Robinson Services – It's our business to support yours
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EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
(Republic of Ireland)
HANDBOOK CONTENTS
Welcome Statement 5
Starter Pack Content 6
Our Main Offices 7
Online Employee Resources 7
Section 1: Our Culture 8
Company Code of Practice & Culture 8
Our Company Goals 8
Our People 8
Our Service Commitment 9
Our Core Principles 9
Equal Opportunities & Ethical Trading 11
Section 2: A Guide to Your General Terms and Conditions 14
Working Hours 14
Breaks 15
Timesheets/Scanning 15
Timekeeping 15
Probation 16
Pay & Personal Details 16
Deductions 16
Right to Work Documentation 17
Mobility 17
Notice Periods 17
Holidays 18
Annual Leave Entitlement 18
Payment in Lieu of Holidays 18
Customary Statutory & Public Holidays 19
Booking Holidays/Planning Leave 19
Other Absences 20
Authorised Absence 20
Absence Notification 20
Unauthorised Absence 21
Sickness Absence 21
Long Term Illness 23
Monitoring Attendance & Abuse of Sickness Absence 24
Bereavement 25
Maternity, Adoption & Paternity Leave 25
Corporate Ethics 34
Declaring Conflicts of Interest 34
Corporate Gifts & Hospitality 35
Confidentiality 36
Data Protection 37
Changes to Personal Details 39
Section 3: Environmental Awareness; Health; Safety & Compliance in Our Workplace 40
Health & Safety Responsibilities 40
Environmental Awareness 40
Emergency Procedures 40
Smoking 40
Protective Clothing 41
Risk Assessments 41
Company Equipment 41
Reporting Accidents 42
Head Office Visitors 42
Section 4: Company Benefits 43
Learning & Development 43
Induction 43
Performance Reviews 43
Training Requests 44
Company Pension 44
Company Vehicles 44
Section 5: General Company Rules 47
Uniform 47
Appearance & Hygiene 48
Attendance & Timekeeping 48
Workplace Events 48
Premises Security 49
Security ID Passes 49
Right to Stop & Search 49
Corporate Travel 49
Personal Relationships 50
Personal Property 51
Customer & Company Property 51
Company Phones & Personal Use of Phones 51
Use of I.T. and Social Media 52
Use of Email 52
Use of the Internet 53
Social Media 54
I.T. Monitoring 54
CCTV 55
Alcohol, Drug and Substance Abuse 55
Employee Counselling 56
Grievance Procedure 56
What to Do: Informally 56
What to Do: Formally 56
Discrimination, Harassment, Bullying & Victimisation 57
What to Do: Informally 57
What to Do: Formally 58
Redundancy 59
Capability 59
Conduct 60
Formal Disciplinary Stages 60
Disciplinary Procedure 61
Misconduct 61
Major Misconduct 62
Gross Misconduct 63
Summary Dismissal 64
Appeal Process 64
Leaving Robinson Services 65
References 65
Outstanding Payments 66
WELCOME TO OUR TEAM!
Congratulations on your new role - we are delighted that you have chosen to join the Robinson Services team. If you have transferred to us from another employer, we are just as delighted to have you on board.
We understand that joining a new employer can be daunting. Our aim is to provide you with the support you need to make this a smooth transition and to ensure that you develop as an effective and valued member of our team.
This Handbook should contain answers to most of the questions you may have regarding your employment with us – however please don’t hesitate to raise any questions or concerns you have during your induction period, or afterwards, with your Supervisor/Line Manager at any time.
We hope that you will enjoy your time with us and look forward to working with you.
DAVID ROBINSON
Managing Director
Starter Pack Content
This Company Handbook is non-contractual, however all Robinson Services employees are expected to be aware of and abide by its contents during their employment.
All New Company Employees will receive:
- A Welcome Letter/Contract with your full Terms & Conditions of Employment
- 1 copy should be signed and kept by you;
- 1 copy should be signed and returned to the HR Department
N.B. If you have transferred to us from a previous employer under TUPE regulations, please note that your main terms and conditions of employment will remain unaffected, unless any changes have been agreed with you during consultation.
- Starter Form
- To be completed and returned to the HR Department – please complete this carefully as without the correct details we may be unable to pay you
- Medical Questionnaire Form
- To be completed and signed and returned to the HR Department confidentially
- Induction Form
- To be completed and signed; 1 copy to be returned to the HR Department
Regarding your Welcome Letter/Contract, please note that:
- FOR EMPLOYEES BASED IN REPUBLIC OF IRELAND - The terms and conditions of your employment shall in all respects be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Republic of Ireland and each of the parties hereto submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts in Republic of Ireland
OVERRIDING LEGISLATION
The terms and conditions of your employment are subject to any relevant overriding legislation.
Our Main Offices
Please find our main office addresses below should you need to use them:
Robinson Services Ireland Ltd – Regional Office Address:
Block 1, Blanchardstown Corporate Park,
15 Ballycoolin Rd,
Blanchardstown,
Dublin
Telephone Number: 00353 – 1 – 588 6883
Robinson Services Limited – Cleaning & Security/Head Office Address:
Sarah Jane Robinson House
Rathenraw Industrial Estate
Greystone Road
Antrim
BT41 2SJ
Telephone Number: 028 9442 9717
Fax Number: 028 9446 3336
Robinson Services Ltd - Laundry & Hygiene Division Address:
The James Robinson Building
Rathenraw Industrial Estate
Greystone Road
Antrim
BT41 2SJ
Telephone Number: 028 9442 9717
Fax Number: 028 9446 3336
Online Employee Resources
You can view or download any of the following full Company Policies at this webpage:
- Employee Handbook (Republic of Ireland)
- Absence Policy
- Annual Leave Policy
- Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying Policy
- Company Vehicle Policy
- Corporate Social Responsibility Policy
- Disciplinary Policy
- Environmental Policy
- Equal Opportunities Policy
- Health & Safety Policy
- Grievance Policy
- Company Maternity/Adoptive Pack
- Training Policy
- IT & Electronic Communications Policy
SECTION 1: OUR CULTURE
Company Code of Practice & Culture
Our Code of Practice has been designed to cover all employees and managers across all levels and divisions of the Company. It consists of:
- Our Company Goals
- Our People
- Our Service Commitment
- Our Core Principles
- Equal Opportunities and Ethical Trading
Its purpose is to inform employees and customers of standards we uphold and the values we believe in.
Our values are shared with all new employees and everyone is expected to act as ambassadors for the Company at all times. Upholding and maintaining these values has directly contributed to the success of the business to date and continues to raise the Company profile as a professional, structured and focused Company that can and will provide an excellent service to our customers.
Our Company Goals
➢ to be recognised as a leading provider of support services across the UK and Ireland, achieving sustainable growth, improved profitability and the highest standards of customer service.
➢ to provide a high quality service to our customers, which is tailored to their needs and provides a cost effective, value focused and professional solution.
➢ to maintain our high service levels through motivated, appropriately trained employees who are enthusiastic about their role. We continue to achieve this through effective management control with a strong focus on performance.
Our People
The Robinson Services group of businesses has steadily grown as a result of excellent service delivery by our people and innovation - we rely solely on our people to deliver high standards of service. It is therefore paramount for us to select, recruit, skill and retain the best employees and we are absolutely committed to respect and integrity in every aspect of our relationship with our employees.
