This Handbook will familiarize you with the privileges, benefits, and responsibilities of being an employee at Gallagher Rental, Inc. or Gallagher Manufacturer Inc., (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”). This Handbook can only highlight and summarize the Company policies and practices. For further information or clarification please talk to your supervisor or a Human Resources representative.
Nothing in this Handbook is a contract or a promise.
We may have to revise, rescind, or supplement these policies from time to time. Such changes may be at any time, for any reason, and without warning.
You can find important information about the Company, your employment, and your legal rights posted on the bulletin board located in the manufacturing break room. All employees should read the information on the bulletin board periodically.
If you have suggestions for ways to improve this Handbook or our policies, please feel free to bring your ideas to HR.
Under no circumstance are you to feed the Company mascot (Blue). Feeding Blue can lead to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
We are happy to welcome you to the Company and hope that your employment here will be a positive and rewarding experience. However, we cannot make any guarantees about your continued employment at the Company. Your employment here is “at will.” This means that you are free to quit at any time, for any reason, just as we are free to terminate your employment at any time, for any reason, with or without notice, with or without cause.
No employee or the Company representative, other than the President and Vice President, has the authority to change the at-will employment relationship or to contract with any employee for different terms of employment. Furthermore, the President or Vice President may only change the at-will employment relationship in a written contract signed by them and the employee.
Commitment to Equal Opportunity
The Company is strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and all applicants for employment. All employment decisions at the Company, including those relating to hiring, promotion, transfers, benefits, compensation, placement, and termination, will be made without regard to race, national origin, sex, religion, age, physical or mental disability, or citizenship status. For us, this is the only acceptable way to do business.
We do not violate state and federal laws that protect employees or applicants from discrimination in hiring and employment.
New Employee Orientation
Within your first week of starting work you will receive important information about the Company policies and procedures. You will also be asked to complete paperwork and forms relating to your employment, such as tax withholding forms, emergency contact forms, and benefits paperwork.
Please feel free to ask any questions you might have about the Company at this time. If additional questions 2 | P a ge come up after the meeting, you can ask your supervisor or HR.
Proof of Work Eligibility
Within three business days of your first day of work, you must complete Federal Form I-9 and show us documentation proving your identity and your eligibility to work in the United States. The federal government requires us to do this.
If you have worked for the Company previously, you need only provide this information if it has been more than three years since you last completed an I-9 Form for us or if your current I-9 Form is no longer valid.
Child Support Reporting Requirements
Federal and state laws require us to report basic information about new employees, including your name, address, and Social Security number, to a state agency. The state collects this information to enforce child support orders. If the state determines that you owe child support, it will send us an order requiring us to withhold money from your paycheck to pay your child support obligations.
Temporary Employees
Periodically, it becomes necessary for us to hire individuals to perform a job or to work on a project that has a limited duration. Typically, this happens in the event of a special project, special time of year, abnormal workload, or emergency.
Individuals whom we hire for such work are temporary employees. They are not eligible to participate in any of the Company benefit programs, nor can they earn or accrue any leave, such as vacation leave or sick leave.
Of course, we will provide to temporary employees any and all benefits mandated by law. Temporary employees cannot change from temporary status to any other employment status by such informal means as remaining in our employ for a long period of time or through oral promises made to them by coworkers, members of management, or supervisors. The only way a temporary employee’s status can change is through a written notification signed by an officer of the Company.
Like all employees who work for the Company, temporary employees work on an at-will basis. This means that both they and the Company are free to terminate their employment at any time for any reason that is not illegal—even if they have not completed the temporary project for which they have been hired.
Part-Time and Full-Time Employees
Depending on the number of hours per week you are regularly scheduled to work, you are either a part-time or a full-time employee. It is necessary that you understand which of these classifications you fit into, because it will be important in determining whether you are entitled to benefits and leave.
Part-time employees are employees who are regularly scheduled to work 32 or fewer hours per week and have been designated as part-time employees in their offer letter. They don’t receive company-paid health care benefits, dental, and life insurance.
Full-time employees are employees who are regularly scheduled to work more than 32 hours per week and have been designated as full time employees in their offer letters. They do receive company-paid health care benefits, dental, and life insurance.
Exempt and Nonexempt Employees
Your entitlement to earn overtime pay depends on whether you are classified as an exempt or a nonexempt employee. Exempt employees are those who do not earn overtime because they are exempt from the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and applicable state laws. Nonexempt employees are those who meet the criteria for being covered by the overtime provisions of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and applicable state laws.
