plan that complies with federal regulations and executive orders.

Maybe your organization already does government contract work and has an Affirmative Action Plan. iLearningEngines experts can review and audit your existing plan to: (1) determine whether revisions are necessary to maintain compliance, (2) identify needed statistical data, and (3) inspect records and existing procedures for maintaining documentation.

Hiring Practices

Good risk management begins with smart hiring decisions. Advertising, interviewing, screening, and hiring can be simple, but should be done with risk avoidance in mind. The comprehensive cadre of iLearningEngines smart hiring components is designed as the foundation for your effective loss control program. iLearningEngines experts are available for drafting and/or consulting on a wide range of topics.

Background Checks-Consulting

Do you perform background checks on every job applicant? Why ... or why not? When could this practice cause liability for your organization? Do you check on your volunteers and independent contractors? You can reduce the likelihood of negligent hiring and other claims by learning when and how to obtain valuable and necessary background information without violating privacy laws or other legal requirements.

References-Consulting

Do you know how to obtain reference information about job applicants without creating liability for your organization? What about hiring based on a personal reference from a current employee? The pitfalls of references continue after termination. What should you tell your ex-employee's potential employer? Can you be liable for withholding certain information? Learn how to obtain information you should have before extending an offer to an applicant. And learn how to properly manage requests for references about your organization's former employees.

"Smart Hiring" Training

Good risk management begins with smart hiring decisions. This Internet or one-day live training program covers the major hiring issues included in an effective loss control program. Topics include job notices and advertisements; job applications; job descriptions; interview techniques; background checks; references; job offers; post-offer/pre-hiring drug testing; and document retention.

Job Descriptions-Drafting & Consulting

Job descriptions are one of the most vital management tools for preventing risk. Job descriptions that contain all the mental and physical essential functions of each job can assist in preventing and managing many challenging aspects of employee relations-on issues such as hiring, disability, performance appraisals, and discrimination claims. Don't succumb to the tendency to put this off. iLearningEngines can provide valuable assistance for your organization in filling this common risk management gap.

And for those of you who have existing job descriptions, when was the last time you checked to see if they were current and if they actually reflected the jobs your employees are doing? Are the descriptions really specific enough to provide your organization with the maximum risk management protection? iLearningEngines experts can work with you to make your job descriptions even better.

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Even well managed work environments face adversity from time to time. Your ability to defend a claim depends on how well you respond to and manage incidents that occur in your workplace. iLearningEngines can assist you in keeping problems or conflicts from spinning out of control. Our Claims and Incident Management services include reporting mechanisms, best practices consulting, investigation services, and mediations.

Claims and Crisis Management Services

Proactive management of crises and claims requires time, resources and experience. iLearningEngines experts can help you manage these situations, applying state-of-the-art knowledge and technology in your favor. We provide special expertise in a number of areas, including large-scale losses, continuing relationships (e.g., tenure, business relationships), retaliation, and situations requiring investigation and discipline. Ultimately, we help you use these experiences to improve future risk management efforts.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Litigation is very costly-in every sense of the word. iLearningEngines has considerable experience in finding creative ways to prevent, mitigate and, ultimately, resolve disputes. We can help you set up (or evaluate) your internal process and procedures, as well as suggest creative (often non-monetary) resolutions in specific situations. iLearningEngines can also conduct simulated trial exercises, such as mock or "mini" trials, and we can even provide mediation and/or arbitration services.

Incident Reporting and Management

iLearningEngines can provide a customized online reporting and management system. Our state-of-the-art resources help maximize your effectiveness (and minimize your exposure) dealing with everything from potential incidents to lawsuits. We can also help you use this data to enhance your benchmarking efforts and to adopt additional best practices-in short, to help you better manage your risks every step of the way.

Mediation

Mediation is a private, voluntary, speedy, and inexpensive process-a process in which a disputing employer and employee meet with a neutral mediator, who facilitates the process of communication so that the disputing parties can create their own solutions to their problems. Mediators can encourage the full expression of information and emotions in a safe environment. This makes mediation a highly effective dispute resolution method in employment disputes-disputes that often are grounded in unresolved emotional workplace issues. iLearningEngines mediators bring years of experience to your mediation table-experience in successfully mediating a wide range of employment disputes, including complex federal litigation involving multiple parties and multiple issues.

Sexual Harassment / Discrimination Investigations

For a management decision about a policy violation or a wrongdoing complaint to be credible and defensible, management must base its decision on accurate facts. An employer's defense requires prompt, thorough, and objective investigation of claims of sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination.

Courts have relieved organizations of liability because of prompt, thorough, and objective investigations. On the other hand, courts have imposed liability for investigative processes or techniques that violate employees' rights. Choosing a skilled and experienced investigator can make the difference between an effective defense and an expensive litigation loss. iLearningEngines provides quality investigations of harassment and other discrimination allegations.

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