Our Company is committed to making relevant training and development available to employees at all levels, ensuring that all employees are equipped with the knowledge and skills to be competent, comfortable and motivated in their role. It is within the culture of the Company to encourage a positive learning environment for all employees.
As such, we are focused on employee performance; we aim to directly engage with employees and it is our aim to have the strongest management team possible, actively involved in the resolution of any issues.
The motivation of our people is important to us. We value every employee and the contribution that they make – in short, we strive to be the employer of choice.
Our Service Commitment
It is an organizational goal to deliver excellence in customer service. We believe that service also applies to how our employees treat each other, for example, in terms of the service one department or individual provides to another.
All employees are responsible for giving good service to customers, colleagues, suppliers and any other people with whom they have contact.
Our guiding principle is to provide a quality service to organisations seeking a professional, tailored, value for money contract, while meeting key business objectives. In practice, this means that we will strive to:
• Listen effectively to the customers, in order to understand their specific needs and facilitate shorter response times
• Display a positive image to our customers through high standards of personal grooming and a positive attitude
• Continuously improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of our service by actively seeking feedback
• Be innovative in our approach to problem solving and change implementation
• Maintain a strong focus on health and safety
We strongly believe that our employees are its best ambassadors. Consequently, the behaviour and personal standards of its employees are a reflection of the Company. It is vital therefore that all employees promote a positive, professional, appropriate and fair first impression to all those they come into contact with – some example actions are stated below.
Actions to reflect Our Service Commitment include:
✓ Ensure personal grooming and your uniform is clean, tidy and well maintained throughout the day.
✓ Ensure smoking and eating is done at appropriate break times, in designated areas (in line with policy) and never whilst conducting your duties.
✓ Greet customers and members of the public with courtesy and acknowledge them where possible. Smiling, friendly nods of the head, greeting comments are all good practice. Remember that the majority of people reflect the same attitude back to you that you show to them.
✓ Maintain your work place with pride and this will motivate your fellow work mates as well as reflecting a good impression of the Company.
✓ Carry yourself with pride and display enthusiasm in your work
✓ Treat your work colleagues politely as the Company recognises that everyone should be treated with dignity at work.
✓ Be sincere in maintaining a pleasant atmosphere for yourself, colleagues, customers and members of the public to work and conduct their business in.
✓ Ensure that communication between colleagues and customers is appropriate (not only because you may be overheard), timely, accurate and accessible.
Our Core Values
PASSION FOR WHAT WE DO
VALUING & RESPECTING OUR PEOPLE
INTEGRITY
STRIVE TO BE RIGHT FIRST TIME, EVERYTIME
INNOVATIVE
WE ARE ONE TEAM
Equal Opportunities & Ethical Trading
We believe that all our employees are entitled to come to work in a neutral environment where individuals are valued and are treated with dignity and respect. This is best achieved by considering the impact of our actions, attitude and comments on others. As a Company, we have a number of procedures and policies which support this belief and we would highlight that all employees have a duty to support the Company in ensuring that these are effective.
Robinson Services is committed to the maintenance of a good and harmonious working environment in which no worker feels under threat or intimidated because of his / her race, colour, ethnic origin, nationality, national origin, religious belief or political opinion, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age, marital or civil partnership status or disability.
We operate an Ethical Trading Policy, which means that our business is committed to ensuring key objectives are met under several themes:
1. Working conditions
• All aspects of the working and environment are maintained in safe and hygienic conditions
• All workers receive regular and recorded health and safety training
• Facilities are provided to ensure the health and welfare of all employees
2. Discrimination
• Robinson Services operate and maintain an Equal Opportunities Policy
3. Inhumane Treatment
• Robinson Services operate and maintain written Disciplinary, Grievance and Bullying/Harassment policies and procedures
4. Employment Choice
• Robinson Services do not tolerate forced, bonded or prison labour
• Workers are not required to lodge "deposits" or their identity papers and are free to leave after reasonable / contracted notice
5. Child Labour
• Robinson Services do not tolerate recruitment of child labour
• Young persons (under 16 years) are not employed at night or in hazardous conditions
6. Wages
• Wages and benefits are paid for a standard working week and meet the national legal standard at least
• All employees are provided with written and understandable information about their wages before employment and each time they are paid
• Deductions from wages and working hours are always actioned in compliance with relevant legislation and agreements
To help us achieve a neutral environment, any display of flags, tattoos, emblems, posters, graffiti or the circulation of materials or the articulation of slogans and songs which are considered likely to cause genuine offence or apprehension among any particular group of employees are prohibited. The wearing of football shirts is also prohibited.
Although we have no political or religious bias, we are not prepared to allow any political or religious activities on our premises.
Please do not bring onto any site any reading matter or printed material (including calendars) which may be considered offensive by others, as these may be removed.
Please also seek approval from senior management before carrying out the following:
a) Distributing subscription lists or literature of any description with the
purpose of selling items, and also selling lottery / raffle tickets
b) Posting any notices on company premises
c) Holding meetings
d) Making collections of money, for colleagues or otherwise
SECTION 2: A GUIDE TO YOUR GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS
On your appointment, you will be issued with a Welcome Letter or Contract stating your full Terms & Conditions of Employment. Please read these carefully as they represent your contractual agreement with Robinson Services.
From time to time, these may be subject to change – the Company reserves the right to make reasonable changes, which will be notified to you in advance in writing, and in any event within one month of the change. Written notification may be made electronically. If you have any questions, please speak to your line manager or to the HR department.
Working Hours
Please refer to your terms and conditions/contract, which will state your contracted working hours and designated shifts if applicable. It is important that you ensure that you fulfill your contracted hours by working for the full duration of any shifts designated to you.
Employees must be aware that, on occasion, you may be required to work additional hours at your normal place of work or other locations to cover absenteeism and holidays or as an integral part of the efficient operation of the business. It is a condition of your employment that you may be required to work a reasonable amount of additional hours when requested by your line manager or supervisor to do so.
Your wellbeing is our priority, so if you work for another employer, please ensure that you speak to your line manager who will assess the total number of hours you are working and ensure that these are not detrimental to your health.
Due to operational needs it may also be necessary from time to time to make adjustments to shift patterns, such as requesting employees to move to nightshift from dayshift and vice versa. In these cases employees will be informed at the earliest opportunity, but will be expected to have the flexibility the business requires wherever possible.
Similarly, employees may find that changes in personal circumstances mean that they would like to request a change in shift pattern or working hours. Employees are entitled to put forward such a request with their reasons to their line manager for consideration, however requests for one off shift swaps/changes must be submitted in writing to your Supervisor/Line Manager at least seven days prior to the start of the relevant shift and must be authorised in advance. The Company is under no obligation to approve any request for a shift change.
Please also note that employees may not work in competition with our Company or carry out work on their own account during Company time or from our vehicles; on our sites or on client sites – this includes personal trading, i.e. buying or selling products. These actions may be deemed to be a gross misconduct offence as Company time must not be used for private pursuits.
Working Time Policy
In accordance with the working time legislation the Company is committed to the welfare of its employees with regard to their time. All employees, whether full-time, part-time or fixed term are covered by the legislation. Working practices will be managed locally.
Daily Break Period - All employees must take a break of at least 15 minutes if working more than four and a half hours or a break of at least 30 minutes if working more than six hours. (This may be inclusive of the initial 15 minute break).
Breaks are unpaid and are to be taken when specified by Management, however, from time to time employees may be required to be flexible when required by the Company in respect of whether breaks can be taken and the timing of breaks.
