 Download a copy of the Employee Handbook (pdf)
When there is a
discrepancy between the Handbook the most recent version of the
policy and form will supersede. We suggest you always refer to the
most recent online version.The
Employee Handbook contains the human resource policies, procedures
and management practices of the Company. The objectives of this
Employee Handbook are to: provide an understanding of the company’s
job standard for managers and employees to comprehend their rights
and the company’s expectations when carrying out their
responsibilities, duties and accountabilities encourage continuity
and consistency in the administration and application of policies,
procedures and management practices provide access to approved
information resources necessary for successful employment foster
communication and promote understanding between employees and their
management provide direction and authority in the day-to-day
administration and management of your job duties assist in the
development of sound and consistent business practices act as a
reference and an electronic information resource document
Throughout the Employee Handbook, individuals have been referred to
generically as "employees," regardless of the staff group in which
they work. Some of the policies apply to employees who are
represented at the Institute by labour unions. In the event of a
discrepancy between the manual as it applies to these.
A detailed table of contents is included containing the main topics.
The "revised" date reflects the latest revision incorporated into
the Employee Handbook; this date does not necessarily imply the
original effective date of a policy or its effective date.
Management will administer these policies in a consistent and
equitable manner. The provisions of the Employee Handbook are
conditions of employment and may be modified, revoked, or changed by
the Management, with or without notice, at any time.
Employee questions which are unable to be answered by this Employee
Handbook or Policies and Procedures should be referred to your
manager or Human Resources. Please note that the Employee Handbook
is available only as an electronic document on the HR Intranet.
Employee and Management requiring hard copies of any policy should
print them directly from HR Intranet.
Comments or suggestions regarding this Employee Handbook are welcome
and may be submitted to the Human Resources Department.
Disclaimer
While we try to ensure that this document reflects current Policy,
at times there may be a lag between a change in policy and an update
of this document. Some of the information may change from time to
time since our policies are under constant review and are revised
when appropriate. Each policy and form has a date indicating the
effective date, however, if you should have a question if policy
statement contained in the Employee Handbook is the most current
please contact HR directly.
Please note: There is no guarantee of employment made to any staff
member in this Employee Handbook. The Employee Handbook will replace
any and all existing copies of any previously issued HR/Personnel
Administration Procedures Manuals as of July 1st 2012 and from this
date onward Management and Employees must use the electronic
Employee Handbook only when referencing policies, procedures and
management practices of the Company. Any terms and conditions of
employment not covered, in part or in whole, in this manual shall be
subject to the provisions of ESA legislation.
How to use the Manual
Employees, upon hiring will receive ‘logon information’ from their
Controller to gain access to the Employee Handbook and are expected
to familiarize themselves with the Employee Handbook as part of
their orientation to employment with their Dealership.
Where to Begin
First, completely read the Employee Handbook with in the first ten
(10) days of your employment date. The table of contents is designed
to group related policies together in one section.
Within the first ten (10) days which you are on the job, you must
print, sign and hand deliver or email an acknowledgement form to
your Controller who will file it in your HR file. Your
acknowledgement form will confirm that you have read, understand and
agree to abide by the policies, procedures and management practices
of the Company.
Open Door Policy
The Company operates in an “open door environment”. All employees
input is valued and may be presented without fear of personal
recrimination or harassment.
Procedure
All staff members are encouraged to provide comments, input and
suggestions concerning the overall operation and programs of the
Company using their appropriate channels of communication.
Equal Employment Opportunity
The Company believes that equal opportunity for all employees is
important for the continuing success of our organization. In
accordance with provincial and federal law. Opportunity is provided
to all employee based on competency, skills, experience,
qualifications, academics and job spec requirements.
Handbook Updates (Download current copy of Employee
Handbook from the Handbook
page)
As edits are made to the handbook, they will be listed below. It is
up to you to review the full text in the current version of the
Employee Handbook. Full details about a policy will be placed on the
Policy page for you to read.
TREE OF LIFE
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
Revised version September 1, 2012
Edited January 29, 2016
PLEASE CONTACT
YOUR MANAGER OR HUMAN RESOURCES
IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS
This
orientation handbook contains important and useful information
regarding the Tree of Life's expectations, hereinafter referred to
as the Company, human resources and employment policies and
procedures. It supersedes any other handbooks, memoranda, statements
or pronouncements that may have been received in the past. In order
to retain necessary flexibility in its policies and procedures, the
Company reserves the right to modify the policies and procedures in
this handbook from time to time. Recommend that you check the HR
Intranet often but at least monthly. As Government Bylaws are
revised and new ones become law and new policies and procedures are
introduced, updates will be issued for inclusion in this handbook
frequently so please check regularly.
The Company retains the
discretion to decide whether these policies and procedures apply to
a specific situation, and how they should be interpreted.
This handbook contains private
materials that are not to be discussed with anyone to whom a
handbook has not been issued. Please note that all company email
traffic is randomly monitored on all company computers, servers,
systems and your internet surfing history is also reviewed for
security reasons and Employees should not retain an expectation of
privacy.
By signing this Acknowledgement
Form, I acknowledge that I have received my User ID and password,
understood and agree to by abide Tree of Life’ s policies and
procedures set out herein. A signed copy of this acknowledgement
form will be retained in your human resources file within the first
10 days of your employment start date and you agree to resign a new
Acknowledgement Form annually each year in January.
Nothing contained in this
handbook will confer upon you any right with respect to the
continuation of your employment or interfere in any way with the
right of the Company at any time to edit or alter any terms of
employment and/or polices and will not conflict with ESA, Human
Rights Act, any Safety and/or other Government Legislation.
Please note that the
understanding of the Employee Handbook and signature of this form
are a ‘condition of employment’
_________________________ _________________________ _____________
Employee’s Printed Name Employee’s
Signature Date
______________________ _________________________ ________________
Manager’s Printed Name Manager’s
Signature Date
Employee's employment date: _____________________________________
|
To be signed no later than ten(10) working days from the
Employment date of my employment |
Edited June 13,
2013 Version 1.0
Revision 1.0
 Welcome
to the Tree of Life team. By exceeding customers’ expectations every
time, we enhance our reputation as we strive to be the best
automotive company in Canada. Everyone plays an important role in
the success of our operations.
We strive to hire the very best
in talent. We look for individuals who continually:
1. Set high standards and goals,
2. Function as team players,
3. Are flexible and big-picture orientated,
4. Are disciplined, committed and accountable,
5. Display honesty, integrity and a strong work
ethic,
6. Demonstrate professional conduct in all
actions with our customers and colleagues,
7. Reducing loss and growing
profit potential.
Welcome from Founder and President. In the words
of owner Roger Baguley, “ We look for individuals who take the time
to put themselves in the customer’s shoes.”
In the last year alone the Tree
of Life has expanded the customer based to 15,000 national and
international clients. You have joined an exceptionally focused and
customer driven team!
This handbook outlines company
policies and procedures as they pertain to your employment. Should
you have any questions or require any clarification about these
policies and procedures, speak with your manager. S/he can help you
better understand how we operate.
You are required to abide by the
policies and procedures outlined herein, as well as adhere to any
legislation or regulation that governs our industry and the
Employment Standards and Human Rights legislations.
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We are firmly committed to
treating everyone with dignity and respect free from workplace
harassment in all employment policy practices. The company recruits,
hires and promotes with strong attention to all
Human Rights Legislation. without regard to race, colour,
national origin, sex, sexual orientation, ethnic origin,
citizenship, creed, religion, marital or partnership status, family
status, age or handicap or other prohibited grounds of
discrimination.
Employee conduct, whether
intentional or unintentional, that results in violation to Human
Rights will not be tolerated. Discrimination or harassment in any
form is strictly prohibited and will result in disciplinary action
up to and including termination of employment for cause.
Employees are responsible for
keeping the Company apprised of any changes in their personal
information required by the organization to administer our
employment relationship. Changes such as address changes or
telephone changes, must be reported to your manager. Managers are
responsible for ensuring that the employee files are updated to
reflect the changes and that the Human Resources is notified of the
change.
The Company respects the privacy
of its employees. Designated personnel, for example payroll, may
have access to an employee file as required for legitimate specified
purposes. These employees are obligated to ensure that employee
information to which they may have access remains confidential.
Employees who breech the confidentiality with regards to employee
files will be subject to disciplinary action up to and including
discharge for cause.
Management believes that our
success depends on the quality and commitment of our employees. Our
objectives are to maintain a high quality working relationship with
all our staff, based upon mutual trust, respect, courtesy and
tolerance. To this end, we strive to provide you with a work
environment, which is free from discrimination and/or harassment. We
strive to:
�
provide a work environment that
encourages self motivation and initiative;
�
provide fair rewards for sustained
job performance;
�
encourage frank and open dialogue
about work and/or business issues;
�
offer equal opportunity for
personal development, career growth and advancement based on
individual ability and demonstrated job performance;
�
provide healthy and safe working
conditions for all.
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During your first 90 days of
employment you are considered a probationary employee. Consider it a
test-drive where you have the opportunity to evaluate your new job
responsibilities and we have the opportunity to evaluate you as a
potential member of the team. During the probationary period, either
party may end the relationship at any time. the company is not
obligated to provide any notice or pay in lieu of notice or reason
should employment be terminated during this time period.