If you are uncertain about which category you fall into, speak to HR.
Hours of Work
Your supervisor will let you know your work schedule, including what time you will be expected to start and finish work each day. A standard workday at the Company is 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with an hour break time.
Flexible Scheduling
We understand that many employees have to balance the demands of their job with the needs of their families and other outside commitments. Therefore, we offer our employees the opportunity to request a flexible schedule.
If you would like to change your work schedule — for example, to come in and leave a couple of hours earlier or to work more hours on some days and fewer on others — please talk to your supervisor.
The Company will consider flexible scheduling requests on a case-by-case basis. When deciding whether to grant your request, we may consider the nature of your job, your work history, and our staffing needs, among other things.
Meal and Rest Breaks
Under California law, you are allowed a 30 minute unpaid break every five hours, unless your planned workday is six hours or less and you and your manager agree to waive this 30 minute meal break. If you are working more than ten and less than twelve hours, you may waive your second meal break if you took your first one.
If you are working more than 3.5 hours in a workday, California employees are entitled to a paid 10 minute break every four hours.
Employees in states other than California are subject to their home state’s regulations. See Human Resources for specifics.
Overtime
On occasion, we may ask employees to work beyond their regular scheduled hours. We expect employees to work a reasonable amount of overtime. This is a job requirement.
We will try to give employees advance notice when overtime work is necessary; however, it will not always be possible to notify workers in advance. Exempt employees will not be paid for working beyond their regular scheduled hours. Nonexempt employees are entitled to payment for overtime, according to the rules set forth below.
Payday
Employees are paid bi-weekly. If a payday falls on a holiday, you will receive your paycheck on the last workday immediately before that payday.
Missed Clock in/outs
Hourly employees are required to clock in and out. All missed clock in/outs must be approved by your supervisor. Unexcused missed clock in/outs may result in disciplinary action.
Advances and Employee Loans
The Company does not offer employee loans. The company does, however, under certain circumstances allow for pay advances for full-time employees who have exceeded the sixty (60) day probation period and has not had any infractions within the last six (6) months. Employees can only request one (1) pay advance every three (3) months. Maximum pay advances is fifty (50) percent of your average bi-weekly wage. All pay advances must be approved in writing by your supervisor. See HR for more details.
Pay Docking
The Company is legally required to pay exempt employees those who are not entitled to earn overtime on a salary basis. This means, among other things, that exempt employees must receive the same pay for each week in which they perform work, regardless of the quantity or quality of work performed, and regardless of how many hours they actually work, unless an exception applies.
The Company policy prohibits docking the pay of an exempt employee—that is, paying the employee less than his or her full regular salary—except in the following circumstances:
Payroll Deductions
Your paycheck reflects your total earnings for the pay period, as well as any mandatory or voluntary deductions from your paycheck. Mandatory deductions are deductions that we are legally required to take. Such deductions include federal income tax, Social Security tax (FICA), and any applicable state taxes. Voluntary deductions are deductions that you have authorized such as specialty health insurance or payments to a retirement plan. If you have any questions about your deductions, or wish to change your federal withholding form (Form W-4), contact HR.
Wage Garnishments
A wage garnishment is an order from a court or a government agency directing us to withhold a certain amount of money from an employee’s paycheck and send it to a person or agency. Wages can be garnished to pay child support, spousal support or alimony, tax debts, outstanding student loans, or money owed as a result of a judgment in a civil lawsuit.
If we are instructed by a court or agency to garnish an employee’s wages, the employee will be notified of the garnishment at once. Please note that we are legally required to comply with these orders. If you dispute or have concerns about the amount of a garnishment, you must contact the court or agency that issued the order, not us.
Expense Reimbursement
From time to time, employees may incur expenses on behalf of the Company. We will reimburse you for the actual work-related expenses you incur, as long as those expenses are reasonable, supported by documentation, and follow the Company expense reimbursement policies and procedures. See the separate document “Gallagher Expense Reimbursement Policies” for details.
Employee Benefits
As part of our commitment to our employees and their well-being, the Company provides full-time employees health, vision, and dental insurance. Additional detail is provided in the current “Summary of Benefits,” which, although a separate document, is considered to be part of this Handbook.