Daily Rest Period - Employees affected by this legislation must take a rest period of 11
consecutive hours in each 24 hour period.
Weekly Rest Periods - All employees must take a rest period of at least 24 consecutive
hours in each period of seven days.
Timesheets/Scanning
Depending upon their site for work, employees may be asked to complete timesheets or use electronic systems which will record their hours of work for accurate pay.
Please do not:
- complete timesheets inaccurately
- sign or complete timesheets for any other employee
- attempt to scan/clock hours on behalf of another employee
as this may be treated as gross misconduct.
Timekeeping
Your role is important within our Company, therefore it is a condition of your employment that you observe good timekeeping.
Should an employee be late for work, or late returning from agreed breaks, on three or more occasions in a rolling 26 week period, the reasons for the lateness will be discussed with the employee. If the reason or reasons given is/are deemed to be preventable, the Disciplinary procedure may be invoked and the employee’s timekeeping will be reviewed regularly.
If improvement is not forthcoming, the Disciplinary procedure will proceed with outcomes according to the ratio of occasions of lateness.
Probation
Any new appointment within the Company will be subject to a probationary period of twelve months. During this time you will be continuously assessed as to your performance, attendance and overall suitability for the post.
If at any time during your probationary period it becomes clear that your performance or attendance is an issue, or that you are not suited to the post, your employment may be terminated following a probation hearing.
Pay & Personal Details
Your rate of pay will be confirmed within the Welcome Letter/Contract issued to you on your appointment. Thereafter, your rate of pay will be confirmed on your payslip and any further changes will be discussed and confirmed with you.
The pay week ends on Sunday and you will be paid four weekly (in arrears). You will receive your pay directly into the bank account nominated by you on your starter form. On appointment, you will be asked to supply a P45 form from your last employer and to complete a starter form to provide:
• your account number, sort code and branch address;
• Personal Public Service Number;
• Address;
• Next of Kin contacts, etc
This must be returned to the HR department as soon as possible.
It is a condition of your employment that you notify your line manager and the HR department of any changes that occur to your personal details at the earliest opportunity; such as changes to address; next of kin; marital status; etc. This will enable us to keep our Company records fully up to date. This information is shared with our company pension provider and with other legislative bodies and government departments, such as the Revenue Commissioners for payroll purposes.
A pay advice slip relevant to the pay period for which your wages are due will be generated. This may be issued to you in paper copy or the Payroll department may provide you with details of how to access your payslips online. Details of how to access your payslips online will be issued via email to the personal email address provided by you on completion of your Starter Form. It is the employee’s responsibility to notify the Payroll department, prior to their first wage payment, should they wish payslip access details to be communicated to them via alternative means.
Deductions
The Company reserves the right at any time to offset and deduct from any remuneration or other sums due to you any monies due or owing by you to the Company including, without limit, any overpayments of remuneration, loans or advances made to you by the Company and/or any member of Robinson Services.
Right to Work Documentation
All workers must supply original documentation proving that they have a right to work in the Republic of Ireland before they commence employment with Robinson Services. All workers are expected to provide a Personal Public Service Number before being registered on our payroll system.
Irish Nationals -A current Irish passport or national identity card is the preferred method, although workers who do not hold a passport may provide a long birth certificate with an official government letter or payslip, showing their PPS number.
UK nationals - A current UK or Irish passport or national identity card is the preferred method, although workers who do not hold a passport may provide a long birth certificate with an official government letter, such as tax credits award/payslip, showing their NI number.
Other EU, EEA or Swiss nationals - A current EU, EEA or Swiss passport or national identity card, with no restriction on the type of work being offered. (N.B. – Croatian workers are required to provide a worker authorisation document, also called a ‘purple registration certificate’).
Workers from Other Countries – A current passport, with a valid employment permit
Driving licenses cannot be accepted as proof of right to work, although they are a valid proof of identity.
Mobility
Our business is such that we have a number of office bases and are dealing with many different sites across Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Scotland and other parts of GB. The Company therefore reserves the right to appoint you to work in other areas, departments or sites as it requires.
Notice Periods
Please note that while the guidance below applies to the majority of our employees, you should refer to your individual terms and conditions – these will specify if additional contractual notice periods apply to you and, if so, what notice you must give to the Company.
Notice of Resignation
If you choose to resign from the Company, you will be expected to work a notice period, to commence from the date that we receive your written resignation, which should be addressed in writing to the HR department.
During your probation period, you should provide at least 7 days’ prior notice. Thereafter, the notice that you should give the Company will accrue in line with statutory notice periods.
The Company will endeavour to provide you with your notice period, however, we reserve the right to pay you one week’s salary in lieu of notice in circumstance where it is considered appropriate to do so.
Failure to give full notice could result in the company seeking to recoup any resulting genuine financial loss incurred from your final wage.
Notice of Termination of your Employment
If the Company must terminate your employment for any reason other than summary dismissal as a result of proven gross misconduct, you will be entitled to statutory notice of your termination, to be communicated in writing either via personal service or to the current address held in your records.
Holidays
The Company has a full Annual Leave Policy in place. A summary of the policy is outlined below – a full copy of the Policy is available online or can be requested from your line manager.
Annual Leave Entitlement
The holiday year commences on 1st July and ends on 30 June each year. A full holiday week is the same as your minimum contracted hours. Your holiday entitlement will be calculated pro rata based upon a maximum of 20 days’ leave per year, unless otherwise stated in your Welcome Letter or Contract, and will be also calculated pro rata should you join or leave the Company during a holiday year. Holiday entitlements may be reviewed from time to time in line with legislation.
For part time workers, annual leave will be calculated pro rata per above. For casual or irregular shift patterns annual leave is accrued at 8% of core hours worked. The Company reserves the right to pay only for leave accrued.
Your leave entitlement is exclusive of any statutory/public holidays. You may be required to work on statutory holidays, depending on your site of work’s requirements. Similarly, if your work location closes on specific dates these will form part of your annual leave entitlement and you will be paid accordingly.
Employees will not normally be permitted to carry over holidays to the next leave year.
Please note that there will be no payment made for any annual leave not taken unless you leave your job.
Payment in Lieu of Holidays
If you leave the Company, you may be due a payment in lieu of outstanding holiday. The Company will deduct any pay received for holidays taken in excess of your entitlement. The Company will not make payment in lieu of holiday entitlement while an individual remains in employment, other than where required by law.
Customary Statutory & Public Holidays
Please note that specific public holidays recognised may vary depending upon the region that the employee’s base of work is in.
Robinson Services Ireland Ltd recognise the following statutory or public holidays in the Republic of Ireland:
New Year’s Day First Monday in June
St Patrick’s Day First Monday in August
Easter Monday Last Monday in October
First Monday in May Christmas Day
St Stephen’s Day
The Offices may close for normal business over these dates, although operational cover may be needed to ensure that customer orders and requirements are met. Depending on site allocation and business needs, it may be a requirement for an employee to work one or more public holidays. It is important to discuss and confirm, on commencement of employment, the specific needs of the site you work at with your line manager.
Booking Holidays/Planning Leave
In your first year of employment, you are required to accrue annual leave entitlement prior to authorisation of leave requests.
Request all planned annual leave as soon as you can by completing a Holiday Request Form and passing this to your line manager for authorisation. These forms are available on request from your line manager. It’s important that you do not make any holiday bookings such as flights or accommodation until you receive written approval from your line manager.