As an organization we are
committed to the privacy of our employees, clients, and confidential
business information. You may, at one time or another, receive
personal, privileged or confidential information, which may concern
other employees, company operations or clients/customers. You are
responsible for keeping any information you handle confidential,
ensuring that it is used only for the purpose for which is was
collected and is not otherwise disclosed or used. This includes
client information, passwords, and personal information about
another employee. In the event of termination of employment, you are
required to relinquish any information you may have in your
possession or control. Following termination of employment, you
cannot use or disclose personal, privileged or confidential
information received by you during the course of your employment,
including Venice Auto proprietary information and practices, unless
such information becomes public information other than by your own
conduct. Should you require us to release your personal information
to a third party on your behalf, you will be required to grant us
written authorization to do so.
You are responsible for keeping
your employee file updated with your current address information,
phone number etc.
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The automobile industry offers
rewarding and challenging careers to individuals with integrity,
ability, and the ambition to take on additional responsibility. The
company will endeavor to promote from within when appropriate.
Promotions will be made on the basis of previous commitment, strong
performance and qualifications. Should you be interested in moving
upwards in the organization the first step is to have a candid
discussion with your manager.
All employees must follow the
Internal Job Posting Procedures when applying for an internal
posting.
We are committed to protecting
employee privacy. Should you require the Company to release
information such as salary to a Third Party we require written
authorization from you. Alternatively, the Company will provide a
letter of confirmation, on letterhead, directly to you. We will not
provide letters addressed simply “To whom it may concern”.
For the purpose of this policy
relatives are defined as spouses, including common law spouses, sons
and daughters including stepsons and stepdaughters, parents,
brothers, sisters including step brothers and step- sisters,
grandparents, in-laws.
This policy has been enacted in
order to assure fair treatment of employees, to avoid conflict of
interest situations and to prevent situations where one relative can
directly influence the employment of another. Relatives of existing
employees may only be employed in the company with the consent of
the President, or CFO. Where relatives are currently employed in the
company, every effort will be made to distance the employees from
directly influencing the employment of each other. Employees who are
related shall not be connected in a reporting relationship. Should
you be related to a candidate for employment or should you become
related to an employee, for example, via marriage, common law, you
must inform the General Manager. Relatives of stakeholders are
exempt from this policy. Family members may be employed in a
short-term casual labour situation with the consent of the
President, or CFO.
We strive to hire the very best.
To be a part of the team, all employees must undergo satisfactory
reference checks and be legally eligible to work in Canada. All
employees must agree to abide by the policies and procedures of the
Company.
Any candidate who deliberately
misrepresents or falsifies information during the recruitment or
selection process shall be eliminated from the selection process
and, if employed shall be discharged for cause.
For those selling vehicles a
valid
OMVIC license must be in Good Standing and maintained at all
times. A current copy of your valid license must be kept in your
employee file. It is your responsibility to ensure that your license
is renewed as required. Employees who have their license suspended
or revoked may have their employment terminated for cause.
All employees driving customer
or company vehicles must possess a valid class G license and a
driving record that is acceptable to our insurer as indicated by an
uncompromised driver’s abstract. Any change in a driver’s abstract
must be reported to your manager.
Driver’s License numbers must be
kept on file for insurance purposes.
Driver’s abstracts will be
checked periodically. Abstracts must be renewed annually.
Failure to maintain the
conditions of employment could result in termination for cause.
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The Company is committed to a
professional and harassment free work environment and strives to
maintain a professional image at all times for our customers. You
are expected to govern your interactions with colleagues and
customers accordingly.
Proper conduct includes but is
not limited to:
�
Adherence to published policies,
practices and procedures;
�
Competent performance of all job
duties as assigned;
�
Prompt and regular attendance at
work at the agreed upon time;
�
Courtesy to and respect for
co-workers, customers, suppliers, or any other person who does
business with our Company;
�
Wearing proper business attire
during working hours which is, appropriate to the job being
performed. If in doubt, please discuss with your manager.
Inappropriate or unacceptable conduct and behaviour includes but is
not limited to:
�
Loitering or loafing;
�
“Not reporting absences from work
in accordance with the
Attendance and Punctuality Policy;”
�
Leaving work early or absenting the
department for extended periods of time without approval or notice;
�
Using unacceptable language
(obscene, cursing or abusive);
�
Spreading malicious gossip or
rumours or untruths;
�
Horseplay or throwing objects;
�
Reporting to work or working while
under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or prohibited substances;
�
Creating or contributing to
unsanitary or unsafe conditions;
�
Excessive personal use of telephone
or computer facilities during business hours;
�
Insubordination;
�
Use of e-mail or internet contrary
to the Internet and
E-Mail Policy;
�
Possession of guns, weapons or
explosives or dangerous substances on company property;
�
Harassing, threatening,
intimidating, coercing any person at any time;
�
Possession, consumption or use or
dealing of alcoholic beverages or illegal substances while on
company premises;
�
Willful violation of safety and/or
environmental rules and procedures;
�
Willful neglect and or mishandling
company equipment and machinery;
�
Unsafe driving or dangerous of
company or customers vehicles;
�
Theft or the falsification of
company records and/or documents;
�
Indecency;
�
Fighting;
�
Poor or careless work performance.
Inappropriate or unacceptable
conduct and/or behaviour that could result in disciplinary action up
to and including termination of employment with cause.
It is company policy to refuse
any cash, gift, gratuities or favours of more than a token value from
anyone who is a potential or actual customer, vendor, supplier or is
otherwise doing business with the organization including financial
institutions unless a contest is sanctioned by the company. Should
you receive a gift or favours in excess of $50.00 you must report it
to your manager immediately. Your manager will then decide if the
gift should be returned, collected and raffled off, shared or remain
with you, the employee.
The Company respects the privacy
of both its employees and customers and provides all staff with a
work environment that is free from advertising, canvassing,
solicitation or promotion of external sales, associations, interests
or religious affiliations.
It is the policy of the Company
to recognize that employees are oftentimes a captive and unwilling
audience for those individuals, including fellow employees,
soliciting either sales, donations or enlistment in external
affiliations and may feel undue pressure to purchase or engage in
the activity being offered.
Solicitation on company property
will not be permitted. Individuals seeking access for the purpose of
solicitation will be denied entry or escorted from the premises
should they have gained access.
Distribution of material
supplied by genuine community-orientated organizations may be
authorized by the General Manager provided that doing so does not
cause disruption of work, is handled in such a way that no employee
feels pressured to participate, provided that the material does not
solicit business, or membership and materials do not contain
political, religiously orientated or inflammatory material.
Accessing, obtaining, using or
distributing company information, employee lists, or client lists
for the purpose of solicitation or aiding a third party in the
solicitation of employees or clients will result in disciplinary
action up to and including dismissal for cause. Access to employee
and client lists will be restricted to authorized personnel.
Should you be approached by an
external solicitor, please inform the person of the policy and ask
them to leave. If the person refuses to leave contact a manager. A
member of the management team will escort the individual from the
premises or contact the police in order to have the person removed.
Should an employee approach you, please make your manager aware of
the situation.
Please note that the
solicitation of Employees by existing Employees of the Tree of Life
for the purposes of employment of any kind during your employment
history is strictly prohibited and is a serious violation of Company
Policy either during working hours &/or outside of working hours. If
you are contacted by a former Employee/s for the purposes of
employment recruiting of any kind please make your Manager
immediately aware of the details.
Employees found to be soliciting
on Company property will face disciplinary action/Corrective Action
up to and including dismissal for cause.
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As an employee, you are expected
to place the interests of the organization ahead of your own
personal interests. All employees are prohibited from involving
themselves in any situation that could present a conflict of
interest or even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Conflicts
of interest include but are not limited to involvement in the
exportation of vehicles, curb- siding, offering service and parts to
customers at unwarranted discounted rates, soliciting potential and
existing company customers for personal business ventures, or
working on non-client cars on the premises without proper written
consent.
You are required to notify your
manager of any actual or potential conflict of interest situations.
Penalties for undisclosed or unauthorized conflict of interest
situations include disciplinary action up to and including
termination of employment with cause.
As an organization, we are
committed to the privacy of our employees, clients, and confidential
business information. You may, at one time or another, receive
personal, privileged or confidential information, which may concern
other employees, company operations or clients/customers. You are
responsible for keeping any information you handle confidential,
ensuring that it is used only for the purpose for which is was
collected and is not otherwise disclosed or used. This includes
client information, passwords, and personal information about
another employee. In the event of termination of employment, you are
required to relinquish any information you may have in your
possession or control. Following termination of employment, you
cannot use or disclose personal, privileged or confidential
information received by you during the course of your employment,
including the Company proprietary information and practices, unless
such information becomes public information other than by your own
conduct. Should you require us to release your personal information
to a third party on your behalf, you will be required to grant us
written authorization to do so.
You are responsible for keeping
your employee payroll file updated with your current address
information, phone number etc.
As an employee you are entitled
to work in an atmosphere of understanding, co‑operation, dignity and
respect. You are responsible for making a conscious effort towards
achieving a professional and friendly work environment for all
employees. Taking care to address fellow employees in a positive and
professional manner creates goodwill and fosters co-operation.