The Summary of Benefits contains information on:
The provider’s plan documents and / or website are your primary resources for information about the benefit plans. If you see any conflict between that information and this Handbook or the Summary of Benefits, rely on the plan documents. If you don’t understand information in the plan documents or if you have any questions about the benefits we offer, please talk to HR.
The Company may revise, replace, or eliminate any benefit, at any time, with or without warning.
We have invested a great deal of money in the property and equipment that you use to perform your job. It is a senseless and avoidable drain on the Company’s bottom line when people abuse the Company’s property, misuse it, or wear it out prematurely by using it for personal business. We ask all employees to take care of the Company’s property and to report any problems to their supervisor.
Please use property only in the manner intended and as instructed. If a piece of equipment or property is unsafe for use, please report it immediately. Failure to use the Company’s property appropriately, and failure to report problems or unsafe conditions, may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
We do not allow personal use of the Company’s property unless specifically authorized in this Handbook. Elsewhere in this Handbook there is additional information about permitted use of computers, the Company’s network, the internet, and software.
Tools
Due to the nature of the Company, warehouse and manufacturing employees will be required to personally purchase and maintain certain hand tools within 30 days of start of employment. Please see your supervisor for a list of the tools needed.
If you cannot meet this requirement within 30 days, contact your supervisor to discuss the situation and setup a schedule for purchasing the required tools.
Sick Time Off
Effective July 1, 2015, employees who work in California for 30 or more days are entitled to three (3) days or 24 hours of paid sick leave. New Employees qualify after the ninety (90) day probation period. Requests for compensated sick days must be submitted to Human Resources within (10) working days of date in question. Paid sick time may be used for an employee’s own illness injury or medical condition or the diagnosis care of treatment of an existing health condition of, or preventative care for, an employee or also an employee’s family member. Paid sick time may be used to seek medical treatment, counseling, social services or relief for an employee who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Payment for the sick leave will be paid at your regular hourly rate. The Company does not pay employees for unused paid sick time.
Holiday
Due to the nature of our business, we may be required to work on Holidays. On occasion, we will have Holidays off. The Company does not pay employees for Holidays off.
Family and Medical Leave
Determination of eligibility for family and medical leave is complicated. Please see a Human Resources representative to determine your eligibility.
Time Off for School Activities
California’s Family-School Partnership Act will allow employees whose children attend a licensed day care facility or are enrolled in grades K – 12 to take up to 40 hours per year of leave for their child’s school activities. You may use this time to participate or attend any activity that is sponsored, supervised, or approved by the school. You must request time off for school activities at least one week in advance. School activities leave is generally unpaid.
You may be asked to provide written proof that you participated in the activity at your child’s school.
Military Leave
The Company supports those who serve in the armed forces to protect our country. In keeping with this commitment, and in accordance with state and federal law, employees who must be absent from work for military service are entitled to take a military leave of absence of unlimited length. This leave will be unpaid.
Under the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, when an employee’s military leave ends, that employee will be reinstated to the position he or she formerly held, or to a comparable position, as long as the employee meets the requirements of federal and state law.
Employees who are called to military service must tell their supervisors as soon as possible that they will need to take military leave. An employee whose military service has ended must return to work or inform the Company that he or she wants to be reinstated in accordance with these guidelines:
During this unpaid leave, employees are entitled to use applicable paid time off.
The Company will continue your health insurance benefits during your leave, under these circumstances:
You may be asked to provide written.
Voting
The Company encourages employees to exercise their right to vote. If you do not have sufficient time to vote during non-work hours, California law allows you to take off up to two hours at the beginning or end of your shift to get to your polling place. This time will be paid. You must request this time off at least two working days before the election.
Employees are expected to work with their supervisors to ensure that their absence doesn’t negatively impact the Company’s operations. Employees who take time off to vote may be asked to supply their supervisor with proof that they actually voted. Your supervisor can tell you what types of proof of voting are acceptable.
Jury Duty
If you are called for jury duty, you are entitled to take time off, as necessary, to fulfill your jury obligations. This leave will be unpaid. No employee will face discipline or retaliation for jury service.
You must immediately inform your supervisor when you receive your jury duty summons. If you are chosen to sit on a jury, you must inform your supervisor how long the trial is expected to last. You must also check in with your supervisor periodically during your jury service, so the Company knows when to expect you back at work.
You may be asked to provide written
Please Act Professionally
People who work together have an impact on each other’s performance, productivity, and personal satisfaction in their jobs. In addition, how our employees act toward customers and vendors will influence whether those relationships are successful for the Company.
