Human Resources. Manual

Transcription

1 Human Resources Manual December 2015

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EMPLOYMENT...1 Appearance and Professional Conduct...1 Flexible Work Schedule...1 Retirement...2 Retirement Eligibility...2 Retirement Benefits...2 BENEFITS...3 Employee Insurance Discount...3 Employee Referral Bonus...3 Internal Job Posting...3 Service Awards...3 Education, Training, and Tuition Reimbursement...3 Paid Time Off (PTO)...5 Shared Leave Bank...6 MISCELLANEOUS...8 Building Security and Visitors at Work...8 Safety and First Aid...8 Safety...8 First Aid...9 Smoking...9 Weather Emergency...9 i

3 EMPLOYMENT Appearance and Professional Conduct Western National is a business environment. It is important to us that each employee's dress, grooming, and personal hygiene be appropriate to the work situation. Employees are expected at all times to present a professional, business-like image. Your personal appearance and how you choose to conduct yourself in the office is an integral part of your overall work performance. An employee whose dress, grooming and/or conduct is disruptive or inappropriate will be evaluated accordingly and corrective action will be taken. It is up to you to create and maintain a favorable image. It is also important to remember that you are representing Western National when you attend off-site training/seminars/meetings that are sponsored by our company or industry. It is your responsibility to dress appropriately and conduct yourself professionally in these settings as a representative of Western National. On Fridays, we offer everyone the opportunity to dress in business appropriate casual wear. Casual clothing that is appropriate for a business environment is comfortable, yet neat and professional. If your day s activities require a more traditional dress code, you should dress accordingly. If you would prefer to wear more traditional business clothing, please do so. Generally acceptable on any business day: Suits Dresses/skirts Pants/slacks Jackets/sweaters Short- or Long-Sleeved shirts/blouses (including polo/golf) Laced shoes/loafers/dress sandals Acceptable on Fridays: Denim jeans/shirts/skirts Sweatshirts/t-shirts with acceptable logos/art Athletic footwear Note: Please remember not all casual clothing is suitable for the office. No dress code can cover all contingencies, so employees must exert a certain amount of judgment in their choice of clothing to wear to work. Flexible Work Schedule Employee work schedules may vary throughout the organization. Staffing needs and operational demands may necessitate variations in starting and ending times, as well as variations in the total hours that may be scheduled each day and week. Employees have the flexibility to work hours other than the Company s official business hours as long the core hours requirement is met. Core hours are 9:00am to 3:30 pm local time Monday through Friday. The implementation of flexible schedules should not add a cost to or negatively impact the company. 1

4 Flexible scheduling is a privilege that a supervisor may grant to an employee. In considering an employee s request for an adjusted schedule, the supervisor will take into consideration whether that employee s work lends itself well to flexibility. The supervisor will also evaluate the employee s past work performance to determine if a flexible schedule is a suitable option. Work schedules will be approved based on customer service demands, deadlines, and other workflow obligations. Each flexible scheduling arrangement should be implemented on a trial basis, with evaluation points occurring at the supervisor's discretion. A flexible work arrangement can be modified or terminated by the manager at any time if performance and productivity decrease, or if business conditions change and the flexible work arrangement is no longer practical. Employees are expected to commit to their schedule, yet be willing to change their schedule as business needs change. Retirement Retirement Eligibility Rule of 70: You are eligible to retire if your age plus years of full-time service equal 70 or more and you are at least age 55. For part time employees, each year of service in which you were eligible for benefits applies to the Rule of 70. Retirement Benefits Retirement Gift: A retirement gift check is awarded to an employee who is still in good terms of employment based on the number of years of service. Values are set at $50 per year of service through the first 20 years, and $75 per year of service for years 21 and beyond. The retirement gift check is treated as income for tax purposes. Personal Lines Insurance Discount: Employees that qualify for retirement based upon the above Rule of 70 and have personal lines insurance written through Western National are eligible to continue to receive a discount equal to the normal commission rate for that line of business. 2

5 BENEFITS Employee Insurance Discount Employees with insurance written through Western National are eligible to receive a discount equal to the normal commission rate for that line of business. An employee must complete 90 days of employment to be eligible for this discount. Employee Referral Bonus A $1,000 employee referral bonus will be given to an employee who refers an applicant to us, if the applicant is subsequently hired and remains employed for a minimum of six consecutive months. In order for the bonus to be awarded, both persons must be in good standing with the company at the time the bonus is to be paid. The bonus is treated as income for tax purposes. A candidate submitting their application for employment should list the referring employee s name on their employment application to ensure eligibility for this referral bonus. Officers of the company, hiring managers and managers referring candidates within their department are not eligible to receive this bonus. Internal Job Posting It is the policy of the Company to encourage individual growth and therefore use an internal job posting system whenever possible. This is a mechanism that enables the Company to discover and utilize talent within our organization. Each candidate s past job performance will be taken into consideration as well as qualifications considered necessary to perform the posted position. Employees should complete a minimum of six months in a position before considering and/or posting for a different position. Internal job postings and the internal posting Application Form can be found on the company s intranet. Service Awards Years of service recognition is given at 5 year intervals. Service awards are $50 per year of service through 20 years. For employees achieving 25 years and beyond then awards are $75 per year of service. The awards are treated as income for tax purposes. Rehires Employees who leave the Company and return within 90 days will receive credit for the break in service and their seniority will be restored to their original hire date. Education, Training, and Tuition Reimbursement Corporate Learning Program Guidelines We encourage employees to continue their education to enhance their own personal and career development, as well as increase their value to the Company. Where appropriate and approved, the Company at their sole discretion may choose to pay all or part of certain educational costs, which may be subject to applicable income tax laws. 3

