The Employee Manual - HR Insider

Introduction: How to Use This Tool

A basic manual that contains general policies and procedures that affect all employees is a fundamental tool in any organization. While ownership of the Employee Manual typically lives with the HR Department, all organizational leaders should be very familiar with the contents of such a document.

To use this template, fill in the blanks indicated by the square brackets and grey text, delete this introductory text, and delete or change all grey text to black before submitting or finalizing.

To find and replace the same phrase efficiently, use the Find and Replace function. Press Ctrl F, go to the Replace tab, input the phrase you want to find and the phrase you would like to take its place, then click Replace or Replace All.

Welcome to [Company Name]

Here at [company name] we believe it is everyone’s responsibility to make this a great place to work. As such, it is important that we all strive to make the environment positive and productive, and avoid acting in a way that is detrimental to other team members.

You are expected to contribute to the positive environment as often as you can. Bring your sense of humor, support your co-workers, and have fun while working hard. As a high-energy organization, we will often engage in activities and exercises intended to motivate and energize our employees. However, it is expected that you will conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times.

We welcome constructive input about ways to improve our methods or systems. Quite often you are in a unique position to see things from a different perspective than your supervisors or peers. Please share your insight.

All of [company name]’s employees are required to read and comply with the policies laid out in this Manual (which may be amended from time to time). This Manual does not attempt to anticipate every situation that may arise and does not relieve employees of their obligation to use common sense and good judgment.

Attendance and Working Expectations

Working in a group environment means having a responsibility to contribute to that group. Lateness or unexplained absence can negatively affect the group’s dynamic. All employees are expected to be on time and work their full number of allotted hours (unless the employee is ill, has a family emergency, or absence has been prearranged). You are welcome to work beyond your scheduled hours to make up for time off; however, this arrangement must be approved beforehand by your Supervisor/Manager.

Absent or Late

If you are going to be absent or late without prior consent, please call your Supervisor/Manager before your shift begins. Failure to contact us will be viewed as a “no call, no show” and may result in disciplinary action. Please call and ask for your Supervisor/Manager. If he or she is not available, please inform someone in Human Resources that you are going to be late or absent and the reason why. If you are unable to reach a person, leave a message in either your Supervisor/Manager’s voice mailbox or in the Human Resources voice mailbox.

If you are absent without notice for two consecutive days and fail to communicate with your Supervisor/Manager, you will be voluntarily terminating your employment. If you are late [insert number] or more times in a [insert number]-week period, you may be subject to disciplinary action. Furthermore, if you are absent without permission more than [insert number] times in a [insert number]-week period, you may be subject to disciplinary action, and will be required to provide documentation to support your absences.

Dress Code

We deal with some pretty important people – our clients. The way you dress directly impacts your performance as well as the professionalism of our work environment.

Our official policy is [Business Casual/Business Formal]. When it comes to dress code, our best advice is do not take chances – if you have to wonder whether or not something is acceptable, chances are it isn’t.

Describe the details of your company’s dress code policy here.

Any employee deemed to be inappropriately dressed will be asked to leave the office and return when suitably attired. If the violation of the dress code is deemed minor, your Supervisor/Manager may give you a warning and permit you to remain at work. If you are required to return home to change, you will not be paid for the time lost from work.

Health and Safety

Health and Safety is a serious matter, and it should be viewed as such. [Company name] is committed to providing its employees with a safe and enjoyable working environment. A Health and Safety Committee has been established in accordance with the [name appropriate legislation] in order to create and maintain active interest in health and safety, reduce accidents, and to stimulate an awareness of health and safety issues company-wide.

The Health and Safety Committee is committed to regular monitoring of safety and health programs, establishing and promoting health and safety programs for employee education, ensuring adequate records are maintained on accidents, regularly monitoring health and safety-related data, maintaining records pertaining to the disposition of complaints, and conducting regular meetings.

In the event of an accident, you must report the incident to your Supervisor so that appropriate follow-up action can be taken to a) ensure that you are alright, and b) to ensure that a similar incident will not occur in the future.

To ensure everyone’s safety, please do your part to maintain the following conditions:

Floors

Clean, orderly, sanitary conditions.
Free of slip, trip, or fall hazards.
Free of protrusions.

Workstations

Clean and organized.

Aisles and Passageways

Clear and organized.

