8.25.25 – Protecting one’s business from risk is very important, especially in the complex automotive industry. With that in mind, the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ) brought attorneys Seth Rosenstein and Layne Feldman of Ansell Grimm and Aaron, PC to address members last week via a webinar focused on tailoring an employee handbook for collision and mechanical shops.
When it comes to having a proper comprehensive document that outlines an employer’s company policies, procedures and expectations for employees, there is no one-size-fits-all method to putting one together.
Downloading a sample employee handbook just will not do, according to Rosenstein and Feldman, as it’s not likely to address the various business practices of an automotive shop. It’s important to have a document that is unique to one’s business, reflects the culture of the company and serves as the legal and operational framework for both the employer and the employees.
Rosenstein and Feldman walked the AASP/NJ community through the various components the handbook should include, such as mission statements, family history, PPE and cybersecurity policies, Equal Employment Opportunity, anti-harassment policies and local New Jersey state laws.
“Compensation and benefits is what employees will be likely to flip to first,” Feldman pointed out. “They will want to know about paid leave and other perks, so it’s very important that time off policies are in the handbook and enforced. The appropriate amount of time should be given for sick leave.” A business could be subjected to serious penalties if the appropriate earned sick leave is not given as per New Jersey law, she pointed out.
Employers will want to take disciplinary procedures into consideration when building an employee handbook. “There will always be bad eggs, no matter what industry you are in, and there should be procedures on how to deal with them properly,” explained Rosenstein. “It could make it harder for an employee to pursue you if you have a solid process and set forth what grounds for termination are.”
The legal team also dove into risk management strategies to consider as the automotive world contends with customer disputes, OSHA, data privacy and insurance company pushback. Maintaining documentation is key in this area.
AASP/NJ President Ken Miller thanked Rosenstein and Feldman and those who took the time to tune into the virtual presentation. “This information is more valuable than you can imagine. It’s important to protect ourselves and know what we are doing in our businesses. As an association, it’s important for us to bring this information to our members to make sure they know what is required.”
Next up in AASP/NJ’s upcoming events schedule is the association’s 2025 Lou Scoras Memorial Golf Outing on September 16, followed by “Fundamentals in Business” presented by Rachel James on September 24. For more information on AASP/NJ events or becoming a member, visit aaspnj.org.