6 Training and Development Programs The Company sponsors periodic on-site training and career development sessions, and will pay for off-site training that is related to the employee s current job, career path, or professional certifications. Work with your manager for approval to attend single day classes, offsite seminars, and conferences. Tuition Reimbursement Program for College Course(s) Please refer to the Continuing Education section on the company intranet for further information regarding this program. These courses are generally a quarter/semester in length and are taken outside an employee s normal work schedule. Insurance-Related Training Western National strongly supports and encourages enrollment in property-casualty insurance courses. The American Institute for CPCU (AICPCU) and Insurance Institute of America (IIA) offer many insurance courses. Please refer to the Continuing Education section on the company intranet for further information regarding this program. The Casualty Actuarial Society offers education and exams that are uniquely relevant to property and casualty actuaries. Please work with the Company s Chief Actuary for further information regarding this program. Education Achievement Awards Education achievement awards are designed to reward and encourage employees to advance their education in insurance-related topics. These awards are treated as income for tax purposes. ACAS and FCAS Certificate Programs Employees who obtain the ACAS designation will receive a $3,000 recognition award and those who obtain the FCAS designation will receive a $6,000 recognition award. It is the responsibility of the employee or the employee s supervisor to notify Human Resources upon successful completion of the certification program. IIA Certificate Programs Employees who successfully complete any IIA certificate program will receive a $200 recognition award. It is the responsibility of the employee or the employee s supervisor to notify Human Resources upon successful completion of CPCU exams or IIA certificate programs. CPCU Designation Employees who successfully pass any individual CPCU exam on the first attempt will receive a $100 recognition award per exam. The recognition award will be reduced to $50 if the exam is passed on the second attempt. No award will be given if passage is on later attempts. For employees who earn the CPCU, ACAS or FCAS designation, Western National will pay for certain expenses of the employee and a guest to attend the next succeeding year s Conferment Ceremony to receive their certificate. Items paid by Western National for the new designee at this conferment include: Employee and guest event registration Airfare for employee and a guest 4

7 Hotel up to the cost of standard double room at the headquarters hotel. Employee may stay where they choose, but reimbursement is based on the cost of this hotel room. Transportation - From the airport to the hotel and back; and from employee s home to the airport and from the airport to home, or parking at airport (whichever applies). Food - We pay a per diem to the employee of $100 a day to cover meals for the employee (no receipts necessary). The dates of the actual meeting - normally five days/four nights Employees may request cash advance for meal per diem, transportation, parking, etc., and show it as a credit on the expense report form when it is submitted, with supporting receipts, upon return. Please refer to the Travel and Expense Policy on the company intranet for further information. Any part of the trip to the conferment ceremony that is clearly attributable to the guest, and is paid for by the Company, is added to the employee s W-2 for the year incurred as Miscellaneous Income and included with regular pay. Employee expenses are not taxed as income. Paid Time Off (PTO) Regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week are eligible for PTO and will earn PTO time based on years of service. Western National regular part-time employee PTO accruals are prorated based on the number of hours the employee is regularly scheduled to work. On January 1 of each year, the annual PTO accrual amount made available to you is based on the years of service you will attain during the year. YEARS OF SERVICE PTO DAYS PER YEAR PTO HOURS PER YEAR PER PAY PERIOD ACCRUAL (HOURS) All employees are subject to a 30-day or 240 hour maximum PTO carry over at the end of each calendar year. Any hours accumulated by year-end in excess of 240 will be forfeited. 5

8 New hires will be granted a pro- rated PTO balance upon hire calculated by the number of remaining pay periods multiplied to the year-one per pay period accrual. The full annual hourly accrual will be credited on January 1st of the following year. Prorated Paid Time Off (PTO) Part-Time Employees On January 1 of each year, the annual PTO accrual amount made available to you is based on the years of service you will attain during the year. Scheduling PTO Requests for PTO should be submitted to the employee s manager/supervisor through ADP self-service at least 24 hours in advance of the time off whenever possible. Time off exceeding two consecutive workweeks requires prior written approval well in advance, preferably 30 days, from the employee s manager/supervisor. Consideration will be given to each request for time off, with approval based on business needs and staffing requirements. On occasion when advance notice is not possible, employees are expected to contact their manager/supervisor within one hour of their normal start time. Nonexempt employees may request PTO in increments of whole hours and for a minimum of one hour. Exempt employees may request PTO in four hour (half day) or eight hour (full day) increments. Employees need not provide a reason for requesting PTO. However, employees must notify Human Resources when an absence may qualify for short-term disability benefits and/or protection under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). PTO Payout At Termination Earned and unused PTO hours will be paid out to an employee when employment with the Company ends. The total granted on January 1st of the employee s last, partial year of employment will be adjusted for payout based upon the amount earned up to their termination date. The company reserves the right to deduct any PTO owed to the company at time of termination from the employee s final paycheck. Other Paid Time Off If, for some reason, the entire company is dismissed early, lost wages will be paid. Once you have elected and taken requested PTO, it cannot be substituted for regular time paid when the entire company is dismissed early at management s discretion. Shared Leave Bank The Company has created and maintains a Shared Leave Bank of time to be used if/when an eligible employee experiences a qualifying serious personal or family situation. Qualifying circumstances may include a serious personal or family event as defined by FMLA definitions/certification and/or a catastrophe other than a serious health condition that personally impacts an employee and/or their family. To be eligible to request time from the Shared Leave Bank, the employee must: be in a PTO eligible status, be in good standing from a job performance perspective, be employed with the company for a minimum of 6 months, and have exhausted all of their PTO time. 6