Because your conduct affects many more people than just yourself, we expect you to act in a professional manner whenever you are on the Company property, conducting the Company business, or representing the Company at business or social functions.
Although it is impossible to give an exhaustive list of everything that professional conduct means, it does, at a minimum, include the following:
Professional Communication
We expect you to exercise discretion and professionalism when communicating with others, whatever form that communication takes. Remember that you are representing the Company. Make sure that your verbal or written messages are professional and appropriate, in tone and content. Although email, IMs, texts, and other messages may seem private, they can be printed, saved, and forwarded to unintended recipients. You should not send any message that you wouldn’t want your boss, your mother, or the Company competitors to read.
Individuals who act unprofessionally will face discipline, up to and including termination.
Punctuality and Attendance
You are important to the effective operation of this business. When you are not here at expected times or on expected days, someone else must do your job or delay doing his or her own job while waiting for you to arrive. If you work with customers or vendors, they may grow frustrated if they can’t reach you during your scheduled work times.
As a result, we expect you to keep regular attendance and to be on time and ready to work at the beginning of each scheduled workday.
Of course, things will sometimes happen that will prevent you from showing up to work on time. If you are going to be more than 5 minutes late, please contact your supervisor. If you cannot reach this person, contact 1-800-516-0577. Give this notice as far in advance as possible.
If you must miss a full day of work for reasons other than approved leave (such as leave to serve on a jury or for a death in a family), you must notify your supervisor as far in advance as possible. If you cannot reach this person, contact Human Resources.
If you are late for work or fail to appear without calling in as required by this policy or by other policies in this handbook, you will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Employee Appearance and Dress
Personal appearance is the professional image we want to present to our clients and is a reflection of the Company. Therefore, employees are expected to be neat, well groomed, and to dress according to the Company standards.
Office employees: Employees should adhere to a casual dress code while in the office. Casual attire is a less formal and more comfortable style of business dress that demonstrates professionalism and good taste.
Field employees: Crew members and supervisors are required to wear Company T-Shirts “at all times” (unless otherwise told by management). Employees should avoid wearing clothing that is torn, ripped, faded, or stained, and should never be altered. Some exceptions can be made in regard to this matter. Questions regarding these exceptions should be directed to your supervisor. In certain circumstances, it may be required to cover all visible tattoos and remove all piercings.
Warehouse employees: Crew members and supervisors are required to wear the Company T-shirt “at all times” (unless otherwise told by management). Employees should never wear clothing that is torn, ripped, faded, or stained, and should never be altered.
Depending on the nature of the work to be performed, exceptions can be made. All staff in manufacturing is required to wear full-length cotton pants and steel toe shoes. Manufacturing employees have two (2) weeks to comply from their start date. Questions regarding these exceptions should be directed to your supervisor.
Not adhering to the dress code will result in immediate counseling as well as possible disciplinary action.
Pranks and Practical Jokes
Although we want our employees to enjoy their jobs and have fun working together, we cannot allow employees to play practical jokes or pranks on each other. At best, these actions disrupt the workplace and dampen the morale of some; at worst, they lead to complaints of discrimination, harassment, or assault. Employees who play pranks or practical jokes will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Social Media
The Company recognizes the importance of the Internet in shaping public thinking about the Company and our current and potential products, employees, partners, and customers. The company also recognizes the importance of our employees joining in and helping shape industry conversation and direction through social medial interaction.
See attached social media policy.
Threatening, Abusive, or Vulgar Language
We expect our employees to treat everyone they meet through their jobs with courtesy and respect. Threatening, abusive, or vulgar language has no place in our workplace. It destroys morale and relationships, and it impedes the effective and efficient operation of our business.
As a result, we will not tolerate threatening, abusive, or vulgar language from employees while they are on the worksite, conducting the Company business, or attending Company-related business or social functions.
Employees who violate this policy will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Fighting and Violence
Verbal or physical fighting among employees is absolutely prohibited. Employees shall not engage in, provoke, or encourage a fight. Those who violate this policy will be disciplined, up to and including termination.
More generally, we will not tolerate violence in the workplace. Violence includes physical altercations, coercion, pushing or shoving, horseplay, intimidation, stalking, and threats of violence. Any comments about violence will be taken seriously—and may result in your termination. Please do not joke or make offhand remarks about violence.
