Stephen F. Befort

Employee Handbooks and the Legal Effect of Disclaimers

In his article, Professor Befort discusses the use of employee handbook disclaimers in the workplace. He begins the article with an examination of the employment-at-will rule, its history, and exceptions which recently have been utilized by courts that refuse to apply the rule under certain conditions. He then turns to the use of handbook disclaimers and explores the varying contexts in which courts agree or decline to enforce them. Finally, Professor Befort offers a somewhat different approach which takes into account both the benefits employers derive from the use of handbooks and the reasonable expectations they instill in employees.