Let’s be honest. When most people hear the words “employee handbook” they imagine a dusty, three-ring binder shoved to the back of a filing cabinet—read only once (maybe) during orientation, then forgotten forever. It’s not exactly the stuff of Netflix documentaries or riveting beach reads.

For small businesses, a little preparation now can keep you from facing bigger headaches later.

The Biden administration recently enacted new protections for pregnant and nursing mothers in the workplace. Although there are already...