Consider your colleagues to be your internal customers and treat
them accordingly.
As a valued member of our team
you are placed in a position of trust. Any suspicious incident on
the part of any customers or fellow staff member should be reported
immediately to your manager. Falsifying documents or removing
company property from the premises without prior management consent
will result in immediate termination of employment with cause.
If your job
responsibilities require either or both a valid OMVIC License &/or a
valid G class driver’s license, the following conditions of
employment apply and must be maintained throughout the life of your
employment during the period of time that you perform these jobs.
Must Maintain a Valid OMVIC License
Employees
agree to maintain an accredited OMVIC License and be aware of the
regulations governing the Automotive Industry.
Should your OMVIC License be terminated, expire or
for any reason be suspended or become invalid you are required to
contact your Manager at once*.
Must Maintain a G
Class Driver’s License
Employees agree to
maintain a valid Ontario G class driver’s license.
Employees are required to provide a driver’s
abstract report annually on the anniversary of their hire date or at
an annual date at the discretion of their Manager.
Please note, that each time the results of the
annual driver’s abstract report must be satisfactory as per the
discretion of Management.
Should your Driver’s License be terminated, expire
or for any reason be suspended, you are required to contact your
Manager at once*.
*Failure to meet these minimum job standards and
qualifications will lead to Corrective Action or termination.
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The company will offer equal
opportunity for personal development, career growth and advancement
based on individual ability and demonstrated job performance. The
company will offer training as required and provide the employee
with assistance identifying training requirements and where to find
approved training providers.
The
employee is required to keep their mandatory certification and
licenses current. Copies of each are to be placed in your Human
Resources files
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Maintaining friendly and professional environment requires that we
present a business and professional appearance. Good taste is always
in style making it possible to conform to responsible fashion trends
that are appropriate in a business environment.
Inappropriate clothing includes but is not limited to jeans, cargo
pants, pants that are low cut, worn, or faded, shorts, sweatpants,
spandex or other form fitting pants, tank tops or cropped tops, tops
or dresses with bare shoulders unless worn under another top or
jacket, shirts with large lettering or clothing with logos other
than our manufacturer, miniskirts, sun or spaghetti strap dresses,
thong sandals, and clothing which exposed undergarments.
Hats,
unless worn for religious purposes, are permitted indoors in only
the auto bays and clean-up bay areas. Hats may only contain logos,
lettering or patches of our manufacturers.
Your
clothes should be appropriate for your work environment.
Tree of
Life is concerned that visible tattoos and body piercings such as
nose rings and tongue studs may offend some customers and employees.
While tattoos and piercings may be examples of employee
self-expression unless they are recognized as indications of
religious expression they must be covered while working with
customers and Employees who have customer contact
Management
reserves the right to send anyone who is inappropriately dressed
home, with the expectation that the employee shall change into
appropriate business attire and return promptly to work to complete
their shift.
You must
abide by the Safety Shoe Policy at all times and where required
uniforms must be worn and kept in good condition. Employees are
responsible for the purchase of their own uniforms through payroll
deductions.
Appropriate dress for sales
representatives includes:
·
suits, jackets, shirts, ties, dress
shoes (Collared sports shirts may be worn with the consent of
management during the summer months)
·
dress pants, or skirts, blouses,
dresses, nylons and dress shoes
Please avoid offending or making customers and
fellow employees by avoiding heavy perfumes, aftershaves or lotions,
air fresheners in cars or offices and smoking prior to dealing with
a customer or employee. Employees are asked to maintain personal
hygiene.
Parts & Service staff are
required to wear the appropriate full company clean uniform of the
season. Uniforms should be well- pressed and kept in good condition
at all times. Parts staff are required to wear safety shoes. Drivers
may wear hats appropriate to the season provided they are absent
from all logos, lettering or patches, other than our manufacturer’s.
Technical staff are required to
wear coveralls, safety shoes and any required protective safety
equipment. Hats or toques in winter may be worn provided they are
absent from all logos, lettering or patches other than our
manufacturer’s.
Appropriate business dress is
required. Business casual is acceptable on Fridays.
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Pay is processed once every two
weeks for all employees except commissioned employees who do not
receive a draw. Employees on commission receive commission cheques
once a month, usually no later than the second week after final
month close off.
There will be no advances on
pay. At the discretion of management, in certain circumstances,
commissioned employees may be granted payment for commissions earned
in the month but not yet paid. The company does not cash pay
cheques or personal
cheques.
Legislation requires certain
payroll deductions are required by law. These include:
1. Federal Income Tax
2. Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
contributions
3. Employment Insurance
Premiums.
The employee portion of benefit
premiums will be deducted from your
cheques if you choose to participate in
the group benefit program. Other benefits that are paid by the
company may be considered taxable benefits. Whatever is deemed to be
a taxable benefit will be added to your gross earnings of your
income tax form (T4).
Technician Training Pay –
Flat rate technicians will be paid a
rate of eight hours for each full day they are required to attend
training. The rate will be pro-rated for courses of shorter
duration.
Any discrepancies must be
reported immediately to your manager after you have received your
commission pay cheques.
Employees who are not in a
managerial or supervisory position are entitled to Overtime (at the
rate of one and one-half of the employee’s regular rate of pay) for
hours worked in excess of the statutory maximum provided the
overtime is approved in advance by the General Manager in writing
before being worked. In some instances Overtime Agreements may be
arranged whereby overtime is averaged over a period of up to four
weeks. The organization and the employee may agree that the employee
receives time off in lieu of overtime pay.
In rare circumstances, the
company may be unable to provide an employee with their regular
work. In such cases, hourly paid employees who regularly work more
than three hours per day who report to work at the start of their
regular shift, unless they have been previously advised not to do
so, may be assigned to any available work and receive their regular
rate of pay until they can be reassigned to their normal work. If no
alternative work is available, employees may be sent home in which
case they shall receive 3 hours of Reporting Pay at their regular
rate of pay.
Reporting Pay will not be paid
in those situations where the lack of work is caused by fire,
lightning, power failure, storms or similar causes beyond the
company’s control.
Legislation requires the Company
comply with court ordered payments and wage garnishments when they
are presented. Should the Company receive a wage garnishment order
you will be contacted by payroll and informed when it will be
effective. Wage garnishments are considered confidential information
and shall be maintained only in the necessary payroll files.
All employees are responsible
for punching their own timecard at the commencement and end of the
work day. It is a termination offense to punch another
employee’s timecard.
At Dealerships the employee must sign agreeing to
the bi-weekly shift form/schedule.
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Entitlement
TREE OF LIFE full‑time employees*, who have been employed for
12 months become eligible to earn .4166 of a day per month which
equals five (5) days of sick leave per calendar year (January to
December) after they have been employment for a 12 month period.
Medical certificates are required when employees are absent for two
(2) or more consecutive days.
Carry Forward
TREE OF LIFE’s Sick Leave Policy does not provide employees the
option to carry forward unused sick days or to add them to the next
year’s entitlement. Unused time is deleted at the end of each
calendar year on December 31st.
Use as Personal
Time
Employees are not allowed to use their sick days for personal
time-off. The policy is for time away from the job for illness
only.
Use as Vacation
Days
Sick days are not permitted to extend vacation leaves. If employees
take a sick day the day before or immediately following a vacation
leave, TREE OF LIFE requires a medical certificate be presented upon
return to work.
Payout
Sick days have ‘no
cash value’ unless used for illness and are not payout if unused.
*Please note that
commissioned and flat rate positions do not qualify for this sick
day policy benefits.
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All full-time employees who have
successfully completed 90 days of service re entitled to participate
in the company benefit program. The premium cost of the benefit plan
is co-funded by the company and the employees.. We reserve the right
to unilaterally change or alter. The terms of our benefit plan are
governed and controlled by the relevant formal plan documents as
amended from time to time. Summary information about the plan is
contained in the benefit booklet and will outline the major
provisions of the formal plan documents, as they presently exist.
The formal plan documents themselves are controlling and, in the
event of any discrepancy between the formal plan documents and this
handbook or the benefit booklet, the formal plan documents will
govern. You should feel free to refer any questions concerning our
benefit program to your benefit coordinator or Human Resources.
Should you wish to opt out of the benefit plan you must sign a
waiver available from payroll. Opting out of the benefit plan means
that should you wish to join at a later date, enrollment will be
subject to proof of eligibility at your expense.
Changes to your marital status,
dependents or other information required to administer the company
benefit program must be reported to the benefits coordinator.
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The following holidays are
observed by the Company.
New Year’s Day
Family Day
Good Friday
Victoria Day
Canada Day
August Civic Holiday*
(optional depending on auto industry practises)
Labour Day
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Boxing Day**
*The
August Civic Holiday is not a statutory holiday and the company may
elect to open depending on the auto industry practices. In that
event you may be required to work. The Company will treat the August
Civic Holiday as a public holiday in all other regards.
**
Retailers are not prohibited from opening on
Boxing Day and you may be required to work.
Generally, employees on the
active payroll qualify for holiday entitlements unless they fail,
without reasonable cause, to work:
�
their entire regularly-scheduled
shift before or after the statutory holiday; or
�
their entire shift on the statutory
holiday if they agreed or were required to work that day.
