Employee Handbook “Oklahoma jurisprudence recognizes that an employee handbook may form the basis of an implied contract between an employer and its employees if four traditional contract requirements exist: 1) competent parties, 2) consent, 3) a legal object, and 4) consideration. Oklahoma case law has established two limitations on the scope of implied contracts through an employee handbook: First, the manual only alters the at-will relationship with respect to accrued benefits. Two, the promises in the employee manual must be in definite terms, not in the form of vague assurances.” “… [I]n order to create an implied contract, the promises must be definite. Courts must distinguish between carefully developed employer representations upon which an employee may justifiably rely, and general platitudes, vague assurances, praise, and indefinite promises of permanent continued employment. Only when the promises are definite and, thus, of the sort which may be reasonably or justifiably relied on … Continue reading →