No Weapons: No weapons are allowed in our workplace. Weapons include firearms, knives, brass knuckles, tasers, martial arts equipment, clubs or bats, and explosives. If your work requires you to use an item that might qualify as a weapon, you must receive authorization from your supervisor to bring that item to work or use it in the workplace. Any employee found with an unauthorized weapon in the workplace will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
What to Do in Case of Violence: If you observe an incident or threat of violence that is immediate and serious, IMMEDIATELY DIAL 9-1-1 and report it to the police. If the incident or threat does not appear to require immediate police intervention, please contact Human Resources and report it as soon as possible, using the Company’s complaint procedure. All complaints will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. You will not face retaliation for making a complaint.
Insubordination
This workplace operates on a system of mutual respect between supervisors and employees. Supervisors must treat their employees with dignity and understanding, and employees must show due regard for their supervisors’ authority.
Insubordination occurs when employees unreasonably refuse to obey the orders or follow the instructions of their supervisors. It also occurs when employees, through their actions or words, show disrespect toward their supervisors.
Insubordinate employees will face discipline, up to and including termination.
We understand that there will be times when employees have valid reasons for refusing to do as their supervisor says. Perhaps the employee fears for his or her safety or the safety of others. Perhaps the employee believes that following instructions will violate the law or pose some other problem for the Company. Or maybe the employee thinks that there is a better way to accomplish a goal or perform a task.
When these issues arise, we do not ask that employees blindly follow orders. Instead, we ask that employees explain the situation to their supervisor. If, after hearing the employee’s side, the supervisor continues to give the same order or rule, the employee must either obey or use the complaint procedures in this Handbook.
Harassment
It is our policy and our responsibility to provide our employees with a workplace free from harassment. Harassment on the basis of race, national origin, sex, religion, age, physical or mental disability, or citizenship status undermines our workplace morale and our commitment to treat each other with dignity and respect. Accordingly, harassment will not be tolerated at the Company.
Harassment can take many forms, including but not limited to touching or other unwanted physical contact, posting offensive cartoons or pictures, using slurs or other derogatory terms, telling offensive or lewd jokes and stories, and sending email messages with offensive content. Unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and sexually suggestive gestures, jokes, propositions, email messages, or other communications all constitute harassment.
If you experience or witness any form of harassment in the workplace, please immediately notify the Company by following the steps outlined in our Complaint Policy. We encourage you to come forward with complaints — the sooner we learn about the problem, the sooner we can take steps to resolve it. The Company will not retaliate, or allow retaliation, against anyone who complains of harassment, assists in a harassment investigation, or files an administrative charge or lawsuit alleging harassment. All managers are required to immediately report any incidents of harassment.
Complaints will be investigated quickly. Those who are found to have violated this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Dating
The Company does not approve of inter-office relationships between an employee and their direct supervisor.
Discrimination
All employment decisions at the Company, including those relating to hiring, promotion, transfers, benefits, compensation, placement, and termination, will be made without regard to race, national origin, sex, religion, age, physical or mental disability, or citizenship status.
The Company will not tolerate any such discrimination against any employee or applicant. We will take immediate and appropriate disciplinary action against any employee who violates this policy.
We encourage you to come forward if you have suffered or witnessed what you believe to be any such discrimination. Do so by following the steps outlined in our Complaint Policy. Managers are required to report any discriminatory conduct or incidents.
The Company will not retaliate, or allow retaliation, against any employee or applicant who complains of discrimination, assists in an investigation of possible discrimination, or files an administrative charge or lawsuit alleging discrimination.
Sleeping on the Job
When our employees arrive at work, we expect them to be physically prepared to work through their day. Employees who sleep on the job dampen morale and productivity and deprive us of their work and companionship. Employees who feel sick or unable to finish the day because of weariness should talk to their supervisor about using sick leave to take the rest of the day off. We may make an exception to this policy at certain times providing your supervisor approves.
Smoking
For the health, comfort, and safety of our employees, smoking is only allowed in designated areas.
Use of Company Systems
All of our policies and rules of conduct apply to employee use of company computers, phones, smart phones, computer network, internet access, and any other communications system. This means, for example, that you may not use the email system to send harassing or discriminatory messages, including messages with explicit sexual content or pornographic images; to send threatening messages; or to solicit others to purchase items for non-Company purposes.
Internet Use
Our network and Internet access are for official Company business only. Employees may access the Internet for personal use as part of their break time during work hours provided that the use is in accordance with the other terms of this handbook.