Discipline and Performance Reviews

Breach of Policies

In the event of misconduct or breach of the policies outlined in this manual, it may be necessary to discipline an employee. The intent of our disciplinary process is to ensure adequate understanding of our policies, and to provide an opportunity for the employee to modify his or her behavior before it is necessary to institute punitive measures. Therefore, the following disciplinary guidelines have been established to facilitate fair and consistent treatment of workplace issues:

Supervisors/Managers will discipline in a constructive manner when needed in order to correct an employee’s unacceptable behavior or work conduct.
The first notification will be in the form of a verbal warning. Written warnings will follow if the behavior or conduct is not desirably altered. Multiple written warnings may result in suspension or termination of employment.
A warning will outline the nature of the infraction and the implications of said infraction as it pertains to you, as well as a follow-up course of action.
All incidents of disciplinary action will be properly documented and will be added to an employee’s file. The employee will receive a copy of this documentation.

In the event of serious or malicious breaches of conduct, or if deemed necessary, it is possible that the warning process will be bypassed, resulting directly in termination.

[Company name] requires all employees to have read and signed the following policies:

Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement
Internet Acceptable Use Policy
E-Mail Acceptable Use Policy
Telephone and Voicemail Acceptable Use Policy
Password Policy
Flextime Policy and Agreement
On-Call Policy and Agreement
Overtime Policy
Telework Policy and Agreement
Travel Expense Policy
[Name policy]
[Name policy]
[Name policy]

Performance Evaluation

All employees will be evaluated on a regular basis on their performance, productivity, and the quality of their work. In the event of a concern about your performance, a process of verbal and written warnings will be followed to: a) note that there is a concern, b) agree upon strategies to address the performance concern, and c) define a timeline for expected improvement. This process is intended to provide an opportunity to improve performance, and to supply you with the tools and time needed to demonstrate such an improvement.

General evaluation criteria can be supplemented with particular criteria for each position.

Leaving [Company Name]

Resignation

If you plan to resign your position, please notify your Supervisor/Manager at the earliest possible time so that we can process your exit papers. This advance notice lets us make sure that any outstanding pay or commissions are calculated and that your separation papers and final pay are available within seven days of separation.

Certain employees may be subject to different conditions of resignation. Any such criteria that would affect a specific group of employees should be made clear in this space.

[Company name] wishes to recognize the efforts of long standing employees upon their leaving the company and desires to provide some consistency surrounding this matter. Below outlines the contributions the company will make to a departing employee:

1 year of service	[enter amount]
2 years of service	[enter amount]
3 or more years of service	[enter amount]
Additional levels of service can be added here	[enter amount]

Individual departments are free to take up collections for the employee who is leaving.

Termination

In the event that your employment is terminated for any reason, your record of employment and final pay, including outstanding vacation, will be available within [insert number] days.

Certain employees may be subject to different conditions of termination. Any such criteria that would affect a specific group of employees should be made clear in this space.

If an employee is terminated for willful misconduct, such as violence, fraud, theft, or vandalism, he or she can be terminated without notice, and without payment in lieu of notice. If an employee is terminated for reasons other than willful misconduct, he or she may be entitled to notice or equivalent wages, which vary with the amount of time spent as an [company name] employee.

Training and Career Management

[Company name] is committed to the growth and development of all its employees.

The investment that [company name] makes in partnership with staff members in their continuing career development allows it to achieve maximum flexibility in meeting its current and future skills requirements. Therefore, [company name] is committed to creating and fostering an environment that facilitates and enhances the skills training and career development of its staff. Staff will be provided with opportunities and time away from the job so that they may maintain and develop their skills, adapt to changing workplace needs, and fulfill their employment potential within [company name].

For purposes of this policy, “training and career development” includes formal training, work experiences, job networking, or formal courses of study to update and enhance the skills/knowledge necessary to make a continuing contribution to the work of [company name], in current and future roles.

Leave Policies

Vacation

Vacation is a key element in helping us achieve balance between our personal life and the demands put on us by the business. It is important for each of us to carefully plan our work schedules every year so that we can take advantage of this employee benefit. The amount of vacation time given to each employee depends on the number of full-time (or equivalent) years of employment with [company name] or, in specific cases, recognized industry experience.