Should business needs dictate
working a statutory holiday and you agree, the company may
substitute another working day for the statutory holiday. In that
event, you will receive your regular rate for hours worked on the
holiday and receive statutory holiday pay for the working day taken
off in lieu of the holiday. Alternatively, the company with, your
agreement, may pay you holiday pay and 1 and ½ times your regular
rate for each hour worked on a statutory holiday.
Statutory holidays that fall on
a day the business is normally closed will be observed on a date set
by management. In the event that a statutory holiday occurs when you
are on vacation, you will be entitled to another day off to be taken
at a time that is mutually agreeable to you and the company.
Vacations are granted annually
based on completed years of continuous active employment with the
Company. A vacation year must be earned before it can be taken.
Vacation considers how much time an employee is entitled to have off
and how much an employee is to be paid.
1-year
plus 4% 2 weeks (10 days)
5-year
plus 6% 3 weeks (10 days)
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The following chart illustrates
the amount of vacation time and vacation pay that is earned by full
time active employees after each year of completed service.
|
Full Time Active Employees |
|
Years of Active Service |
Annual Vacation Time |
Vacation Pay |
|
After 1 year |
10 days |
4% of wages |
|
After 5 year |
15 days |
6% of wages |
|
Part Time Employees |
|
Years of Completed Active Service |
Vacation Time |
Vacation Pay |
|
After 1 year |
10 days* |
4% of wages. |
|
* to be taken at minimum in 1 week
allotments. |
|
Vacation Entitlement for Salaried and Hourly Employees |
|
Year |
Vacation Pay-out |
|
1st year |
.83 of a day per month of work to a
total of 10 days in the first year. |
|
From one year onward |
4% of annual salary |
| |
|
|
|
Vacation must be taken. Earned
vacation entitlement cannot be carried over from one year to
another, except with the written permission of the General Manager.
In order for vacation to be
taken in increments of less than one week it must be requested in
writing and approved in writing by the General Manager.
Where vacation is not taken in
complete weeks, vacation time is based upon the number of days in
the employee's regular work week or, if the employee does not have a
regular work week, the average number of days the employee worked
per week during the most recently completed vacation entitlement
year.
The philosophy of vacation
scheduling is to maintain adequate coverage for the smooth
day-to-day running of the business. Your immediate manager has final
authority, acting reasonably, on when vacation time will be granted.
Do not make any commitments until your vacation request has been
approved in writing. A minimum of four(4) weeks notice is required
to book vacation time.
Employees must complete the
Vacation Request Form and submit it to their manager for approval
prior to the end of the calendar year (December 31st).
Please note that any
carried-over vacation days must be taken by the end of February of
the following year.
General Managers are required to
manage their Dealership’s Management Vacation Schedule to ensure
that they are not away during the same time period as their General
Sales Manager and if there is no GSM position at that location than
they must not be away during the same time period as their Sales
Manager.
Important: All Management and
Employees must complete the Vacation Request Form and submit it to
their manager for approval prior to the end of the calendar year
(December 31st).
Because the employment
relationship continues during a period of pregnancy, parental,
family medical, organ donor, personal emergency, declared emergency
or reservist leave, the time on leave counts toward the completion
of a vacation entitlement year or stub period. For example, an
employee on leave for some or even all of a vacation entitlement
year would still have earned a full two weeks of vacation time by
the end of the vacation entitlement year. The vacation pay earned
during that vacation entitlement year would be a minimum of four per
cent of any wages actually earned during the year.
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Under the
Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, you are entitled
to a maximum of 10 days emergency leave without pay per year if the
company regularly employs 50 or more employees. Some of these
emergency days may be paid by the company under its various leave
policies as described below. In this case, the paid days will be
counted in calculating your annual entitlement to emergency leave
days.
Reasons emergency leave may be
taken are: personal illness, injury or medical emergency, death,
illness, injury, medical emergency, or an urgent matter that
concerns the following individuals,
a)
The employee’s spouse or same-sex partner.
b) A
parent, stepparent or foster parent of the employee, the employee’s
spouse or the employee’s same-sex partner.
c) A
child, stepchild or foster child of the employee, the employee’s
spouse or the employee’s same-sex partner.
d) A
grandparent, step‑grandparent, grandchild, or step‑grandchild of the
employee, the employee’s spouse or the employee’s same-sex partner.
e)
The spouse or same-sex partner of a child of an employee.
f)
The employee’s brother or sister.
g) A
relative of the employee who is dependent on the employee for care
and assistance.
The Company reserves the right
to require an employee who takes leave under this policy to provide
evidence reasonable in the circumstances that the employee is
entitled to such leave.
If you take any part of a day as
leave under this policy you shall be deemed to have taken one day’s
leave on that day for the purpose of determining the maximum number
of days leave to which you are entitled to per year.
If the Company requests a
doctor's/medical certificate, the certificate must indicate:
a)
that you are under the care of a qualified physician;
b) an
expected or estimated return to work date.
For illnesses absences the
Company, at its discretion, may request a written doctor/medical
certificate and it is policy to provide a written doctor/medical
certificate for absences of two (2) days or more..
In the event that you will be
absent from work, you are personally required to notify your
supervisor
directly, before the start of your shift or no later than 15 minutes
after the start of your shift.
Subject to the presentation of
an appropriate medical certificate, you are entitled to a maximum of
8 weeks unpaid leave in order to provide care and support for an
immediate family member who has a critical medical condition with a
significant risk of death within 26 weeks.
As per
Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000, An immediate
family member is defined for the purpose of this policy as:
a) a
spouse, including a common-law spouse:
b) a
child, stepchild or foster child of the employee or the employee’s
spouse
c)
parent, step parent or foster parent of the employee;
Family Medical leave may only be
taken in no less than one- week periods. Employees must arrange to
pay their portion of benefits during their absence in order to
remain covered. Further information regarding Family Medical leave
can be obtained from Human Resources.
A Pregnant employee who was
hired at least 13 weeks before the date
her baby is expected to be born is entitled to unpaid pregnancy
leave in accordance with the provisions of the
Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000.
This legislation currently provides up to 17 weeks of unpaid absence
leave from work. You may be eligible for government sponsored paid
Maternity Benefits. You will continue to receive group insurance
benefits under the company benefit program during your leave
provided arrangements are made to cover the employee cost portion
prior to leave commencing. Car Allowances and demonstrator vehicles
will not be continued during Pregnancy Leave. The duration of the
leave will counted toward your length of service except for
determining whether you have completed a probationary period. You
are required to give written notice to management a minimum of two
weeks prior to the commencement of a pregnancy leave and may be
required to provide a certificate from a legally qualified medical
practitioner stating the expected birth date. Additional notice so
that work- flow is not interrupted would be greatly appreciated.
Every effort will be made to keep your position available upon your
return or failing this, a comparable position, if available. Further
information regarding pregnancy leave can be obtained from Human
Resources.
Parental leave is available to
employees who were hired at least 13 weeks before the date their
leave is expected to start and who have a child coming into their
care, custody or control for the first time. Parental leave is
available to natural and adoptive parents. Parental leave will be
administered in accordance with the provisions of the
Ontario Employment Standards Act, 2000.
Although you will not be paid
for this leave, which is currently up to 35 weeks if the employee
also takes pregnancy leave, 37 weeks for those not taking pregnancy
leave, you will continue to receive group insurance benefits under
the company benefit program provided arrangements are made to cover
the employee cost portion prior to leave commencing. You may be
eligible for government sponsored paid Parental Benefits. Car
Allowances and demonstrator vehicles will not be continued during
Parental Leave. The duration of the leave will counted toward your
length of service except for determining whether you have completed
a probationary period. You are required to give written notice to
management a minimum of two weeks prior to the commencement of a
parental leave. Additional notice so that workflow is not
interrupted would be greatly appreciated. Every effort will be made
to keep your position available upon your return, or failing this, a
comparable position, if available. Further information regarding
pregnancy leave can be obtained from Human Resources.
11.5
Personal Leave of Absence
You may apply for a personal
leave of absence without pay at any time. Requests for a personal
leave of absence may or may not be granted at the sole discretion of
the General Manager. Factors considered in responding to the request
include their merit, the purpose for the leave, the length of
service of the employee, and the frequency of such requests.
You are requested to first use
vacation before requesting a personal leave and to submit your
request in as far advance as possible to your manager.
Any request for Personal Leave
for the purpose of working for another employer or for the purpose
of serving a jail sentence will not be granted.
11.6
Bereavement Leave
The organization is committed to
providing time off in the event of the death of a family member for
the purpose of arranging or attending a funeral. Up to three(3) days
emergency leave will be paid for time off in the event of the death
of an immediate family member. You may be eligible to further days
off without pay if you have not used all of your annual emergency
leave days. If you have, you may request additional time off via the
Personal Leave of Absence Policy.
Immediate family for the purpose
of the
Bereavement Leave Policy includes a spouse, common law spouse,
same- sex partner, child, daughter‑in‑law/son‑in‑law,
sister/brother, sister‑ in‑law/ brother‑in‑law, parent, grandparent,
and grandparent of spouse. You are responsible for notifying your
immediate manager of your need to take
Bereavement Leave as soon as
possible. The Company reserves the right to request documentation to
support the absence. The duration of any leave taken under this
policy shall be included when determining an your entitlement to
leave under the Emergency Leave or under the provisions of the
Ontario Employments Standards Act 2000.
