2026 Employee Handbook Overhaul: Navigating Critical Updates - Does the OBBB Act Impact the Employee Handbook?

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HRCI & SHRM Approved Webinar | Credit Hours = 1.5 CEUs

Overview:

If there’s ever a time to rethink your handbook, it’s now.  The timeliness has less to do with the 2026 year, the obvious time to roll out a replacement handbook, and more to do with the wave of changes that recently swept the workplace based on the change in administration and their updated policies, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The OBBB Act, impacts employee benefits &payroll administration. You should update your employee handbook to address the following changes:

  • Tip and overtime tax deductions: For tax years 2025 through 2028, the OBBB Act creates new, temporary federal tax deductions for eligible employees.
    • Tip deduction
    • Overtime deduction
    • Employer reporting

Beyond the OBBB Act, you should also consider other updates for 2025:

  • Remote and hybrid work policies
  • Artificial intelligence (AI) Policy
  • Updated paid leave
  • Anti-harassment and inclusion
  • Employee classification
  • Federal, State, and Local regulations
  • Regulatory agencies audit focus for 2025 and beyond. For example, Immigration Enforcement requirements.
  • Multi-state Regulations impacting which laws supersede federal regulations.

Workers’ new expectations may clash with employers’ old policies. Policies that ban flexibility, certain policies, as per the temporary and permanent changes in the workplace.

What will you learn:

  • Learn, identify, and prepare for employee handbook violations.
  • What policies need to be added to their employee handbook now that the OBBB Act is law
  • Be aware of all the new regulations that will impact their company.
  • Identify the most common employee handbook violations and how to mitigate them.
  • How the DOL, and the EEOC adapted to the changes based on the results of the OBBB Act
  • How to change regulations to be compliant with employee handbook policies
  • Which regulatory agency will focus on which regulation and mitigate the risk
  • What policies will land them in hot water if they are not compliant.
  • What policies are “must-haves” for your employee handbook?
  • How AI will impact the workplace and what guardrails need to be in place to avoid discriminatory perceptions
  • Social media and the impact of penalties when employees choose to speak negatively about their Employer.
  • How your managers/supervisors can be your ambassadors in workplace compliance or your downfall
  • How training can be one of your “first line of defense” in litigation.

Why You should Attend:

The OBBB Act is not the only change we will need to adjust to our Employee Handbooks. Federal regulations are not the only changes that are expected. We have learned that State regulations have superseded the Federal regulations because the regulation with the most benefit for the employee supersedes them. Many states have several changes that impact employees in state-specific and multi-state locations. When you add remote workers, there are many changes that have to be in place where compliance is key. Are your employees ready for the 2026 Employee Handbook updates?

Who should Attend:

  • All Employers
  • Business Owners
  • Company Leadership
  • Compliance professionals
  • Payroll Administrators
  • HR Professionals
  • Managers/Supervisors
  • Small Business Owners

SHRM -

CEU Services is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. This program is valid for 1.5 PDCs for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit - portal.shrm.org.

HRCI -

This webinar has been approved for 1.5 HR (General) re-certification credit hours toward California, GPHR, HRBP, HRMP, PHR, and SPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.

The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the activity. It means that this activity has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for re-certification credit.

Author Images
Margie Faulk
HR Compliance Officer

Margie Faulk is a senior level human resources professional with over 15 years of HR management and compliance experience. A current Compliance Advisor for HR Compliance Solutions, LLC, Margie, has worked as an HR Compliance advisor for major corporations and small businesses in the small, large, private, public, Non-profit sectors and International compliance. Margie has provided small to large businesses with risk management strategies that protect companies and reduces potential workplace fines and penalties from violation of employment regulations. Margie is bilingual (Spanish) fluent and Bi-cultural.

Margie’s area of expertise includes Criminal Background Screening Policies and auditing, I-9 document correction and storage compliance, Immigration compliance, employee handbook development, policy development, sexual harassment investigations/certified training, SOX regulations, OSHA compliance, payroll compliance, compliance consulting, monitoring US-based federal, state and local regulations, employee relations issues, internal investigations, HR management, compliance consulting, internal/external audits, and performance management.

Margie’s unique training philosophy includes providing free customized tools for all attendees. These tools are customized and have been proven to be part an effective risk management strategy. Some of the customized tools include the I-9 Self Audit. Correction and Storage program, Ban the Box Decision Matrix Policy that Employers can provide in a dispute for allegations, Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Compliance Guide, Drug-Free Workplace Volatile Termination E-Book and other compliance program tools when attendees register and attend Margie’s trainings. Margie holds professional human resources certification (PHR) from the HR Certification Institution (HRCI) and SHRM-CP certification from the Society for Human Resources Management. Margie is a member of the Society of Corporate Compliance & Ethics (SCCE).