Number of years experience	Number of vacation days or % paid
[number range] years (in full)	[number of days/year] or [number]% of income
[number range] years (in full)	[number of days/year] or [number]% of income
[number] years and over	[number of days/year] of [number]% of income

The reference period for calculating your vacation time is the calendar year (from January to December). For your first year of employment at [company name] your vacation time will be calculated as follows:

Salaried employees: (number of months of employment) * (days per month earned)

Hourly employees: (gross salary earned by payout date) * (percentage paid)

Newly hired employees will be authorized to take vacation time only once their probation period is over, unless otherwise agreed upon by their Manager.

You must have your vacation dates approved by your Supervisor/Manager prior to booking, which means that they should be advised in writing of your preferences as early as possible, so that vacations can be reconciled with the office’s workload and staff assignments. Manager’s reserve the right to refuse a particular timeslot, but must provide alternatives.

Accumulated Vacation Usage

[Company name] believes that all employees need vacation time and that deferring vacations can increase stress and lower productivity and morale.

Salaried employees must use (take off) all regular vacation days earned in a year by December 31st of that year. Where unusual business or personal reasons preclude an individual from taking all earned vacation, management will consider exceptions. The exceptions will be limited to carrying over or paying out up to [number] days of unused vacation. If carried, these unused days must be taken in the first quarter of the following year. Immediate management will be responsible for authorizing exceptions. Outside of these exceptions, any days not taken will be forfeited.

Public Holidays

In Canada

The calendar year includes eight (8) statutory holidays: New Year’s Day Labour Day

Family Day Thanksgiving Day

Good Friday Christmas Day

Victoria Day Boxing Day

Canada Day

When a statutory holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, another week day is granted instead.

By the end of [insert month] of every year, all employees will receive notification of the dates of the public holidays for the coming year.

Necessary Leave

It is preferred that you take care of your personal needs outside of your business hours. However, should you need time off for an appointment, please submit a written request to your Supervisor/Manager at least [insert number] hours prior to

the appointment. For your convenience, a Requested Time Off Form may be obtained from your Supervisor/Manager.

There are a number of recognized special circumstances or occasions that may prevent you from reporting for work. Requests for necessary leaves due to such circumstances or occasions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

One possible policy for necessary leave is made available by the Canadian Employment Standards Act. It reads:

An employee who is entitled to emergency (necessary) leave can take up to 10 days unpaid leave of absence due to:

personal illness, injury or medical emergency, and
death, illness, injury, medical emergency or other urgent matters relating to:
- a spouse or same-sex partner
- a parent, step-parent, foster parent, child, step-child, foster child, grandparent, step-grandparent, grandchild or step-grandchild of the employee, the employee’s spouse or the employee’s same-sex partner
- the spouse or same-sex partner of an employee’s child
- a brother or sister of the employee
- a relative of the employee who is dependent on the employee for care or assistance

Salaried Employees

[Company name] will grant [enter amount] paid days.

After the total days have been used, the remainder of the time off for the above reasons will be unpaid. At [insert number] weeks, [company name]’s [insert name of long-term disability package] coverage is activated.

Hourly Employees

Sick time off at [company name] is unpaid; however, we recognize there are unique environmental and job demands in these positions that must be considered. It is very important to us that our employees are healthy and happy. Therefore, an employee

may take up to [insert number] unpaid days per year. Management notification still applies.

With reference to necessary leave, you must inform your Supervisor/Manager before the start of your shift. It is best to speak to the person directly, but, if you cannot, leave a voice message and whenever possible, follow up by phone or e-mail. If you leave the office during working hours for medical reasons, you must inform your Supervisor/Manager. Any absence for medical reasons that lasts more than [insert number] days requires a medical certificate issued by a physician.

Note on Unauthorized Absence

Regardless of its length and explanation, an unauthorized absence is considered to be a serious failure. Days of absence for which the employee did not provide satisfactory notice [specify how this will be dealt with as the laws vary from location to location].

Pregnancy and Parental Leave

Pregnancy and parental leave legislation varies from country to country. Select the appropriate country from the lists provided below.

In Canada:

The Employment Standards Act provides for a Pregnancy Leave of seventeen unpaid weeks of leave from work for pregnant employees. To be eligible for pregnancy leave, you must have been working for at least 13 weeks, or more, before the date your baby is expected to be born.

While on Pregnancy Leave, an employee may be entitled to claim Maternity Benefits, through Human Resources Canada, Employment Insurance Income Benefits. Once your pregnancy leave has lapsed, you are entitled to parental leave. Parental Leave is a right that enables natural and new parents to take an unpaid leave of up to 35 weeks from work. In most cases, Parental Leave must begin immediately after pregnancy leave ends. If this does not occur, the employee may not be entitled to Parental Leave.