The following notice periods must be observed when planning or making annual leave requests:
- Leave of 1+ weeks – 1 months’ notice required
- Leave of 1+ days (but less than 1 week) – 1 weeks’ notice required
Requests made outside these timescales may be approved or refused at the discretion of your line manager and in line with business needs.
Annual Leave will be approved on a first come first serve basis, however it may be necessary to restrict holidays at certain times of the year to make sure that our business continues to run efficiently – so, for example, if a number of employees request the same period of annual leave during a busy time, then annual leave will be granted in as fair a manner as possible, including using rotation for special holiday times.
This section provides you with a summary of the Company’s process for requesting holidays, however you are required to read the full Annual Leave Policy which states all rules applied by the Company in relation to Holiday Requests.
Other Absences
The Company has an Absence Policy and Procedure in place. A summary of the policy is outlined below - a full copy of the Policy can be viewed online or requested from your line manager.
Authorised Absence
We understand that employees may sometimes need time off work, however any absences must be notified and authorised in writing by your line manager as far in advance of the absence as possible to facilitate planning for cover. Your absence must always be authorised in advance.
Types of authorised absence may include:
• Bereavement Leave
• Force Majeure Leave
• Jury Service
• Maternity/Adoptive Leave
• Paternity Leave
• Parental Leave
• Carers Leave
• Suspension – only used in conjunction with HR procedures
• Hospital/Medical Appointments
These absences will not be normally be paid, subject to current statutory rules and requirements.
Absence Notification
As a general rule, you must always give your line manager appropriate notice of your absence as far in advance as possible.
If it is not possible to give advance notice of your absence, for example due to genuine emergency or sudden illness, you should contact your line manager by telephone as early as possible and at least 3 hours prior to your shift starting or before 10:00am on the first day of absence. You must speak to your immediate manager, rather than texting or leaving a message with a colleague or reception, explaining the reasons for your absence and when you think you will be able to return to work. If necessary, leave a message on their voicemail or leave a telephone number where the manager can call you back.
NB: You must notify your line manager or supervisor. It is important to note that a text message or message via another individual is not acceptable, direct contact must be made with your manager/supervisor.
If your line manager is not notified in line with this procedure, you may be subject to disciplinary procedure and your period absence may be recorded as Unauthorised Absence.
Unauthorised Absence
Employees are not entitled to be absent from the site or place of work during normal working hours (with the exception of breaks) without prior management approval. Any absence from work for which there is no satisfactory explanation will result in the disciplinary procedure being invoked, therefore please ensure that your manager is aware in advance of any instances where you will be absent during working hours (please see section entitled ‘Authorised Absence’ for further information).
If an employee neglects to contact their manager to report absence from work then the Company will try to contact them by phone and by letter to explain that their absence is unauthorised and requesting that they make contact with their line manager by a specific date and time.
If an employee still fails to make contact, disciplinary action will be taken which may result in dismissal.
Sickness Absence
If you are absent from work due to illness or any other emergency reason, you should follow the absence notification procedure as outlined above.
Please ensure that your immediate manager is advised regarding:
a. When you became ill
b. The nature of your illness
c. Whether your illness is due to an accident or injury at work
d. Whether you will seek medical attention
e. Your likely date of return to work
Where your role involves daily contact with clients or direct reports, the Company may make contact with you to ask that you return any Company equipment that you hold during any periods of sickness absence. This is purely for operational reasons and will allow the Company to fulfil both its duty of care to you whilst you are ill and to ensure that our clients and your direct reports receive a continuity of service.
Please continue to keep your line manager updated weekly throughout your period of absence regarding your progress and likely return to work.
When an employee is ready to return to work they are required to contact their manager at least 18 hours (or within the timescale notified to them by their line manager in line with individual site rules) before they return to work to advise that they will be returning. This procedure should be followed to ensure that the site is not over-staffed; if the shift is already covered and the procedure is not followed then the manager may send the employee home without pay.
If the employee has been absent for 3 or more days and their current medical certificate has not expired, they must bring with them or submit in advance their medical cert signed by their Doctor confirming that they are fit to return to work, if they do not have this document they will not be permitted to return.
Sickness Certification
Certification is required if an employee is off work due to illness as follows:
|Calendar Days |Form of Certification |
|1 to 2 days |N/A |
|3rd day and onwards |Medical Cert required from the GP |
|Returning to work |Amended Medical Cert from the GP unless the current Medical Cert |
| |has expired |
If an employee reports sick for work and forwards a medical certificate and is still off but their medical certificate has expired then they will be contacted by the Company to request that a new certificate be forwarded. If the employee fails to do this, their continuing absence will be deemed as unauthorised.
On occasion, employees may be asked to attend an independent medical examination at the cost of the Company. If the employee fails or refuses to submit to an independent medical examination the Company shall invoke the disciplinary procedure
Please note that your conditions of employment require you to attend regularly and to meet your specified working hours. If this is not possible due to illness, you may not be fulfilling the terms of your contract. For this reason, covering your absence using medical certificates does not render you immune from action as everyone is subject to the same contractual obligations.
The Company may also take action against any employee who has reported to their manager as sick, or who is off sick covered by medical certificates and who is found to be working in similar roles at alternative sites or in alternative employment during their absence.
Payments during Sick Leave
Employees are entitled to State Benefit during absence as a result of sickness or injury, provided you meet the criteria laid down in government regulations. Any contractual sickness/injury payments are shown in your individual Statement of Main
Terms of Employment. Any payments made to you whilst on sick leave will be
based exclusively on your basic rate of pay.
Any days of contractual sickness/injury pay which qualify for state benefit will be offset
against the state benefit received in respect of your absence on a day to day basis. Where contractual sickness/injury pay is provided you may be required to forward confirmation from Social Welfare the amount you are entitled to. You should have this paid directly to you and then this amount will then be topped up by us.
If you are entitled to any payments in excess of state benefit and your entitlement expires, full or part payment may be allowed at our discretion where it is considered that there are special circumstances warranting it.
Where the circumstances of your incapacity are such that you receive or are awarded any sum by way of compensation or damages in respect of the incapacity from a third party, then any payments which we may have made to you because of the absence shall be repaid by you to us up to an amount not exceeding the amount of the compensation or damages paid by the third party.
The company offer a sick pay scheme that employees must contribute towards. Further details are available from the HR Department
Failure to abide by the rules of the contractual sickness/injury scheme/sick pay scheme will disqualify you from participation. This can include not forwarding doctor’s medical certificates, failure to provide information from Social Welfare, etc.
Any payments made as part of the Company’s contractual sick pay scheme will be paid on a pro rata basis for part time employees or those working on a reduced working week.
Long Term Illness
If you have or develop a health problem which prevents you from carrying out any part of your job, discuss it with your line manager. In these circumstances there may be an opportunity for the Company to consider any reasonable adjustments which may allow you to continue to attend work.
Your ongoing co-operation is vital in these situations and you will be required to attend a consultation with an independent medical professional. This may be additional to any information received from your personal GP. The HR department will receive written workplace recommendations from the independent examiner - you will also be given the right to see this report by the independent examiner.
In circumstances where your health difficulties/absence continue in the long term, and affect your capability to do your job all reasonable steps will be taken to determine an accurate medical position and consider possible reasonable adjustments in light of risk assessments. Consultation will take place with you and, where possible, alternative employment within the Company investigated. However if this is not possible, then employment may be terminated as you will no longer be able to continue to perform the job that you were employed to do. In any event, in instances of long term absence of eight weeks or more, Robinson Services cannot guarantee that you will return to your existing role and in instances of four months or more, the Company cannot guarantee that your employment will not be terminated in line with existing procedures.