An employee who engages in excessive personal Internet use, even during non-work hours, or who violates any other provision of this policy, may be subject to discipline.
Employees may not, at any time, access the Internet using the Company’s equipment or links for any of the following purposes:
If you send personal messages on company computers, through the Company email system, or over the company network, you must exercise discretion as to the number and type of messages you send. Any employee who abuses this privilege may be subject to discipline.
In order to ensure compliance with this policy, we reserve the right to monitor employee use of the Internet at any time (see the “Employee Privacy” section).
Alcohol and Illegal Drug Use
The Company is committed to providing a safe, comfortable, and productive work environment for its employees. Employees who abuse drugs or alcohol at work—or who appear at work under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol—harm both themselves and the work environment.
Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in standard dosage and/or according to a physician’s prescription. Any employee taking prescribed or over-the-counter medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician and/or pharmacist to ascertain whether the medication may interfere with safe performance of his/her job. If the use of a medication could compromise the safety of the employee, fellow employees or the public, it is the employee’s responsibility to use appropriate personnel procedures (e.g., call in sick, request change of duty, notify supervisor, notify company) to avoid unsafe workplace practices.
As a result, we prohibit employees from doing the following at any Company worksite or while on Company business:
You are “on Company business” while (among other things) entertaining clients, on call but not working, when you are using Company equipment, driving to and from meetings, or driving Company vehicles. Employees must always conduct themselves professionally and appropriately while on Company business.
Employees who violate these policies may face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Public Music
If you are playing music that can be heard by others, be sure that the lyrics aren’t going to create discomfort for coworkers because of unsuitable language, sexual content, uncomfortable themes, or the like. The Company should not be a ‘hostile work environment’ for anyone, and if everyone is thoughtful of their coworkers there will not be a problem. If the song has or should have an “explicit” tag or potentially offensive content you should not play it where others can hear it.
Work Area Cleanliness
Along with keeping your work area clean and disposing of trash before you leave every day, please clean up any mess you make in the kitchen, common tables, conference room, or bathrooms.
Safety Policy
The Company takes employee safety very seriously. In order to provide a safe workplace for everyone, every employee must follow our safety rules:
What to Do in an Emergency
In the event of an emergency causing serious injuries, IMMEDIATELY DIAL 9-1-1 to alert police and rescue workers of the situation.
Your first priority should be your own safety. In case of an emergency that requires evacuation, please proceed quickly and calmly to the exit(s). Don’t return to the workplace to retrieve personal belongings or work-related items. Once you have exited the building, report to your supervisor in front of the building so that we can take a headcount.
Mobile Phone Safety While Driving
Safety must always be your first priority when using a phone while driving. If, because of weather or traffic conditions or for any other reason, you are unable to concentrate fully on the road, you must either end the conversation or pull over and safely park your vehicle before resuming your call. We expect you to keep these calls brief.
When driving, you must use hands-free equipment to make or answer any company-related call or when you are on company business. We require this even in states where such equipment is not required. Employees are strictly forbidden from texting while they are in the driver’s seat of a car with the engine running.
Those who violate this policy will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.
Performance
Each and every employee contributes to the success or failure of the Company. If one employee allows his or her performance to slip, then all of us suffer. We expect everyone to perform to the highest level possible.
Poor job performance can lead to discipline, up to and including termination.
Because our employees’ performance is vital to our success, we conduct periodic reviews of individual employee performance. We hope that, through these reviews, our employees will learn what we expect of them, and we will learn what they expect of us.
We require employees to participate in the review process. Failure to participate could lead to discipline, up to and including termination.
To learn more about the performance review system, contact Human Resources.
Employees do not have a right to privacy in their workspaces, on any other Company property, or with respect to any personal property they bring to the workplace. This applies to both Company’s physical and electronic property.
Searches and Drug Tests
The Company reserves the right to search Company premises at any time, without warning, to ensure compliance with our policies, including those that cover employee safety, workplace violence, harassment, theft, drug and alcohol use, and possession of prohibited items. The Company may search company property, including but not limited to lockers, desks, file cabinets, storage areas, and workspaces. If you use a lock on any item of the Company property (a locker or file cabinet, for example), you must give a copy of the key or combination to Human Resource.
The Company may also search personal property brought onto the Company premises, including but not limited to toolboxes, briefcases, backpacks, purses, and bags.