Please contact the Ministry of Employment for a full explanation of your rights and obligations under the Employment Standards Act.

Respect Policy

Freedom from Discrimination

[Company name] recognizes the dignity and worth of every person, and will provide equal rights and opportunities without discrimination. The company’s aim is to create and promote a climate of understanding and mutual respect so that each person feels a part of the corporate community, and will be able to contribute fully to the development and well-being of the company.

List the workplace treatment rights of all employees as well as those protected groups. Be sure to consult appropriate legislation. Workplace treatment rights could include freedom from harassment in the workplace because of race, ancestry, place of origin, color, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, family status, or handicap.

Harassment

Harassment is any behavior that is verbal, physical, deliberate, unsolicited, or unwelcome. It may be one incident, or a series of incidents. While the following is not an exhaustive list, harassment may include:

Verbal abuse or threats.
Unwelcome remarks, jokes, innuendos, or taunting about a person’s body, attire, age, marital status, ethnic or national origin, religion, etc.
Displaying of sexually explicit, racist, or other offensive or derogatory pictures.
Practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment.
Unwelcome invitations or requests, whether indirect or explicit, or intimidation.
Leering or other gestures.
Condescension or paternalism which undermines self-respect.
Unnecessary physical contact such as touching, patting, pinching,
Physical assault.
For a practice to be considered harassment, it must be reasonably perceived as a term or condition of employment (including availability or continuation of work, promotional, or training opportunities) or of the provision of goods, services, facilities, or accommodation customarily available to the general public; or influence decisions on such matters; or interfere with job performance or access to or enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, or accommodation; or humiliate, insult, or intimidate any individual.
Any act of harassment committed by an employee or an agent of any employer in the course of the employment shall be considered to be an act committed by that employer.
An act of harassment shall not, however, be considered to be an act committed by an employer if it is established that the employer did not consent to the commission of the act and exercised all due diligence to prevent the act from being committed and, subsequently, to mitigate or avoid its consequences.
Harassment will be considered to have taken place if a reasonable person ought to have known that such behavior was unwelcome.
In investigating and deciding each case, there must be an objective examination of all the circumstances (including the nature and context of the incidents).

[Company name] will make every reasonable effort to ensure that no employee is subjected to harassment, and should an incident occur, disciplinary measures will be taken against any person who knowingly engages in this behavior. This action may include termination.

Confidentiality is also required so that the reputations and interests of those accused of harassment are protected. Therefore, the name of the complainant or the circumstances related to the complaint will not be disclosed to any person unless disclosure is necessary for the purposes of investigating the complaint or taking disciplinary measures in relation to the complaint. Any person breaching confidentiality may be subject to disciplinary sanction or other appropriate action.

Complaint Resolution Procedures

Every employee has the right to make a complaint. An employee can make a complaint to either the Supervisor of his or her department, to Human Resources, or to another member of management with whom the employee feels comfortable discussing the matter. All complaints brought to a Supervisor, or other member of management, will be taken to [insert appropriate titles] for discussion and action within [insert number] hours.

Any employee who feels that they have been subjected to harassment or discrimination may lodge a complaint with the employer, or another member of management with whom the employee feels comfortable talking to about the situation. The employer will not disclose the name of the complainant or the conditions of the complaint, unless it becomes necessary in the course of investigation, resolution, or disciplinary action.

Copies of the pertinent sections of the [insert name of appropriate labor code] are available at [insert name of appropriate department] for any employee who wishes a copy.

Documentation

For everyone involved in the process, it is important to make and keep written notes about the events leading to the complaint. These details should include:

What happened – a description of the events or situation
When it happened – dates and times of the events
Where it happened
Who saw or heard it happen – the names of witnesses, if any

As well, any other documents or materials that may have something to do with the complaint (such as letters, notes, or offensive pictures) should be kept.

Resolution

Upon filing a complaint, [company name] will work with the complainant to ensure fair and swift resolution to the issue, possibly through an investigation of the alleged offense.

An investigation is intended to be used in cases where the alleged harassment may have had a serious impact on the complainant or respondent, where the case is important to the goals of [company name], or where the respondent has refused to participate in earlier efforts to deal with the complaint.