If you are called to jury duty
or summoned as a witness you will be excused from work for those
days that you are required in court. You will be paid your regularly
scheduled hours less any compensation received from court for a
period up to five(5) business days once every three(3) years.
You must provide your manager
with a copy of the jury summons or summons to witness as far in
advance of the date of appearance as possible.
You are encouraged to exercise
your civic duty by voting. Should adherence to your work schedule
mean that you would miss the opportunity to vote, the organization
will allow time for you to do so.
You should direct your request
for time off to vote to your manager.
Employees, who are absent from
work or fail to report to work after a vacation or leave of absence
for three (3) consecutive working days without notifying their
manager, are deemed to have voluntarily resigned from the company.
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It is the policy of the Company
to be fair in the administration of employees and to encourage you
as an employee to exercise self discipline
at all times. Occasionally, it may be necessary to administer
disciplinary action for misconduct or poor performance. The purpose
of such action is to correct the inappropriate behaviour and to
motivate you towards proper conduct in the future. The company
reserves the right to examine the circumstances surrounding a
transgression and to interpret those events and apply discipline as
per labour legislation. The level of severity and frequency of the
infraction will be taken into account in determining the appropriate
discipline. One or more steps in the discipline process described
below may be disregarded should the behaviour warrant it.
Discipline includes:
Informal Counselling
You are counseled by your
manager and/or Human Resources in an effort to eliminate
misunderstandings and to explain what constitutes acceptable conduct
and behaviour.
Verbal Warning
– When informal
counselling has not produced the desired
results or the situation has become worse with respect to the same
concern or another unrelated but cumulative incident has occurred
you are given a verbal warning which will be recorded in your Human
Resources file.
Written Warning
– The purpose of a written reprimand is to make
certain that you are fully aware of the misconduct you have
committed and what is and what corrective action is required,
thereby enabling you to avoid a recurrence of the incident.
Final Probation Written
Warning –You will receive a final
probation written warning following serious misconduct or further
repeated minor offenses. The purpose of final probationary written
warning is to make certain that you understand the serious nature of
the misconduct and that further misconduct will result in your
termination. From this point your employee status is probation.
Dismissal/Termination
– An employee is dismissed as a result of a
serious offence or the final probation step in the culmination of
minor offenses of the same nature.
The Company reserves the right
to examine the circumstances surrounding a transgression and to
apply discipline as per Employment Standards Act (ESA).
Obligation Memo related to the Workplace Harassment and Violence
Policies
Policy:
Workplace Harassment and Violence Policy November 2013. Please
refer to this policy for all situations pertaining to issues related
to Harassment or Violence
The Company intends to provide,
monitor, and enforce workplace-specific policies and practices that
recognize the dignity and equality of rights and opportunities of
all our employees.
The Company is committed to
providing a workplace free of sexual harassment (which includes
harassment based on gender, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical
conditions), as well as harassment based on such factors as race,
colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, physical
disability, mental disability, medical condition, marital status,
sexual orientation, family-care or medical-leave status, or veteran
status. The Company strongly disapproves of and will not tolerate
harassment of employees by managers, supervisors or coworkers.
Similarly, the Company will not tolerate harassment by its employees
of nonemployees with whom the Company employees have a business,
service or professional relationship. Our policies and practices
will be administered in a responsible manner that is free from any
kind of physical, verbal, or written harassment
The Company insists that
management do all in its power to enforce, support, and uphold this
policy as well as lead by example at ALL times
Physical, verbal, or written
harassment of other employees is a form of discrimination and is
strictly prohibited by law. The Company complies with human rights
legislation and will not tolerate discrimination against, or
harassment of, employees, customers, or agents. Such behaviour will
result in disciplinary action, which could lead to termination of
employment.
“A course of vexatious comment
or conduct that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be
unwelcome.” Harassment may take several forms, including abusive
name calling, teasing, jokes, graffiti, threats, insults or
unsolicited advances which could be considered racially, ethnically,
or sexually derogatory or which present a stereotypical portrayal of
any societal group.
Harassment includes verbal,
physical and visual conduct that creates an intimidating, offensive
or hostile working environment or that interferes with work
performance. Such conduct constitutes harassment when (1) submission
to the conduct is made either an explicit or implicit condition of
employment; (2) submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as
the basis for an employment decision; or (3) the harassment
interferes with an employee's work performance or creates an
intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.
Harassing conduct can take many
forms and includes, but is not limited to, the following: slurs,
jokes, statements, gestures, assault, impeding or blocking another's
movement or otherwise physically interfering with normal work,
pictures, drawings or cartoons based upon an employee's sex, race,
colour, national origin, religion, age, physical disability, mental
disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, sexual
orientation, family-care or medical-leave status, or veteran status.
Sexual harassment is
unsolicited, nonreciprocal behaviour by an employee who is in a
position to control or affect another person’s job status and who
uses the power or authority of that position to cause that employee
to submit to sexual activity, or to fear that he or she would be
punished for refusal to submit.
Sexual harassment also includes
any employee conduct unreasonably interfering with another’s work
performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
working environment. Sexual harassment consists of a variety of
behaviours by employees directed to other employees including, but
not limited to, subtle pressure for sexual activity, inappropriate
touching, inappropriate language, demands for sexual favours, and
physical assault. Sexually harassing conduct in particular includes
all of these prohibited actions as well as other unwelcome conduct
such as requests for sexual favours, conversation containing sexual
comments and unwelcome sexual advances.
Any incident of harassment,
including work-related harassment by any company personnel or any
other person, should be reported promptly to the employee's
supervisor or manager (or to any other
member of management) or to Human Resources, who is responsible for
investigating the matter. Managers who receive complaints or who
observe harassing conduct should inform Human Resources
immediately. The Company emphasizes that an employee is not
required to complain first to their supervisor if that supervisor is
the individual who is harassing the employee.
Unwelcome verbal conduct
includes propositions, comments on an employee’s sex life, sexual
conduct, comments about an employee’s body, request for sexual
favours, insults, threats, offensive jokes or teasing.
Unwelcome physical conduct
includes pressing against another employee, touching, hugging,
kissing, patting, pinching, assault, and forced sexual contact.
Sexual harassment is
unsolicited, nonreciprocal behaviour by an employee (male or female)
who is in a position to control or affect another person’s job
status and who uses the power or authority of that position to cause
that employee to submit to sexual activity, or to fear that he or
she would be punished for refusal to submit.
Sexual harassment also includes
any employee conduct unreasonably interfering with another’s work
performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive
working environment. Sexual harassment consists of a variety of
behaviours by employees directed to other employees including, but
not limited to, subtle pressure for sexual activity, inappropriate
touching, inappropriate language, demands for sexual favours, and
physical assault.
Sexual harassment includes the
harassment of a female by a male, the harassment of a male by a
female, and harassment based on sexual aggression between two people
of the same gender. Every employee has the right to freedom from
sexual harassment in the workplace by:
�
His or her employer; or
�
An agent of his or her employer; or
�
Another employee.
Every employee also has the
right to be free from:
�
Sexual solicitation or advance from
a person who is in a position to confer, grant, or deny benefit or
advancement to the employee where that person knows or ought to know
that such behaviour is unwelcome;
�
A reprisal or threat of reprisal
for the rejection of a sexual solicitation or advance where the
reprisal is made or threatened by a person who is in a position to
confer, grant, or deny a benefit or advancement to the employee.
Harassment can be insulting,
frightening and/or embarrassing for the complainant and it creates a
hostile work environment for all employees.
We have an internal complaint
mechanism for any employee who feels he or she has been a victim of
harassment in the workplace. Allegations will be investigated
promptly and will be dealt with in strict confidence. Completed
complaint forms will not be filed in the complainant’s personnel
file, but will be kept in a separate, locked file in the Human
Resources Department.
Use of the internal complaint
procedure will ensure that the Company has an opportunity to deal
with allegations of harassment, rather than having complaints
automatically proceed to an outside agency or commission for
investigations.
The complaint procedure will be
terminated only when the complainant is confident that a resolution
has been reached. If necessary, the problem will be presented to an
internal review board for a final decision.
When an employee has a work
related complaint as a result of either action or lack of action on
the part of another employee, manager, or the Company, the following
steps are available for resolution of the complaint. Every reported
complaint of harassment will be investigated thoroughly, promptly
and in a confidential manner. In addition, the Company will not
tolerate retaliation against any employee for cooperating in an
investigation or for making a complaint to your manager, Human
Resources or any other manager.
In the case of the Company
employees, if harassment is established, the Company will discipline
the offender. Disciplinary action for a violation of this policy can
range from verbal or written warnings up to and including immediate
termination depending upon the circumstances. With regard to acts
of harassment by customers or vendors, corrective action will be
taken after consultation with the appropriate management personnel.
Through the complete process the
employee, manager and/or Human Resources should keep full
confidential documentation.
