People operations

Employee handbook template for independent practices

An employee handbook is not optional for medical practices. This template covers the 12 sections HR and healthcare attorneys expect: employment at-will, HIPAA, OSHA, time-off, discipline, harassment, social media, dress, benefits, safety, technology, and acknowledgment. Have a licensed employment attorney in your state review before use.

By Jordan Alderman, MBA, CMPE · Reviewed by Rania Hassan, JD, CHC · Last reviewed July 23, 2026 · Methodology

Disclosure: Independent editorial. No pay-for-placement, no affiliate rankings. Full editorial standards.

Who this is for: Practice managers, physician-owners, and new-practice openers.

Required sections

Employment at-will statement (state-specific)
Equal Employment Opportunity + non-discrimination
Harassment prevention + reporting process
HIPAA privacy + security policies
OSHA and bloodborne pathogen protocols
Time-off, PTO, sick leave, FMLA where applicable
Progressive discipline policy
Social media and confidentiality
Dress code and professional appearance
Benefits summary (health, dental, retirement)
Technology, email, and personal device use
Acknowledgment signature page (retain in personnel file)

Practice-specific additions

On-call and after-hours expectations
Continuing education stipend
Uniform / scrub allowance
Vaccine requirements (flu, COVID, TB screening)
Sharps injury reporting workflow
Fire drill + emergency evacuation

Legal review checklist

Reviewed by licensed employment attorney in your state
Confirmed against state-specific meal / rest / overtime rules
Updated to reflect current EEOC + DOL guidance
Version dated and re-issued annually

About the author

Jordan Alderman · MBA, CMPE

Lead Editor, Revenue Cycle & Credentialing

Former practice administrator with a decade of operating experience running multi-provider primary care and behavioral health groups. Led billing vendor transitions, credentialing programs across 30+ payers, and EHR migrations before joining The Practice Vendor Review as lead editor for revenue cycle and credentialing coverage.

Areas of focus

In-house vs outsourced billing decisions
Payer contract negotiation
Credentialing and re-credentialing workflows
Denials management

Disclosure: Holds no vendor equity. Does not accept vendor consulting, referral, or speaking fees. Past employment includes clinical operations roles at independent practice groups; no current advisory relationships with vendors in categories covered on this site.