The complainant may request that measures be taken to correct damage done to her/his career development, physical or emotional health, reputation, or finances. The range of remedies may include, but is not limited to: an apology, compensation for professional losses, or reinstatement. A recommendation for remedy will be sent to the [insert appropriate title] for decision. The complainant will be given an opportunity to comment on the proposed remedy before a final decision is made.

Protection from Reprisal

Persons who make a complaint, as well as anyone else who is involved, should not be penalized for doing so. This is called “reprisal.” Protection from reprisal covers:

Complainants
Witnesses
Representatives of complainants and witnesses
Investigators
Decision makers/management

Representation

If desired, the people involved in an internal complaint resolution process are allowed to have someone represent them if they wish. Representatives may include a supervisor or a colleague.

Discipline

[Company name] will follow the concept of progressive discipline and will take the following matters into consideration:

The severity of the offence
Whether the offence was intentional or unintentional
Whether the offence was an isolated incident or involved repeated acts
Mitigating or aggravating circumstances affecting either party
Whether there was an imbalance in power between the parties
Sanctions applied in similar cases

The range of disciplinary sanctions may include, but is not limited to: a letter of reprimand, suspension, and dismissal. In addition, the respondent may be required to participate in a harassment awareness program. Both the complainant and respondent will be informed of the final decision.

Use of Office Resources

Telephone Systems and Long Distance Codes

[Company name] provides a telephone and long distance access for the purposes of selling our products and services and facilitating client communications. As such, please observe the following restrictions as they relate to personal use of the phone system:

Keep your [specify long-distance code] confidential. It is for your use only. If you need to make a personal long distance call, please get permission from your Supervisor/Manager to do so. It is our expectation that you will only make such calls in an emergency. Making personal long distance calls without permission, or abusing permission through excessive calling, will be treated as theft and will result in immediate dismissal and required payment of charges owing. Feel free to make locals call when on break or lunch. Please do not call directory assistance for personal reasons as each call results in a charge to the company.

Acceptable Technology Use Policy

[Company name] provides many business tools to its employees and contractors to enhance their productivity and jobs. These tools include computers and their software, internal networks (e-mail, intranet), external networks like the Internet, telephone systems, voice mail, fax, copiers, and so on. We require that these systems be used in a responsible way, ethically, and in compliance with all legislation and other [company name] policies and contracts. Non-compliance could have a severe, negative impact on the Company, its employees and clients.

Appropriate Use

Individuals at [company name] are encouraged to use the corporate systems to further the business goals and objectives of the organization. The types of activities that are encouraged include:

Communicating with fellow employees, [company name] business partners, and [company name] clients within the context of an individual’s assigned responsibilities.
Acquiring or sharing information necessary or related to the performance of an individual’s assigned responsibilities.

Inappropriate Use

Individual use will not interfere with others’ use and enjoyment of the systems. Use in a manner that is not consistent with the mission of [company name], misrepresents [company name], or violates any [company name] policy is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

The contents of messages, downloads, and so on must not be offensive, insulting, or harassing for other employees, users, or non-employees, or contain comments that could reasonably be interpreted as discriminatory.
The systems may not be used for illegal or unlawful purposes, including copyright infringement, obscenity, libel, slander, fraud, defamation, plagiarism, intimidation, forgery, impersonation, illegal gambling, soliciting for illegal pyramid schemes, and computer tampering (e.g. spreading computer viruses).
Users should not pay access fees or commit [company name] financial resources without formal authorization.
[Company name] allows limited personal use for communication with family and friends, independent learning, and public service. Systems access at [company name] is controlled through individual accounts and passwords. Department managers are responsible for defining appropriate access levels/usage for the persons in their department and conveying that information to the network administrator.
[Company name] prohibits use for mass unsolicited mailings, access for non- employees to [company name] resources or network facilities, competitive commercial activity unless pre-approved by [company name], and the dissemination of chain letters.
Individuals may not view, copy, alter, or destroy data, software, documentation, or data communications belonging to [company name] or another individual without authorized permission.
Users will not violate the policies of any network accessed through their account.
In the interest of maintaining network performance, users should not send unreasonably large electronic mail attachments and should limit their download of MP3 music files and graphics.