9 Throughout the process of determining eligibility and allocating Shared Leave Bank time, the recipient s anonymity will be maintained. Likewise, campaigning for help is prohibited. Shared Leave Bank time will be provided to the recipient on a bi-weekly basis at their normal rate of pay. Time paid is subject to regular payroll withholdings at the time it is paid. Employees may also be given the opportunity to donate their own accrued PTO hours to the Shared Leave Bank, at the Company s request, to be used by other employees in need. If the Company elects to accept PTO hour donations, interested employees will be asked to complete a Shared Leave Bank PTO Donation Agreement Form. 7

10 MISCELLANEOUS Building Security and Visitors at Work The Company strives to achieve a balance between a warm, friendly and welcoming environment, and one that is safe and secure for our employees and guests as well as our property and confidential information. All employees will be issued a building access card when they are hired. A lost or stolen access card should be reported immediately to Human Resources. No one besides you should use your access card for any reason. Allowing someone to use your security card may lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination. The standard hours of operation for access to the building (and the standard hours that a key card will work) are: Monday through Friday 6:00am to 7:00pm. See your manager if you believe there is a business reason for you to have extended building access. During non-scheduled business hours, employees must have approval to be on Company premises, and are not allowed on premises for any reason other than official company business. Unless otherwise approved by Management, all visitors must enter and exit through the main lobby entrance to the building, and sign in and out at the receptionist desk. Visitors must remain in the main lobby until the escorting employee/host greets them and accompanies them. DO NOT let anyone in the office through any door or entrance other the main door by the receptionist located in the front of the building. Approved visitors will be permitted on Company premises during business hours only. It is the responsibility of the escorting employee/host: to ensure that all documents containing confidential information are secure; to minimize activity that might distract co-workers; and to ensure visitors comply with all safety rules, regulations, and policies while on Company premises. Employees who feel uncomfortable with any visitor should immediately notify their manager. There may be times when Company events allow family members to attend. During these times, family members will be allowed in the workplace but must be accompanied by an employee and comply with all security rules, regulations, and policies. The Company reserves the right to remove any visitor from company facilities/property for any reason, at its discretion. Safety and First Aid Safety The Company strives to provide and maintain safe and healthful working conditions, and to follow operating practices that will safeguard all employees and result in safe working conditions. The Company complies with all safety laws and ordinances, and will make every attempt to reduce the possibility of accidents. 8

11 Any employee injured while on the job must report the injury to their supervisor within 24 hours of its occurrence. Failure to report such an injury within 24 hours may jeopardize benefits the employee could have been eligible to receive. First Aid The company does not provide first aid supplies. In the event of a serious injury, first call then contact an internal First Aid Responder, if appropriate. Location specific First Aid Responder information can be found on the company s intranet. Edina Office: Two portable oxygen units and an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) unit are located in the coat closet across from the Vendor Conference Room. Seattle Office: An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is located on the wall inside the break-room. Umialik Office: An Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is located on the wall inside the break-room. Legacy Office: A first aid kit is located in the Human Resources office. Smoking The Company maintains smoke and tobacco free facilities. Indoor smoking, including e-cigarettes, or use of other tobacco products is prohibited at all locations in compliance with all state and city smoking ordinances. Weather Emergency Edina: If a decision to close the Edina office is made, a message will be put on our Employee Emergency Information Number (952) In addition, the message on our public phone numbers (952) and (800) will be changed to say the office is closed because of inclement weather. All other offices will be notified as well. Seattle & Umialik: If a decision is made to not open either the Seattle or Umialik office, team leaders will notify their employees of the closing through the ONE CALL NOW SYSTEM. A second option would be to contact teams based on contact list and / or call tree. In addition, the message on the main line will be remotely changed to say that the office is closed due to inclement weather. Calls may also be forwarded to Edina depending on the severity of the weather. If either the Seattle or Umialik office is closed early due to bad weather, employees will be instructed to: forward their phones and change their outgoing message to say that the office has been closed due to inclement weather, or take a Mitel phone and log on from home. The main line will be changed as well to say that the office is closed. A note will be left on the office door saying why the office is closed along with a contact number. 9