Monitoring Attendance
We require all employees to attend work consistently, and regularly monitor attendance levels. Action may be taken, including, ultimately, dismissal, against any employee whose level of attendance is unacceptable. In addition action may be taken in the following circumstances:
• Someone fails to follow Company Absence procedures
• Absence is not for a valid reason
• Absence is short term but persistent (i.e. 2 periods of absence in a rolling 6-month period)
• Illness/injury is self-inflicted – e.g. drug or alcohol abuse (where you have not informed the Company in advance of the same and/or you have refused or failed to engage with treatment treatment), diagnosed illness (not following medical advice), frequent injury through dangerous or contact sports
Abuse of Sickness Absence
If the Company believes that an employee is abusing the sick absence regulations the disciplinary rules shall be brought into operation and prompt action taken as follows:
a. If the Company deems it necessary, an employee who is on sick leave may be asked to submit to an independent medical examination at the expense of the Company. If in the opinion of the doctor the employee is fit for work, the following procedure shall be invoked:
• The employee shall be informed of the independent medical
opinion;
• The employee shall be asked to return to work.
b. If the employee fails or refuses to return to work, or submits a further Medical Certificate the normal disciplinary procedures shall be invoked.
c. If absence continues beyond what in the Company’s opinion is reasonable the normal disciplinary procedures shall be invoked.
Bereavement Leave
It is recognized that employees may need leave of absence due to the death of a spouse, common law partner, child, brother, sister, parent or legal guardian. The Company will support any employee who is experiencing such loss.
In these circumstances an employee will receive up to a maximum of 3 working days unpaid bereavement leave; however we do ask that your line manager is notified of the loss as soon as practicable to ensure that your leave is authorised (which will not be unreasonably withheld).
An employee will receive 1 discretionary day of unpaid bereavement leave due to the death of an extended family member, e.g.: aunt, uncle, cousin, grandmother.
As the circumstances vary in each case, the management will deal with bereavement situations using these guidelines on an individual basis and will use discretion where deemed necessary.
In the event of a death in the family, please contact your line manager as soon as practical on the first day of absence. We would also ask that employees do not hesitate to discuss special requirements that may arise from these various events – your manager will attempt as far as possible to help while balancing the prevailing conditions of the business.
It is important to note that the purpose of this leave is to facilitate the arrangements which will need to be made at a time of bereavement, and not as is sometimes assumed for the purpose of mourning.
Maternity/Adoptive Leave
If you become pregnant or are adopting a child you should notify your Area Manager/Site Supervisor at an early stage so that the statutory maternity and adoptive leave provisions can be explained to you.
Paternity Leave
Employees may be entitled to unpaid Paternity Leave. If you wish to take unpaid paternity leave, you should notify your Area Manager/Site Supervisor so that any entitlement can be explained to you.
Parental Leave
Employees may be entitled to unpaid parental leave, depending on the age of their child(ren) and length of service. If you wish to take unpaid parental leave, you should notify your Area Manager/Site Supervisor so that any entitlement can be explained to you.
Force Majeure Leave
If you need to take time off work for urgent, emergency or unforeseen family reasons, you may be entitled to a limited amount of paid leave in accordance with the current statutory provisions. The statutory entitlement to ‘force majeure’ leave may arise where your immediate presence with a near relative (your child, spouse or partner, sibling, parent or grandparent) is required as a result of his/her injury or illness in unforeseen circumstances. It is your responsibility to apply for this leave as soon as possible following your return to work. Further details are available from your Area Manager/Site Supervisor.
Carers Leave
You may be entitled to carer’s leave, depending on whether you meet certain Social
Welfare criteria and your length of service with us. If you wish to take carer’s leave, you
should notify your Area Manager/Site Supervisor so that any entitlement can be explained to you.
Jury Service
If you are summoned to Jury Duty you must inform your Area Manager/Site Supervisor as soon as possible and produce the jury summons. If you are summoned for Jury Duty on a scheduled working day you should provide evidence of attendance at Court to your Area Manager/Site Supervisor. Where you are called for Jury Duty you will be entitled to time off with pay for the required length of time. If you do not have to attend court, you are expected to report to work each day.
Witness Duty
Where you are required to attend as a witness, no payment shall be made by the Company.
Time Off
Circumstances may arise where you need time off for medical/dental appointments, or for other reasons. Where possible, such appointments should be made outside normal working hours. If this is not possible, time off required for these purposes may be granted at the discretion of your Area Manager and will normally be without pay.
Corporate Ethics
It is the Company’s policy to conduct its business in an honest way and without the use of corrupt practices or acts of bribery to gain any commercial, contractual, regulatory or personal advantage.
It is the Company’s expectation that all employees behave with integrity in all dealings which related to the Company. This means that your actions should be able to withstand scrutiny and not cause embarrassment to you, the Company or any third party, including suppliers.
Employees should not get involved in any business transactions which result in personal benefit; nor use their position as a Robinson Services employee to negotiate personal business unless expressly authorised by the Managing Director.
Declaring Conflicts of Interest
A conflict of interest exists where there is a divergence between the individual interests of a person and their responsibility to their employer, in that an independent observer might reasonably question whether the actions or decisions of that person are influenced by their own interests.
This means that employees should not allow any other interest to conflict with their responsibility to Robinson Services. It should also be noted that a conflict of interest depends on the situation and not on the character and actions of an individual. Often there will be a conflict between personal considerations and corporate interests. Perceptions and their impact upon relationships are important, whether or not they have in fact affected the decision or action.
Types of interest which might give rise to a situation of conflict include:
• a direct or indirect financial interest in a decision
• a non-pecuniary interest, such as a family relationship or personal/emotional relationship/antagonism
• another relationship or affiliation, such as with another employer or association.
While a conflict of interest may arise in any situation, some examples might include:
• employment issues, including confirmation of appointments, performance reviews and staff developments
• the allocation of contracts which were not part of an open and independent process
• nominees/representatives of Robinson Services on other committees
• holding a directorship of a company, partnership or association
• participating in outside earning activities
• utilising information gleaned from participation in Company activities in financial or personal ways.
During your employment you will undertake not to engage in any activity which is likely to prejudice your ability to serve the Company nor will you engage in any business activity which may cause a conflict of interest with the business of Robinson Services. You are further required not to carry out any acts which might prejudice or injure Robinson Services.
Corporate Gifts & Hospitality
The Company applies a zero tolerance approach to acts of bribery and corruption by its employees, workers and/or any other business partner performing work on its behalf.
Employees are required to adhere to the following company guidelines in respect of corporate gifts and hospitality:-
• Robinson Services employees are expected to refuse any personal gifts where possible, excepting those of a low value or provided to a number of employees – e.g. diaries; confectionery.
• Refuse any entertainment unless it is of an acceptable value and the supplier is also present.
• Any gifts made on behalf of Robinson Services must be of reasonable value and made to a supplier/client by way of thanks. However, such gifts must not be solicited and must be approved by the Managing Director.
• In no circumstances should Robinson Services employees solicit gifts from suppliers/clients.
If these guidelines are ignored, disciplinary action may be taken which may include dismissal. Employees are further reminded that bribery and corruption are a criminal offence, punishable for individuals by up to 10 years imprisonment. Should the Company be found to have had any part in any such bribery or corruption, it could also face criminal proceedings, an unlimited fine and damage to the Company reputation.