The Company reserves the right to inspect employees, their possessions, and their workspaces to enforce our policy against illegal drug and alcohol use. We may ask any employee to submit to a drug test in the following circumstances:
No Expectation of Privacy
Any activity that uses the Company-supplied equipment or services is not private. The Company provides some employees with computer equipment, an Internet connection, email accounts, and access to electronic communications systems to enable them to perform their jobs successfully. All of these are intended for official Company business. The Company may access or monitor these computers, emails, calls, IMs, browsing sessions, messages of any type stored on company equipment, or any other activity using company equipment and services at any time for any reason. In short, you should not expect that any such use will be private.
Confidentiality and Trade Secrets
Information is part of what makes the Company competitive. During your employment here, you will periodically learn sensitive information, either because you help to develop that information or because you need that information to do your job. It is important for the health of this business—and for the well-being of employees who depend on this business for their livelihood—that you keep information you learn through your employment confidential. Employees who improperly disclose sensitive information, confidential information, proprietary information, or trade secret information to anyone outside the Company will face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
After you leave the Company, you are still legally prohibited from disclosing sensitive, proprietary, trade secret, or confidential information. If you disclose such information, we will seek legal remedies.
Computers
Make sure your computer is configured to require a login whenever booted, awaking from sleep, or when left running for more than 10 minutes.
Passwords
Do not leave passwords to your computer, the file servers, the VPN, or any other confidential information where someone else can access it.
Do not forward your Company email to a third party account such as Gmail without prior approval from your supervisor.
Conflicts of Interest
The Company’s success depends on the hard work, dedication, and integrity of everyone who works here. In turn, our employees’ livelihood depends on the success of the Company. Because we depend so much on our employees, and because they depend so much on us, we expect all employees to devote their energies and loyalties to the Company. We do not allow employees to engage in any activities or relationships that create either an actual conflict of interest or the potential for a conflict of interest.
Although we cannot list every activity or relationship that would create either an actual or potential conflict of interest, examples of activities that violate this policy include the following:
If you are unsure about whether an activity might violate this policy, or if you have any questions at all about this policy, please talk to Human Resources.
Your Personnel File
The Company maintains a personnel file on each employee. The purpose of this file is to allow us to make decisions and take actions that are personally important to you, including notifying your family in case of an emergency, calculating income tax deductions and withholdings, and paying for appropriate insurance coverage.
Your personnel file is physically kept by Human Resources. If you have any questions about your personnel file, contact them.
Confidentiality of Personnel Files
Because the information in your personnel file is by its nature personal, we keep the file as confidential as possible. We allow access to your file only on a need- to-know basis.
Please Notify Us If Your Information Changes
Because we use the information in your personnel file to take actions on your behalf, it is important that the information in that file be accurate. Please notify Human Resources whenever any of the following changes:
Work Eligibility Records
In compliance with federal law, all newly hired employees must present proof that they are legally eligible to work in the United States. We must keep records related to that proof, including a copy of the USCIS Form I-9 that each employee completes for us. Those forms are kept as confidential as possible. We do not keep them in your personnel file. If you would like more information about your I-9 form, contact Human Resources.
Medical Records
Generally, the only medical-related information that the Company has on file is a copy of your health insurance application. We understand the particularly sensitive nature of any employee medical records, and keep them secure. If you have any questions about the storage of your medical records or about inspecting your medical records, contact Human Resources.
Complaint Procedures
The Company is committed to providing a safe and productive work environment, free of threats to the health, safety, and well-being of our workers. These threats include, but are not limited to, harassment, discrimination, violations of health and safety rules, and violence.
Any employee who witnesses or is subject to inappropriate conduct in the workplace may complain to Human Resources or to any of the Company’s officer. Any supervisor, manager, or Company’s officer who receives a complaint about, hears of, or witnesses any inappropriate conduct is required to immediately notify Human Resources. Inappropriate conduct includes any conduct prohibited by our policies about harassment, discrimination, discipline, workplace violence, health and safety, wages and hours, and drug and alcohol use. In addition, we encourage employees to come forward with any workplace complaint, even if the subject of the complaint is not explicitly covered by our written policies.
We encourage you to come forward with complaints immediately, so we can take whatever action is needed to handle the problem. Once a complaint has been made, Human Resources will determine how to handle it. For serious complaints, we will immediately conduct a complete and impartial investigation. All complaints will be handled as confidentially as possible. When the investigation is complete, the Company will take corrective action, if appropriate.