Password Policy

Passwords are an important aspect of computer security. They are the front lines of protection for user accounts. It is critical that an appropriate password is chosen so as not to compromise [company name]’s entire network. As such, all [company name] employees (including contractors and vendors with access to [company name] systems) are responsible for taking the following steps to ensure a proper password is chosen and kept secure:

All system-level passwords (e.g. root, enable, NT admin, application administrative accounts, etc.) must be changed on a quarterly basis.
All productive system-level passwords must be part of [company name] administered global password management database.
All user-level passwords (e.g. e-mail, Web, desktop computer, etc.) must be changed every three months.
User accounts that have system-level privileges granted through group membership or programs must have a unique password from all other accounts held by that user.
Where Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is used, the community strings must be defined as something other than the standard defaults of “public,” “private,” and system, and must be different from the passwords used to log in interactively. A keyed hash must be used where available (e.g. SNMPv2).
Passwords must not be inserted into e-mail messages or other forms of electronic

Password Construction Guidelines

Passwords have various uses and purposes at [company name], some of which are common, others that are complex. Since very few systems have support for one-time tokens (dynamic passwords intended for a single use), all employees should be aware of how to select strong passwords.

Poor/weak passwords have the following characteristics:

The password contains less than 8 characters.
The password is a word found in the dictionary (English or Foreign).
The password is a commonly used word or phrase such as a pet’s name, a birthday, a phone number, or a letter or number

Strong passwords have the following characteristics:

Contain both upper and lower case
Have digits and punctuation characteristics as well as letters.
Are at least 8 alphanumeric characteristics long.
Are not based on personal information (e.g. names of family members).
Do not use the same password for [company name] accounts as for other non- [company name] access, and where possible, don’t use the same password for various [company name] access needs.

It is critical that you do not share your password with anyone. All passwords are to be treated as sensitive, confidential [company name] information. If someone demands a password, refer them to this document and have them contact the IT Department for assistance.

If an account or password is suspected to have been compromised, report the incident to the IT Department and change all passwords.

Password cracking or guessing may be performed on a periodic or random basis by the IT Department or its delegates. If a password is guessed or cracked during one of these scans, the user will be required to change it.

Use of Passwords and Passphrases from Remote Access Users

Access to the [company name] networks via remote access (VPN) is to be controlled using a one-time password authentication or public/private key system with a strong passphrase.

A passphrase is a longer version of a password and is therefore, more secure. A passphrase typically is composed of multiple words. A good passphrase is relatively long and contains a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numeric and punctuation characters.

The rules above that apply to passwords also apply to passphrases.

Any employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Ownership and Privacy Issues

The systems are [company name]’s property as well as, for access and security purposes, the information they contain. We respect our employee’s right to privacy; however, we grant access to our systems for business use. Employees must not expect that information contained in these systems is private. [Company name] reserves the right, from time to time, for commercial, legal or otherwise valid reasons, to read, monitor, control and access user files and messages created, saved, transmitted, or received. In the event of intercepted illegal activity, we will bring them to the attention of the appropriate authority without prior notification to the sender or receiver.

Failure to Comply

Violations of this policy will be treated like other allegations of wrongdoing at [company name]. Sanctions for inappropriate use of our systems may include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following:

Temporary or permanent revocation of access to some or all computing and networking resources and facilities.
Disciplinary action.
Legal action according to applicable laws and contractual agreements.
1. Purchasing Policy

In order to track all purchases and adhere to budgetary guidelines, all purchasing for [company name] will be centralized through the [insert appropriate office or title].

A list of items to be purchased will be forwarded by all Managers to the [insert appropriate office or title]. Orders will be placed on or near the [enter date(s)] of every month. Only requests received from Managers will be accepted. Therefore, all employees must submit their purchase requests to their Managers prior to the order dates stated above.

It is recognized that there will be times when supplies are needed prior to the order date. In this case, please notify the [insert appropriate office or title] of your purchase, and for orders over [enter amount], a Purchase Order Number must be obtained from the [insert appropriate office or title]. To request a Purchase Order Number, Managers must call or e-mail the [insert appropriate office or title] and provide information surrounding the purchase (i.e. what it is and where you are purchasing the product).

Expense Policy

It is the intent of the [company name] Expense Policy to reimburse employees for necessary, reasonable, and actual business expenses. Employees are to follow all policies. Any exceptions must be clearly documented and detailed on the expense statement.

Expenses will be allowed for the following items:

Department Managed Expenses

Departmental expenses must be pre-approved at the beginning of the year in a formal budget process. This includes all meals, entertainment, driving, and any other form of expense.