Step 1
An employee’s concern should be
discussed with the employee’s immediate Manager at the earliest
opportunity in an effort to mutually resolve it. In situations
where the complaint involves the employee’s immediate supervisor or
manager, the employee should feel free to contact HR for guidance
and assistance.
Step 2
If the Manager and employee are
unable to resolve the matter and the employee wishes to pursue the
issue further, the employee has recourse to contact HR for guidance
and to pursue the complaint through successive levels of management.
Step 3
The employee must submit a
written complaint for review by Human Resources and Senior
Management. Human Resources and the Senior Manager will thoroughly
review the facts, give consideration to the merits and evidence of
the case, the law, and other factors pertinent to the issue and make
a recommendation. If the complaint has been frivolous or vexation,
the individual making the accusation should be disciplined, up to
and including termination with cause.
If an employee has filed a
complaint in good faith, the employee should not be disciplined or
otherwise penalized because of the complaint, regardless of whether
or not the complaint is sustained. If it appears that the complaint
was not filed in good faith, approval of Human Resources should be
obtained before taking any action.
Under the
Ontario Human
Rights Code, every person has a right to equal treatment
by the Company employees, their contractors, union workers and/or
their agents with respect to services and facilities, accommodation,
contracts and employment. The Company adopted the Human Rights and
Anti-Harassment Policy to ensure ethical and respectful service and
employment practices that incorporate equitable treatment for all
employees, customers, contractors, residents and
recipients of the Company services.
The goal of the Human Rights and Anti-Harassment Policy is to create
a climate of understanding and mutual respect where each employee
feels a part of the company and is able to contribute fully to the
development and well-being of the Company.
The Company will not tolerate, ignore, or condone any form of
discrimination or harassment and is committed to promoting
appropriate standards of conduct at all times as per the Company
Code of Conduct. All employees are responsible for respecting the
dignity and rights of their co-workers and the customers they serve.
Discrimination and harassment are serious forms of employee
misconduct which may result in disciplinary action up to and
including dismissal.
Any employee, including union workers, visitors and/or contractors
to any Company facilities or individuals conducting business with
the Company, are expected to adhere to this policy, including
refraining from harassment of employees, other contractors, and
persons acting on behalf of the Company. If such harassment occurs,
the Company will take any steps available to ensure a
harassment-free workplace, including barring the harasser from its
facilities, where
appropriate, or discontinuing business with contractors, consultants
or service providers.
The main objectives of having a
Human Rights understanding in the workplace are:
�
to eliminate barriers in the
workplace, commonly known as systemic discrimination and to develop
a work environment that promotes equity and diversity,
�
to contribute to the achievement of
the Company's business goals and customers service delivery,
�
to establish a framework that
requires all departments within the Company to embrace the spirit of
equity and diversity in the development of their policies and
programs that impact the delivery of the Company services, the use
of the Company facilities, grants to external agencies and other
outwardly focused activities.
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES WHO ARE FOUND TO
BE GUILTY OF ON-THE-JOB HARASSMENT WILL BE TERMINATED FOR CAUSE.
If overlooked or neglected,
minor misunderstandings may escalate into major dissatisfaction.
In the event that you have a
concern about any aspect of your employment situation including a
conflict involving another employee, you are encouraged to bring
forward any issues so they may be addressed. The Company strives to
resolve concerns promptly and fairly. In most cases the person in
the best position to handle your concerns is your
manager/supervisor. Employees are responsible for addressing their
issue with their manager in a prompt and non-confrontational manner.
However, if your
manager/supervisor cannot resolve the matter or is personally
involved in your concern, then contact the Human Resources who will
review the facts and render a decision or escalate the concern to
the General Manager.
It is imperative that all
parties treat each other with courtesy, respect, dignity and
professionalism throughout the resolution process.
14
Internet and E-mail
The Company provides Internet
and e-mail access for business. You have a responsibility to
maintain and enhance the company’s public image and to use company
e-mail and the Internet in a productive and appropriate manner.
Although the Company respects
the privacy of its employees, employee privacy does not extend to
the employee’s use of the Company e-mail and Internet systems. No
person using such resources should expect privacy in their
communications. All e-mail communications and downloaded material
constitute company property.
Users of the Company e-mail and
Internet are expected to be aware of all unacceptable uses of the
devices and to comply with the below listed regulations.
The company e-mail and Internet
access may not be used for transmitting, retrieving or storage of
any communications of a discriminatory or harassing nature or
materials that are obscene or Xrated as they could contribute to a
"poisoned work environment", or in any way is in violation of
Legislation or laws
If an employee receives an email
with inappropriate content or attachments they are to delete it
immediately.
Harassment of any kind is
prohibited electronic or otherwise. No messages with derogatory or
inflammatory remarks including those about an individual’s sex,
sexual orientation, race, age, disability, religion, national origin
or physical attributes shall be transmitted shared or downloaded. No
abusive, profane or offensive language is to be transmitted through
the company’s e-mail or Internet system.
Infringement of copyright,
trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property is
prohibited.
Electronic media may not be used
for any other purpose, which is illegal or against company policy or
contrary to the company’s best interest.
Solicitation of non-company
business or any use of the company email or Internet for personal
gain is prohibited.
No employee may use the Internet
facilities knowingly to deliberately propagate any virus worm,
Trojan horse, trap door program or anytime of electronic damage to
the Company system.
No employee may use the
company’s Internet facilities to knowingly disable or overload any
computer system or network, or to circumvent any system intended to
protect the privacy or security of another user.
No employee may download
software without permission from the IT Director. Only software
legitimately required to conduct business may be downloaded with
consent. Adherence to all licensing agreement terms and proper
registration of the software must be strictly adhered to.
All downloaded files must be
scanned by company approved virus protection software.
No employee may use the Internet
to solicit the performance of any activity that is prohibited by
law.
Use of the Internet to make
unauthorized purchases is prohibited. Internet and e-mail use may be
monitored from time to time, without notice, to evaluate customer
service and to determine how the system is being used. Employees
should not expect privacy when using e-mail or Internet resources.
a) The company has installed a
variety of firewalls, proxies, Internet address screening programs
and other security systems to assure the safety and security of the
company’s networks. Any employee who attempts to disable, defeat or
circumvent any company security facility will be subject to
immediate dismissal from employment with cause.
b) Passwords or user ID’s issued
by the company must be kept strictly confidential.
c) Upon termination of
employment of any e-mail or Internet user, the manager shall notify
the IT department of the name of the user. The IT department shall
immediately deactivate the user’s passwords and access to any
electronic systems.
a) The company has software and
systems in place to monitor and record all Internet and e-mail
usage.
b) Each employee is responsible
for the content of all text, audio or images that they place or send
over the company’s e-mail or Internet system.
c) The company will allow access
to e-mail and the Internet only to those with legitimate business
needs.
d) Any messages or information
sent by an employee to another individual outside the company via an
electronic network (e.g., bulletin board, online service or
Internet) are statements that reflect on the company and must adhere
to the organization’s guidelines.
e) All users must clearly
identify themselves in any communications.
f) All communications sent by
employees via the company’s e-mail/Internet must comply with the
Internet and E-mail Policy and may not disclose any personal or
confidential information including proprietary company information.
In the event any employee
believes that the electronic systems of the company are being
misused or used in an abusive manner, that employee shall report
such conduct directly to the Human Resources in confidence. The
Human Resources shall investigate all such allegations, including by
way of electronic monitoring with the assistance of IT Group.
Upon completion of the
investigation, the Human Resources will report the findings and make
recommendations to the General Manager for further action. The
complainant shall be advised by the Human Resources of the outcome
of the investigation.
Failure to comply with the
Internet & E-mail Policy will result in disciplinary action,
which may include loss of Internet and e-mail privileges, reprimand,
suspension, up to, and including termination of employment with
cause or legal prosecution. We will cooperate with any legitimate
law enforcement activity.
Examples of E-Mail/Internet Uses Permitted Uses Prohibited Uses
E-mail
|
Permitted Usages |
Prohibited Uses |
|
E-mail
Sending, receiving,
forwarding and replying to messages for business purposes |
E-mail
Sending confidential
or privileged company information of any kind (eg. Financial
management, legal or operational information to unauthorized
personnel)
Opening file
attachments or enclosures without performing a virus scan
Forwarding e-mail chain letters |
|
Internet Browsing
Connecting to the
and viewing any web page for business purposes
Printing web pages
for business purposes |
Internet Browsing
Connecting to any
site for non business purposes
Contacting to crack
sites
Connecting to web
sites related to illegal, immoral and or unethical materials |
|
Downloading Data
Downloading
files/information required for business purposes from
reliable major commercial sites to an isolated or
quarantined folder until downloaded data is scanned for
viruses, worms etc. |
Downloading Data
Downloading
files/information not related to Company business, including
screensavers, pictures etc. |
15.1
Attendance & Punctuality
You are expected to arrive for
work on time and be regular in your attendance in order for all
departments to operate effectively and for the organization to
continue to deliver quality service to our customers. Attendance
records will be kept.
In the event that you will be
absent from work, you personally are required to notify your
manager/supervisor directly, before the start of your shift or no
later than 15 minutes after the start of your shift. If your manager
is not available then you should speak with the General Manager or
in his absence the Controller.