Should you have any doubt or concern at all regarding the above, please speak to your line manager or another senior manager in the first instance.
Confidentiality
Confidential information is defined as ‘that which you know to be confidential and not in the public domain, concerning the business or affairs of the Company or any of our customers, suppliers or business contacts.’
Such information, or any other matters which may come to your attention in the course of your employment, should not be given in any form, either during or after your employment with the Company, to unauthorised employees or any other outside sources. Nor should anyone knowingly allow confidential information to be used or divulged, other than in the interests of the Company or our supplier/contractors.
Some specific employee Contracts may include more detailed confidentiality clauses regarding responsibilities and duty of care.
This restriction also applies after the termination of employment, without time limit, but will cease to apply to information which may come into the public domain.
This restriction does not apply to:
a) prevent you from making a protected disclosure under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014
b) use or disclosure that has been authorised by the Company, is required by law or by your employment.
Protected disclosure legislation protects employees from dismissal or other disciplinary action when they report wrong-doing by their employers. It aims to promote greater openness between employers and employees in the workplace. We strongly believe that those who report wrong-doing should not be victimized.
Examples of wrong-doing include:
• a criminal act
• failure to comply with a legal obligation
• a miscarriage of justice
• health & safety breaches
• damage to the environment
• concealment of any of the above.
What to do
Where you wish to make a disclosure concerning one or more of these examples of wrong-doing, you can:
• discuss the concern with your line manager. They have a responsibility to listen and respond to any matter that is of concern to the employee
• if the issue is not satisfactorily resolved, you should contact a more senior manager
Data Protection
Data Protection legislation gives guidance as to how our Company should hold and process data relating to our employees. In accepting an offer of employment with us, you are consenting to Robinson Services processing any data relating to you for legal, personnel, administrative and management purposes and in particular the processing of any sensitive personal data relating to you.
Robinson Services is the Data Controller under the legislation, which means that it determines what purposes personal information is held and used for. It is also responsible for notifying the appropriate statutory authorities of the data it holds or is likely to hold, and the general purposes that this data will be used for. The Company recognizes the importance of respecting the privacy of all our employees and the need for the appropriate safeguards, in relation to the collection, storage and processing of personal data. Our full Company Data Protection and Privacy Policy is available to all on our Company website.
The Company needs to collect and process personal data about its employees for a wide variety of purposes. These include as appropriate, but are not limited to:
• The recruitment and payment of staff, monitoring of health and safety arrangements, attendance, performance management, promotion, training, career development, discipline and grievances and the review of human resources policies
• The purposes of calculating benefits, pensions, insurance, payroll, tax, pay related social insurance, and to ensure compliance with statutory obligations to government agencies and other bodies such as pension providers
• information about the employee’s physical or mental health or condition necessary to meet the employer’s duty of care, in order to monitor sick leave and take decisions in relation to their fitness to work
• The employee’s racial origin, ethnic origin, religious or similar information necessary to monitor compliance with equal opportunities legislation
• Information relating to any criminal proceedings in which the employee has been involved for insurance purposes, and in order to comply with legal requirements/third party obligations
• For contacting next of kin in the event of an emergency
• Prevention of fraud
• Provision of basic references to assist potential future employers
The Company may make such information available to our clients, those who provide products or services to the Company such as advisers and payroll administrators, regulatory authorities, potential or future employers, governmental or quasi-governmental organisations and potential purchasers of the Company or the business in which the employee works.
As employees, we all have an expectation that the information held about us will be
dealt with properly and responsibly. As an employer Robinson Services has a responsibility and a duty of care to ensure that this happens.
It is your responsibility to protect confidential sensitive information when handling other peoples’ personal data, whether it is employee or customer related. This applies to information held on computer or in manual filing systems from which they are identifiable. Beware of anyone who seeks to obtain information to which they are not entitled. You must not hold data regarding people or the business unless you specifically require that information to fulfill your role and you have received approval by your manager to access and hold the same.
It is crucial that you are aware of and always follow the data protection principles:
Data must:-
1. Be processed fairly and lawfully and shall not be processed unless certain conditions are met
2. Be obtained only for specified and lawful purposes and shall not be processed in any manner incompatible with those processes
3. Be adequate, relevant and not excessive for those purposes
4. Be accurate and kept up to date
5. Not be kept for longer than is necessary for those purposes
6. Be processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights under the Act
7. Be kept safe from unauthorised access, accidental loss or destruction
Employees may regularly have access to, process and disclose personal data under the authority of the Company to do so. As part of their responsibilities, they must ensure that they follow these principles and guidelines at all times. The Company Data Protection and Privacy Policy statement seeks to ensure that this happens. In particular, employees must ensure that any personal data, particularly sensitive data which they hold, is kept securely and that personal information is not disclosed either orally or in writing or accidentally or otherwise to any unauthorised third party.
If you are unclear of the data protection principles, or have any query in relation to whether or not a piece of personal or business data should be accessed, processed or disclosed, you must discuss the matter and obtain authorisation from your line manager.
Compliance with Data Protection legislation is the responsibility of all members of the Company and in particular, the Company’s authorised data processors. The Company regards any unlawful breach of the legislation by any employee as a serious matter which will result in disciplinary action. Any employee who breaches this policy statement will be dealt with under the disciplinary procedure which may result in dismissal for gross misconduct. Any such breach could also lead to criminal prosecution.
Changes to Personal Details
The Company will maintain a personnel file for each of its employees, holding a full and current record of your employment with Robinson Services. This file will be treated as highly confidential and only authorised individuals will have access.
It is in your interest, and is a condition of your employment, that your personal details remain up to date, so if you do change e.g. your name, address, or marital status please inform the HR department at the earliest opportunity. Fraudulent claims relating to personal details will result in disciplinary action and may lead to dismissal.
A Change of Employee Details form is available online or on request from your line manager.
SECTION 3: ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS; HEALTH, SAFETY AND COMPLIANCE IN OUR WORKPLACE
Health & Safety Responsibilities
Robinson Services is proud to hold OHSAS 18001 accreditation for our health and safety systems. The Company has a responsibility under domestic and European legislation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees, customers and contractors on our premises.
However, you do have a responsibility to follow procedures and take reasonable care of your own health & safety and the health & safety of others who may be affected by your actions or omissions e.g. customers, visitors, and suppliers.
Managers have a responsibility to ensure that employees are aware of health & safety regulations and the requirement to report all accidents and dangerous occurrences to your line manager
There are a number of Health and Safety policies and information that you will need to be aware of – some of these are specific to the site that you work in. These will be discussed with you during your induction period.
All employees will be asked to complete a Medical Questionnaire before commencing employment.
Environmental Awareness
Our Company is proud to have achieved ISO 14001 through the efforts of all our employees. We would ask you to strive to reduce our environmental impacts via the reduction of waste and reducing use of energy wherever possible in your daily role.
Emergency Procedures
Finding out how to evacuate the building you work in in case of emergency, including fire, will form part of your Induction. You must follow these procedures. If you are a manager, you will have additional responsibilities for safe evacuation of employees.
Smoking
It is important to note that the term ‘Smoking’, referred to within this document and within our company policies/ procedures, refers to and includes; chewing tobacco, the use of any electronic devices such as e-cigarettes, vapes and any other devices that is used for similar purpose.
