Do you need an employee code of conduct?

Good news: this template is now available in CFIB's new resource library! CFIB members can access the template and many others in the member portal.

Not a member yet? Learn more about the benefits of joining CFIB.

A code of conduct is a written agreement between the employer and the employee laying out acceptable behaviour in the workplace and employer expectations. It informs employees about the acceptable standard of conduct to the company in relationship with its vendors, customers and other employees.

The code of conduct is usually tied closely to the enterprise's mission, vision and guiding principles.

You may want to include information such as:

  • Confidentiality expectations
  • Procedures for calling in sick
  • Expected dress and appearance
  • Thoughts on prohibited behaviours
  • Harassment and discrimination policies

An employee signed code of conduct is a legal agreement between the employer and employee. If needed, it can be used as a disciplinary tool for employee infractions. We recommend keeping a signed copy in an employee's file for documentation purposes, along with providing the employee with his or her own signed copy.

For your convenience, we have made our internal code of conduct available as a sample, only for our members. Please review our code to see how you could best adapt it to fit your own business needs. 

REMINDER:  Because the code of conduct is a legal agreement between employers and employees, we recommend that you have your code reviewed by your professional advisors, such as a lawyer or a human resource professional.