(i) Texting
messages, Voicemails, faxes and/or Emails are not sufficient
notification and are unreliable forms of business
communication for conveying lateness, absences or sickness from your
job. Most business phones do not have text message features & there
is no way of confirming these kinds of messages have been received
&/or understood & acknowledged.
(ii) You
must phone and speak directly with your manager, in person, and
messages of tardiness, sickness &/or absence from work must not be
left with a 'co-worker'.
You must notify your manager
each day you are absent. For absences of a longer duration your
manager will establish a call in schedule for you.
Illnesses lasting 3 or more days
require a doctor’s certificate. The certificate must indicate that
you are receiving medical care from a qualified physician and must
include your expected or estimated return to work date. Original
copies of doctor’s certificates must be submitted by the fourth day
of an illness. In the case of a prolonged illness, the company will
require you to submit periodic written updates from your physician.
You are expected to co-operate fully with requests for information.
In certain situations a doctor’s
certificate or other documentation may be required for periods of
shorter duration. If you arrive late you must report immediately to
your manager. Keeping your manager informed will help to minimize
the disruption in work. In the event that you must leave work early
you are required to get approval from your manager in advance,
giving as much notice as possible.
Management reserves the right to
dock an employee’s pay in fifteen minute increments for late
arrivals or early departures.
Chronic lateness or absenteeism
will result in discipline up to and including dismissal of
employment with cause.
Sick pay is in accordance with
the Sick Day Policy.
As an organization with numerous
employees who operate motor vehicles and serve the public on a daily
basis, the Company cannot tolerate alcohol or illegal substances in
the workplace. This prohibition extends to breaks and meal periods.
No employee may partake of alcohol during the course of his or her
working day unless attending an event that has been previously
sanctioned by the General Manager.
If an employee is taking
prescription or over the counter medication that could impair their
driving or other job performance, the employee must report this
treatment to their manager/supervisor.
Open alcohol, weapons and
illegal substances are not permitted on the premises at any time. No
employee shall report to work in an impaired or hung over condition.
No employee shall operate any company or customer vehicle while
under the influence of alcohol or illegal
substances or while taking prescription or over the counter
medication if such drug use may impair their driving.
Anyone working or reporting to
work while:
�
intoxicated;
�
under the influence of alcohol;
�
under the influence of illegal
substances;
�
under the influence of legal
substances that are not prescribed or are prescribed and cause
impairment in the individual’s ability to perform their job duties;
�
performing any illegal activity
while representing the company;
will be subject to discipline up
to and including dismissal from employment with cause.
“Under the influence of alcohol
or illegal substances”, means that your ability to perform your
duties is impaired, including by having a blood/alcohol
concentration in excess of that prescribed by law for driving a
vehicle, being in a physical or mental condition that creates a risk
to the health and safety of you or other individuals or puts the
company property at risk, demonstrating signs of impairment such as
the smell of alcohol on your breath, slurred speech, difficulty with
motor skills or other signs of physical and behavioural change such
as red rimmed eyes, staggering and/or aggressive or loud behaviour
not typical to the person.
In the judgment of a manager, if
an employee attends work in an impaired of “hung over” condition,
the manager shall take such steps as necessary to prevent the person
from causing injury. The manager has the right to place the employee
on temporary suspension.
On occasion the organization
will host, sponsor or sanction social events where alcohol will be
made available for consumption to employees which may take place on
or off the premises. On these occasions it is expected that
employees will consume alcohol in a responsible manner. In
particular, each employee should limit his or her consumption of
alcohol to an amount, which will not result in intoxication, or
abusive, harassing, unsafe or other improper conduct.
Employees are responsible for
governing their personal behaviour.
Generally, the operation is open
from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm Monday to Thursday, Friday 8:00 – 6:00 pm
and Saturday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Customer demands dictate that
individual departments work different hours and staff members are
scheduled by their managers to accommodate these needs. Your manager
will assign you a weekly schedule. Please note that schedules are
subject to change as the operational needs of the business dictate.
Employees scheduled to work a
shift greater than 5 hours are granted a minimum ½ hour unpaid meal
break. Employees are to have an unpaid eating period at intervals
that would not cause an individual to work more than five
consecutive hours without a meal break. The exact time of the eating
periods shall be established by your manager/supervisor in light of
operational requirements. Eating breaks for shifts of 7 hours or
greater may be up to 1 hour in duration as per the operating policy
of the department. You should not skip your meal break and you will
not be allowed to leave early in lieu of your meal break.
In accordance with provincial
and municipal laws, we are committed to providing a smoke-free
workplace. Employees who smoke must do so outside in a hazard free
area and away from the entrances as this presents a negative image
to our customers or in a designated smoking area. Any employee
caught smoking in any of the company’s buildings, outside a
designated smoking area or in a company or customer vehicle is
subject to disciplinary action up to an including termination of
employment with cause for repeat offenses.
The organization strives to
maintain a professional work environment at all times. Workplaces
are to be kept free from material that would be considered
inappropriate in a business setting. Pictures, postings or other
materials that contain profane, provocative, suggestive, lewd or
pornographic materials including text, cartoons, male or female
pinups are strictly forbidden. Workplaces are to remain clean and
tidy at all times. Nothing is to be affixed to walls or a fixture
without the consent of your direct manager and his initial on the
document.
Certain personnel may either be
granted a car allowance or be given a demonstrator or an assigned a
company vehicle to drive. For those employees who have been given a
company car or demonstrator to drive, the company reserves the right
to issue a car allowance in lieu thereof at any time.
The type of vehicle assigned to
an employee is determined by management.
To be considered for a
demonstrator or assigned a company vehicle, staff must possess and
maintain an uncompromised driving record.
Acceptance of a demonstrator
vehicle requires your signed agreement to reimburse the Company the
lesser of the cost of the repair at a company approved auto body
shop or 50% of the insurance deductible, which is presently $5000,
in the event of an accident. The company will reimburse you the
deductible if it determines you are not at fault for the accident.
Reimbursement of the deductible for any other reason is subject to
management discretion.
Use of Demonstrator vehicles,
assigned company cars and car allowances will be discontinued during
a pregnancy, parental or any other leave of absence.
The use of a demonstrator or
company vehicle is a privilege, which carries with it certain
responsibilities outlined below.
�
You are expected to uphold any
driving rules, regulations and laws and adhere to the
Cell Phone Usage Policy and report all accidents or damage to a
vehicle promptly.
�
You as the employee assigned to the
demonstrator or company vehicle are the only person authorized to
drive the vehicle. Friends or family are prohibited from driving the
vehicle.
�
Demonstrators and assigned company
vehicles are to be driven locally. Out of province trips are
prohibited except where the trip is business related or the General
Manager has provided written consent.
�
Driving under the influence of
alcohol or illegal substances means the loss of all demonstrator or
company vehicle privileges as well as possible discipline up to
termination of employment for cause.
�
Violations of the
Highway Traffic Act relating to or arising from the operation of
a company vehicle are the responsibility of the employee assigned to
the demonstrator or company vehicle. Any violations must be reported
immediately to your manager.
�
Violations, fines and sticker
renewals are your responsibility, whether or not they are incurred
during company business.
�
A demonstrator or assigned company
vehicle is considered a taxable benefit and will be reflected on
your T4 slip.
�
You may not exceed the maximum
mileage of 12,000 kilometers or the limit set by the General Manager
on a demonstrator or company vehicle. The limit may be amended from
time to time depending on market conditions. Mileage should be kept
to a maximum of 2000 kilometers per month.
�
You must maintain a minimum of half
a tank of gas in your demonstrator or assigned company vehicle at
all times.
�
You are responsible for any
damages, scratches, dents, blown tires, cracked windshields, damaged
rims, or wheel covers, or any other interior or exterior damage.
�
You are not responsible for damage
occurred while a customer is test driving a vehicle provided that
you have verified the customer’s eligibility to drive and have not
knowingly permitted a customer to drive under the influence of
alcohol or an illegal substance and the damage is immediately
reported to your manager.
�
Demonstrators and assigned company
vehicles must always be available for test drives and possible sale.
�
Demonstrators and assigned company
vehicles must be kept clear of personal belongings and the company
assumes no responsibility for personal items. Golf clubs and hockey
gear strewn throughout the car do not entice a customer to buy.
�
Demonstrators and assigned company
vehicles should be kept clean and it is the responsibility of the
assigned driver to wash the car regularly. The company does not
assume this responsibility.
�
Smoking in any company vehicle is
prohibited.
�
Abuse of a demonstrator or assigned
company vehicle or failure to adhere to the demonstrator assigned
company vehicle policy could result in the loss of car privileges.
Any damage to customer or
company vehicles must be reported immediately to your manager.
Should you be involved in an accident you must immediately report
the accident to your manager who will in turn inform the General
Manager. Accidents or damage to vehicles deemed to be caused by
recklessness or carelessness will be subject to disciplinary action
up to and including termination for cause.
Should you be involved in an
accident, while driving a company or customer vehicle you are
responsible for obtaining complete insurance information: name,
address, telephone numbers of all other drivers involved and a
police report which you will supply to the General Manager.
Employees should remain calm and never admit guilt; let the police
investigate. Failure to immediately report an accident to your
manager will result in disciplinary action up to and including
termination for cause.