Smoking is a fire and health hazard. It is not permitted on any Company or site property/premises except at certain times of the day within your authorised break entitlement and in any designated site areas. Smoking is not permitted in any other areas.
Disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who breaks smoking regulations.
This may result in dismissal.
Night Work
If you work at night, ensure that the Company's property is safe from fire, burglary or any other emergency.
Do not smoke except in designated areas at authorised times.
For security reasons, do not leave the premises during your period of duty except in an emergency.
Protective Clothing
Under health & safety legislation, you must wear protective clothing when provided and follow instructions on how to use it.
Each site has different PPE requirements depending upon the risk assessment for that area. You will be provided with the appropriate PPE or uniform for your area at induction if applicable. Not all employees will be required to wear PPE or uniform during their normal working day – whether or not these are required will be dependent upon your job and area of work.
Risk Assessments
We undertake a continuous programme of risk assessment. Thanks to the conscientiousness of our employees, the Company accident record is excellent – however some hazards do exist and employees are reminded that they must take care to avoid risk to themselves. This is achieved by observing the following practices:
• Good housekeeping
• Walkways and fire exits should be left clear at all times
• Equipment and materials should be handled, used and stored so that they do not present a hazard
• Manual handling aids must be used in those areas that they have been provided.
Company Equipment
The Company will provide all employees with the equipment necessary to fulfil their role. We ask all employees to treat Company equipment of any kind with care and respect.
• Check it for damage and bring any damage you find to the attention of your appropriate manager before commencing work
• Comply with the normal maintenance procedures for that equipment
• Do not leave any item in a position where, if it fell, it would cause further damage or risk
• Do not deliberately make contact with moving machinery
Reporting Incidents
It is a condition of your employment that you agree to report any incident you have or witness on Company premises, or whilst on Company business, to your line manager as soon as practicably possible. The success of any claim for benefit may depend on whether you reported the accident promptly. Please ensure you report any customer accidents witnessed by you in the course of your job in the appropriate manner.
Failure to report any incident you are involved in, or witness, may result in the Disciplinary procedure being invoked.
Company Office Visitors
Visitors are all customers; suppliers and contractors, or any other individual(s) who is not an employee based in our Offices.
All employees must ensure that any visitors are aware of the location of the planned and the name of their contact. On arrival at the meeting location, the employee point of contact must remain vigilant of their arrival and be available to welcome the visitor.
None of our offices have a formal Reception; however a Reception area is available and visitors should be invited to await the arrival of their point of contact in this area on arrival.
Visitors must familiarise themselves with the Health & Safety information provided on our premises notice boards. If you are the main point of contact for any visitor to our site, please ensure that they are fully aware of any hazards.
Contractors should not be allowed to commence work until the premises manager has given permission for the work in question to begin.
It will be the main point of contact’s responsibility to ensure that visitors are evacuated safely in the instance of an emergency.
SECTION 4: COMPANY BENEFITS
Learning & Development
By facilitating the provision of learning and development opportunities, Robinson Services aims to ensure that all of its people are in possession of the skills, knowledge and experience they need to perform their job effectively and ensure the Company meets its business objectives.
Policy Statement
All employees will be entitled to:
➢ Equality of opportunity in all aspects of their development
➢ Induction into their job, their team and the organisation
➢ An understanding of the goals of the organisation
➢ Clear goals for their performance at work
➢ A manager who is committed to staff development
All employees should take responsibility for their development by:
➢ Sharing responsibility for the identification of their development needs
➢ Taking advantage of development opportunities
➢ Taking an active part in development activities
➢ Sharing their knowledge with others
Induction
Line managers are responsible for following Company induction processes to ensure that all employees understand their roles.
All Inductions will take place over two main stages:
Stage One → Company Induction
This will include: Provision of Starter Information
Company Background & Culture
Customer Service Standards & Expectations
Key Company Rules & Policies
Stage Two → Site Induction
This will include: On The Job Training (e.g. Contract Manual; Assignment Instructions
etc)
Ongoing Review of Training Needs
Performance Reviews
Together with your line manager you should review your performance continually, during your probation and beyond, in order to assess how you are doing. Regular feedback is a way of helping you to assess yourself and look for further development.
The success of your performance is very much in your hands. Take the opportunity to participate fully in all discussions about your work and performance.
Training Requests
If you wish to request to attend training which you feel will be beneficial to the business, please discuss your request with your line manager in the first instance. You should then complete a Company Training Request Form, available from the HR department.
Your completed request will be considered by your line manager. If your request is not approved, you will be informed of the reasons for this decision by your line manager.
Company Vehicles
If you have been provided with a Company vehicle, you have a responsibility to take good care of the car provided and comply with all aspects of the related insurance requirements as well as the regulations detailed in the Company Vehicle Policy, a copy of which is obtainable from your line manager or the HR department.
All Company vehicle holders must adhere to the current legislation governing the highways. It is also a condition of your insurance that your report any medical conditions affecting your fitness to drive, or any points endorsed to your license; driving offence convictions or disqualifications to your line manager immediately.
The Company shall be responsible for payment of all reasonable standing and running costs of the vehicle including insurance, tax, NCT, maintenance and repair and shall bear the cost of fuel incurred during business mileage OR reimburse the Employee for the cost of fuel properly incurred during business mileage at an agreed rate OR at a rate specified in the Company’s Vehicle Policy from time to time.
You must:
▪ Ensure that you have a full valid driving license
▪ Make sure that the vehicle is road worthy
▪ Check the oil, water, brake fluid and tyres regularly
▪ Inform management when road tax, tyre change or service is due
▪ Inform management when any damage occurs
▪ Treat the vehicle with care and keep it clean and tidy
▪ Notify the Company as soon as practically possible of any accidents involving the vehicle (whether or not these take place while you are on business)
▪ Return the vehicle, its keys and all documents relating to it to your nearest business office or such other place as the Company may reasonably stipulate immediately upon the end of your employment arising or upon the employee becoming no longer legally entitled to drive.
Spouses/partners who reside at the same address as a non-commercial vehicle holder may be permitted to use the vehicle on a strictly occasional basis only AFTER:
- provision of a copy of a current, valid driving license to the Fleet Administrator;
- which confirms that the partner/spouse of the relevant employee resides at the same address as the employee
Only authorised/trained company employee drivers will be permitted to drive company commercial vehicles.
Employees will be liable for all expenses incurred as a result of their or their spouses/partner’s private use of the vehicle, including deductions relating to accidents.
If carrying out your duties under your contract of employment requires you to drive, please ensure that you do not do anything that would result in the loss of your driving license, as this may result in termination of your employment without prior notice or payment in lieu of notice. If legal penalties are incurred in the course of either business or private use (e.g. fixed penalty tickets for speeding, parking or careless driving etc) the Company will not be liable for these.
Please remember that when driving a Company vehicle on business you are representing the Company and therefore you should drive with the utmost care, courtesy and consideration.
Any proven abuse of Company vehicles or breach of any of the conditions above may lead to disciplinary action. You are liable to pay the Company for the costs of repairing damage caused by or to a vehicle which is in your care, custody, control or being driven by you or your spouse/partner and/ or for any loss or damages sustained by the Company of attributed to be paid or awarded against the Company involving such vehicle including any costs arising as a result of any occurrence involving the vehicle in such circumstances.
Payment of the aforementioned amount will be capped at £250. The Company reserves the right to make such deductions from your wages. You will be advised in writing of any deductions due, prior to such deduction.