Generally, meals and expenses incurred while entertaining clients, prospective clients, consultants, and those involved in the support to the sales process may be expensed within the pre-approved budgets. Names must be added to the meal receipt for tracking purposes.

Expense items, such as parking and other incidentals, will be covered by [company name] if they are related to business travel or event.

[Company name] will not pay for regular, daily/monthly (etc.) parking as a result of driving to the corporate office or incurred as a result of leaving your “home” lot, unless they are incurred as a result of leaving the lot due to business activity.
[Company name] will pay for parking at the client/event location and mileage charges to the client/event location if the client/event is located outside the core area of the municipality in which the employee normally works.

Business Travel

Those required to travel for business purposes will be reimbursed [enter amount] per mile/kilometer. In the case where traveling exceeds [enter amount] miles/kilometers (on average) per month, [company name] reserves the right to create a monthly travel rate plan.

In the case of overnight out of town travel, [enter amount] a day will be allotted for meals and entertainment. [Company name] will pay for one call home per night up to [enter amount] minutes in length in long distance charges.

Cell Phones

As a rule, cell phone usage will not be paid for; however, when cell phone usage facilitates your job performance (i.e. traveling sales) and usage has been approved, you will be reimbursed up to [enter amount] per month for that usage.

Include any additional information specific to your organization’s policy.

Approval

Expense approval must be obtained through the respective department head. Each department will have an established expense and training budget with which to work.

Any expenses that are not pre-approved may not be accepted by [company name].

Payroll

All employees are paid [insert frequency] by direct deposit into the bank of their choice. You will be asked to provide a blank voided check to get you set up on our payroll system.

Due to the impact of some holidays on our payroll services, it may be necessary for the payroll office to forecast daily wages or commissions to still meet payroll entry deadlines. In the event that this occurs, you will be notified of any impact this may have on your payroll, and any corrections would be processed on the following check.

Please inform the [insert appropriate office] immediately of any change in personal information such as address, phone, name, marital status, etc.

Confidentiality and Non-Competition

Confidential Information

As an employee or contractor of [company name], you may have access to confidential information (ours, our clients, and our partners) that is commercially valuable. Any unauthorized use or disclosure of this information would cause serious and irreparable injury to [company name].

Confidential information includes, but is not limited to:

Operation, marketing, product, product development, and other plans.
Compensation practices.
Pricing and sales policies, techniques, and concepts.
The client list and all information related to our clients.
Information on prospective clients being solicited by the employer.
Information regarding the employees and suppliers of the employer.
The financial affairs of the employer.
Training and other manuals.
Proprietary business opportunities or ventures being considered or pursued by the employer.
Any other information in any form (including all memoranda, notes, records, reports, manuals, and any other documents, both hard copy and electronic data), which is not generally known to any competitor of the employer.

You agree that you will not directly or indirectly use, divulge, disclose, or communicate to any person, firm, or corporation any confidential information, unless it is with the written permission of an officer of [company name].

Non-Competition

As an employee or contractor of [company name], you will have dealings with clients and prospective clients for our company. Any competition for solicitation of such

clients during or after termination of employment would cause serious and irreparable injury to our company. To protect the legitimate interests of [company name], you are subject to certain restrictions after the termination of employment/contract.

You agree that for a period of [insert number] year(s) from the date of termination of employment, you will not:

Intentionally act in any manner that is detrimental to the relations between [company name] and its clients, employees, and/or contractors.
Enter into, directly or indirectly, or on behalf of any other person, firm, or corporation, any contractual relations with the prohibited clients for the purpose of providing services similar to the services provided by our company.
Enter into any contractual relations with direct competitors who provide services similar to the services provided by our company for a period of six months.
Manipulate, use, or alter for resale or reuse, any product or part thereof (which is bound by copyright law) of [company name] in any manner that is detrimental to [company name].

In the event of a breach (or threat of a breach) of this agreement, [company name] is entitled to immediate and appropriate injunctive relief, or a decree of specific performance of this Agreement, without the necessity of showing any irreparable injury or special damages.

[Company Name] Employee Declaration

I have read and understand the company Employee Manual. I agree to abide by all company policies stated therein. I have paid particular attention to the following policies:

Vacation Policy
Necessary Leave Policy
Password Policy
Acceptable Technology Use Policy
Confidentiality and Non-Competition Policy

Employee Name (print)

Employee Signature Date

Witness Name (print)

Witness Signature Date

Revision History

Version	Change	Author	Date of Change