We will not engage in or allow retaliation against any employee who makes a good faith complaint or participates in an investigation. If you believe that you are being subjected to any kind of negative treatment because you made or were questioned about a complaint, report the conduct immediately to Human Resources.
Our Doors Are Open to You (and not just because it’s an open office)
We want to maintain a positive and pleasant environment for all of our employees. To help us meet this goal, the Company has an open-door policy, by which employees are encouraged to report work-related concerns.
If something about your job is bothering you, or if you have a question, concern, idea, or problem related to your work, please discuss it with your immediate supervisor as soon as possible. If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable bringing the matter to your supervisor, feel free to raise the issue with any Company officer.
We encourage you to come forward and make your concerns known to the Company. We can’t solve the problem if we don’t know about it.
Final Paychecks
Employees who quit or are terminated involuntarily will receive their final paycheck on a schedule determined by the laws of their home state. Final paychecks will include all compensation earned. The Company does not pay severance to terminated employees, whether they quit, are laid off, or are fired for any reason.
Return of Company Property
When your employment with the Company ends, we expect you to return the Company property—and to return it clean and in good repair. This includes all manuals and guides, documents, phones, computers, software, equipment, keys, and tools.
We reserve the right to take any lawful action to recover or protect our property. If you do not return a piece of property, if state law allows we will withhold from your final paycheck the cost of replacing that piece of property. If you return a piece of property in disrepair, we will withhold the cost of repair from your final paycheck.
We also reserve the right to take any other lawful action necessary to recover or protect our property.
Continuing Your Health Insurance Coverage
The Company offers full-time employees group health insurance coverage as a benefit of employment. If you are no longer eligible for insurance coverage because of a reduction in hours, because you quit, or because you are terminated for reasons other than serious misconduct, the laws of your home state or federal law may give you have the right to continue your health insurance coverage. In California, providing you qualify, you may continue your coverage – at your own expense – for up to 36 months after termination.
Others covered by your insurance (your spouse and children, for example) may also have the right to continue coverage if they are no longer eligible for certain reasons – again, depending on the laws of your home state or applicable federal law. These reasons could include divorce, your death, or if your children no longer qualify as dependents. They must pay the cost of this coverage. You will receive an initial notice of your right to continued health insurance coverage when you first become eligible for health insurance under the Company when your hours are reduced, you quit, or you are terminated. This second notice will tell you how to choose continuation coverage, what your obligations will be, and how much the insurance will cost. You must notify us if any of your family members becomes eligible for continued coverage due to divorce, separation, or reaching the age of majority.
Only employees who have been covered by the Company’s health insurance plan for at least three months are entitled to continue their health insurance coverage under this policy.
Exit Interviews
We try to schedule an exit interview with every departing employee. We strongly encourage employees to attend exit interviews. During the interview, you will have the opportunity to tell us about your employment experience here: what you liked, what you didn’t like, and where you think we can improve. We greatly value these comments.
The exit interview also gives us a chance to handle some practical matters relating to the end of your employment. You will be expected to return all Company property at the interview. You will also have an opportunity to ask any questions you might have about insurance, benefits, final paychecks, references, or any other matter relating to your employment.
References
If you would like us to give a more detailed reference, you will have to provide us with a written release or consent form giving us your permission to respond to a reference request. We will respond only to written reference requests, and we will respond only in writing. Please direct all reference requests to Human Resources.
Additional Documents
The following separate documents are considered to be part of this Handbook. Please review them:
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This is to acknowledge that I have received my personal copy of the Gallagher Staging and Productions Employee Handbook. In consideration of my employment with the company, I hereby state that I have read, understand, and agree to observe and abide by the conditions of employment, policies, and rules contained in this handbook.
I understand that the policies and procedures described in this handbook are for the purpose of information only, and may be amended or modified by the Company at any time, with or without prior notice.
I further understand that my employment is entered into voluntarily and I am free to resign at any time. Similarly, the Company is free to terminate my employment for any reason at any time, with or without cause. I also understand that the terms set forth in this handbook represent the entire understanding between the Company and me, and that this understanding cannot be amended or altered in any way by any oral statements made to me. The only way in which any understanding set forth in this handbook can be altered is by written agreement.
I have read and understand the statement above and have read the policies in this handbook. I was instructed and had the opportunity to ask my supervisor about any policy and procedures that I did not understand. I hereby agree to abide by these policies.