Our business is governed by the
Motor Vehicle Act. Any tampering with vehicle odometers, the
counseling of customers to do so, or the alteration of a vehicle’s
true mileage on a sales order form, or knowledge of same which is
not reported to management will be grounds for immediate termination
of employment with cause. Any such infractions will also be reported
to the Registrar of the Motor Vehicles Dealers Act Department of
Consumers and Financial affairs. All employees who sell vehicles
must be properly registered with OMVIC and be familiar and comply
with OMVIC rules and regulations. Loss or suspension of an OMVIC
license may result in the termination of employment with cause.
You are entitled to purchase a
new vehicle for you and your significant other. New vehicles may be
purchased to a maximum 2 per couple and may be replaced 36 months
from the date of purchase. Certain vehicles may be exempt from the
employee purchase program. Vehicles are sold with the express
understanding that they are for personal use only and may not be
used commercially, exported or be subsequently transferred to
another owner within 12 months of purchase. New cars, subject to
availability, may be purchased at Dealer Net + freight &
PDI + $200.00. Used Car prices will be negotiated with the Used Car
Manager. Rates are subject to change.
Should you wish to purchase a
vehicle contact the General Manager. Parts and Service for your own
personal vehicles may also be obtained by you and your significant
other at a discounted rate. Presently rates are $31.00 for labour,
and cost + 10% for parts. Rates are subject to change. Only the
Service Manager or an employee authorized by the Service Manager may
process a work order for employees.
Employees and their significant
others using preferred service rates must understand that customers
awaiting service have first priority. All work conducted in the shop
must have a work order initiated by a service advisor. You must pay
for your servicing on the same day the work is completed.
The Company is committed to
providing a safe and healthy working environment for all employees.
The Company will ensure that the measures and procedures as
prescribed in the
Occupational Health and Safety Act and its regulations and other
relevant legislation concerning health and safety are complied with.
You are responsible for:
�
working in compliance with the
Occupational Health & Safety Act;
�
wearing any protective equipment or
clothing as required by the Company that relates to the specific job
being performed;
�
reporting any defective equipment
or protection device that may be dangerous to your supervisor;
�
not removing or making ineffective
any protective device that is required by the Company or by
regulation ;
�
reporting any known workplace
hazard to your supervisor;
�
not using or operating equipment or
working in a way that might endanger any worker;
�
not engaging in any prank, contest,
feat of strength,
�
unnecessary running or rough
boisterous conduct;
�
cooperating fully in the accident
reporting procedure by reporting any accident or injury promptly to
your supervisor;
�
helping to complete the necessary
paperwork such as a form 7 and having your health practitioner
complete a Functional Abilities form as required;
�
contacting your manager as soon as
possible after receiving medical attention;
�
participating in safe & early
return to work programs.
Your supervisor is
responsible for:
�
ensuring work is conducted in a
safe manner;
�
addressing refusal to work
�
ensuring all staff are trained on
the proper and safe use of equipment and substances in the
workplace;
�
insisting that the appropriate
safety equipment be worn;
�
keeping the work area free from
hazards;
�
reporting all First Aid
occurrences;
�
reporting all accidents, incidents
promptly;
�
advising a worker of potential or
actual health & safety dangers known by the supervisor;
�
taking every precaution reasonable
in the circumstances for the protection of the employee.
The Company is committed to
having a safe, hazard free and accident free work environment.
Any accident (no matter how
slight) that occurs in the workplace must be immediately reported to
your supervisor. The first priority in the event of an accident
is obtaining first aid and/or medical attention for the injured
employee. The Company is required by law to report accidents and
requires your co-operation in completing the requisite paperwork to
meet the required legislations.
In compliance with provincial
legislation the Company is committed to offering modified duties to
those individuals injured at work in order to facilitate their
re-entry back into the workforce. Should you be injured at work,
alternative duties may be arranged based on medical advice from your
practitioner, until such time as you are able to return to your
normal duties.
You are required to wear the
prescribed safety equipment and clothing You are required to wear
the prescribed safety equipment and clothing required for your
individual work area or for the job or task you are completing. All
personnel who work in the auto bay area must wear safety shoes or
boots. Protective footwear, eyewear gloves or respirators may be
required for completing certain tasks and should discuss with
his/her manager before attempting projects that requires potentially
high risk safety issues .
Those employees who have
successfully completed their probationary period and are required to
wear safety boots will receive up to $100.00 rebate each year
for ‘green tab certified’ safety
boots/shoes. This only applies to employees who work in Safety Shoe
designated areas in the work place. Proof of purchase must be
provided to your manager who will submit the receipt to payroll for
reimbursement.
17.4
Cellular Phone Use Prohibited During Operation of Vehicles
In order to ensure the safety of
our employees, cellular phone use is prohibited during the operation
of a customer or company vehicle unless:
�
the cell phone is equipped with a
hands free device and the hands free device is in operation,
provided the traffic laws of the jurisdiction allow the
aforementioned usage;
�
the vehicle is safely parked prior
to engaging in a conversation;
�
an emergency situation arises that
warrants the use of a cellular phone.
An employee who must have a valid driver’s license
as a requirement of his/her job agrees to report any change in the
status of his/her driver’s license which results in the loss and/or
suspension of their driver’s license at the time they are advised.
Failure to report any changes in the status of a driver’s license
may result in disciplinary action such as ‘Corrective Action’ up to
probation and/or including termination.
All employees must
sickly abide by the rules as set out. Violating any use of the logo
and corporate standards will be dealt with through Corrective Action
Policy.
Employees should
contact Group Communication if they have any questions regarding
approved usage of the logo.
The key points of
TREE OF LIFE’s branding policy are:
·
All dealers must use the design in
the form given in the electronic manual
·
Only original marks, which are
downloaded from the manual may be used
·
All basic rules as set out in the
Design Manual must be strictly adhered to
·
Any deviation from the basic rules,
due to local legislation or contractual requirements must be
discussed and approved by Group Communication
·
Country/business stream management
is responsible for internal communication of the use of the design
manual
·
The design will also be used for
all new purchases or acquisitions, repainting, reprinting etc.
·
The manual is administered by Group
Communication
·
The electronic design manual will
be continually updated and examples will be added with time
All correspondence must be printed on the Company
letterhead and posted in the approved Company envelope.
·
Contact Group Communication for
official logo files. The logo must remain exactly as created.
·
The colour may not be changed
·
The logo may not be reshaped.
·
The logo must not be obscured by
other graphics.
·
The logo is not to be used in any
unauthorized locations or purpose.
As trusted employees of the
organization you shoulder the responsibility of managing company
assets. The company expects you to handle cash, credit cards, debit
cards and inventory in an honest fashion. Those employees reporting
billable hours are expected to report only on services actually
rendered. Under no circumstances should a transaction take place
without a work order, invoice or bill of sale. Anyone stealing,
misappropriating funds, manipulating inventory, or participating in
the fraudulent use of credit or debit cards or reporting hours for
services that have not been rendered is subject to immediate
termination of employment with cause and possible prosecution.
At the end of the day a
customer’s impression of our organization and our product is a
direct reflection of how they were treated by you, our employee.
Remember that a customer’s satisfaction level enhances the success
of the company and helps enhance your livelihood as well as the
livelihood of your fellow co-workers.
Meetings allow us the
opportunity to obtain information and exchange ideas with our
colleagues and management. The Company expects its employees to
attend scheduled meetings. You will be informed of meeting times in
advance and are required to be on time, to be attentive, and to
participate as required.
Tree of Life organization charts
are the sole property of Tree of Life and no employee may publish or
distribute through any media without the written permission of the
president and CEO.
All employees must follow Tree
of Life's policies for creation, storage, retention and distribution
of corporate documents. No documents should be distributed to a
third party without record of distribution and written permission of
Senior Management.
All employees must abide by Tree
of Life's policies for premise, equipment, property, furniture and
vehicle key storage and distribution. Distribution of keys may
result in theft and/or other criminal action to Tree of Life
property or person. Legal action will be taken against any employee
illegally making keys available to unauthorized personnel. Employees
are responsible for ensuring all keys are stored in the correct
appropriate location. Tree of Life may require tracking of keys to
vehicles.
TREE OF LIFE conducts business adhering to all
labour and business legislation. Employees are responsible for
being knowledgeable of all policy changes. In the event legal
action is taken against employees, ignorance is not an acceptable
reason for inappropriate behaviour. To remain current with Tree of
Life's policies employees should regularly check the Employee
Handbook and Police HR Intranet site. If the employee has any
questions they should contact their management or Human Resources.
You are an integral part of the
Company team. Working together we can reach our common goal of
becoming the country’s premier automobile organization.
The success we have achieved in
the past has been the result of the hard work and dedication of our
most important resource: people like you. In today’s competitive
business environment, your contribution is more important than ever
in shaping a positive future for our company.
This guide should answer many of
your questions about the Company. If you have further questions
about specific policies, procedures or benefits, your manager or the
General Manager can provide you with more detailed information.
As new policies are added or
existing policies modified, you will receive additional pages for
insertion/substitution into this manual.
This concludes our employee
handbook.
|
Tree
of Life - Human Resources Self-service Intranet