Company Vans and Lorries
Where an employee has been permitted to use a company vehicle for travel to and from their home, the vehicle must not be used for private purposes and the route taken to and from home must normally be the shortest practical one.
Company Cars & Car Allowances
Where an employee is in receipt of a Company car or a car allowance, the Company reserves the right to change this arrangement or amount in line with business needs.
SECTION 5: GENERAL COMPANY RULES
General Company Rules
There are regulations and standards of conduct to ensure the good management of our business and to avoid any unnecessary problems and misunderstandings with our employees.
Your job puts you in a position of trust and responsibility.
• Ensure your conduct does not prevent you carrying out your duties under the terms of your employment, limit your effectiveness or conflict with the well-being or interests of the Company.
• Follow the established procedures and regulations for dealing with the Company's property, goods and cash. The required standards for work, conduct and appearance will also be discussed during your induction and reviews as they arise. Although on occasions they will be amended, you must accept them as a fundamental condition of your employment.
• Contact your line manager if there are any regulations/standards you do not understand.
• Discuss any misdemeanours that you believe may affect the Company's profitability or reputation with your line manager.
We will treat any abuse of the trust and responsibility the Company places in you very seriously. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken which could result in dismissal. In some cases, dismissal will be immediate; i.e. without notice.
Uniforms
Employees in certain jobs may be required to wear corporate clothing provided by the Company. It is your responsibility to keep your work clothing clean and tidy. You will be expected to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding laundering. Items of uniform which are provided by the Company should only be worn at work.
Replacement uniform items will be provided on request approximately every 12 months; or more frequently depending upon assessment of your role duties. Any replacement uniform items should be requested via your line manager, who will maintain a record of requests. All items of uniform must be returned when you leave the Company.
Appearance & Hygiene
The personal appearance of employees makes an important contribution to the Company’s reputation and professionalism. All employees are requested to maintain a high standard of appearance and hygiene. Your attention should be drawn to First Impressions detailed in the Code of Practice section of this handbook.
Not all employees are required to wear a corporate uniform – those that are not required to do so must dress in a smart and professional manner. Anyone needing advice on what is acceptable wear during working hours should speak to their line manager.
Employees should also practice good housekeeping around their workplace and use washrooms and toilets in a responsible manner.
No excessive jewellery should be worn whilst at work i.e. visible body piercing, rings etc. Engagement/Wedding/Partner Rings are acceptable. Any visible tattoos should be covered up where possible, as these may be unsightly to some customers and working colleagues and may cause offence.
Attendance and Timekeeping
The Company expects its employees to attend work consistently and to be punctual. If you are unable to come to work or will be late arriving at work for any reason please make sure you notify your line manager. All absences must be reported as soon as possible on the first day of your absence following the Absence Reporting procedure highlighted on page 20. You should continue to keep your line manager informed of your progress and likely date of return to work.
Please note that failure to comply with the above standards will constitute misconduct. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken which could result in dismissal.
Workplace Events
Robinson Services has a duty of care to its employees while they are in the general work environment or at any business events organised and authorised by Company senior management; including seminars, offsite training courses, business trips and other official work-related social functions.
Employees are reminded that usual Company rules, guidance and standards regarding behavioural conduct apply during any of these workplace events.
Premises Security
Removal of materials, tools or equipment from the Company’s or customers’ premises is strictly prohibited unless authorised by your line manager. Any request should be made in writing and a letter of confirmation will be given to the employee, authorising the removal of any items, detailing dates of when they were borrowed and when they should be returned.
An employee who has been issued with keys belonging to the Company or its clients is entirely responsible for their safekeeping. Employees must not pass keys to unauthorised persons or allow them to be used for access to buildings or property by any unauthorised persons. Any breach of this may be subject to the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure which could result in dismissal.
Security ID Passes
All employees who have been allocated a security pass, must ensure that it is worn and is clearly visible at all times for official ID purposes. Employees who fail to wear allocated security passes may be dealt with under the Company’s disciplinary procedure.
Right to Stop & Search
The Company reserves the right to search you or any property held on Company premises at any time if there are reasonable grounds to believe that you are guilty of any relevant breach of the Company’s rules and regulations. Personal searches must be carried out by security and/or local management as appropriate. Searches will be conducted with your consent and in the presence of at least one agreed witness.
The Company also reserves the right to invite the police to obtain a warrant to search the Company premises and/or people suspected of possession of drugs or who are committing any other criminal act. If you refuse to permit the search to take place your refusal may be treated as gross misconduct and action may be taken against you within the Company’s Disciplinary Procedure.
Corporate Travel
While corporate travel is not an integral part of work for many of our employees, some employees may find it necessary to travel, sometimes frequently.
It is important that employees adopt a responsible approach.
Please ensure that:
• each trip has clear objectives and is properly planned
• costs are reasonable and well controlled
• you understand and follow the procedures required for payment of expenses
Deliberate falsification of any expenses claimed or drawn from Company funds may result in disciplinary action being taken.
Personal Relationships
The Company understands that situations may arise where a personal relationship exists between employees, or prospective employees of the organisation. It is expected that where a personal relationship exists, employees will behave responsibly and not put themselves into a situation where their relationship may impact adversely on their work or on the organisation.
It is the Company’s aim to protect all our employees in situations where a personal relationship exists, or develops, so that employees cannot be accused of a conflict of interest, bias or be the subject of allegations from other staff or the organisation.
Situations where a personal relationship may expose employees to conflict of interest or bias include, but are not restricted to, the following:
• Perceived or alleged breaches of integrity
• Unfair advantage/favouritism
• Breach of confidence/confidentiality
• Harassment or bullying
• Employee relations issues
• Conflict of interest, or any other issues perceived to be gained from the overlap of a personal and professional relationship.
A personal relationship includes any relationship where a close family relationship exists, for example, including mother, father, daughter, son, sister, brother (and including step and in-laws), partner, ex partner (including spouse or co-habitee) or civil partner.
The scope of the term “personal relationship” also applies to prospective employees who have a relationship with a current member of the organisation’s staff, or where a relationship starts during employment with the organisation.
It is not the Company’s wish to prevent employees or prospective employees who have a personal relationship from working together whilst employed by the organisation. However, the existence of such a relationship must either be declared at the time of appointment or, if the relationship develops during their employment, employees must discuss this with either their line manager or, if more appropriate, with the HR department. Such a declaration will be strictly confidential.
Employees may normally continue to work together in the same team or department
where this is appropriate, providing there is no conflict of interest. The organisation expects staff to take responsibility and not put themselves into a situation where their relationship may cause the organisation problems in the future.
In the event that there is an negative impact upon the workplace as the result of a personal relationship, termination of contract will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, where the employees concerned have not declared the potential conflict of interest issue caused by their personal/work relationship and this has adversely affected the Company, its employees or clients. In all other cases every effort will be made to resolve the situation by consulting the employees involved, so that a mutually acceptable solution may be found.
Personal Property
You are responsible for the safe keeping of your personal property. The Company does not accept responsibility for loss, theft or damage to personal property.
It is advisable that items which have no connection with the employee’s work needs should not be brought to the work-place.
Customer & Company Property
Damage to a customer’s / fellow employee’s / Company premises or property (including Company vehicles) which is a result of deliberate action or omission, carelessness or negligence on the part of an employee will be the responsibility of that employee.
The employee may be required either to pay for the damage caused or to put right the damage, to the satisfaction of the customer, fellow employee or Company during his/ her own time. The Company reserves the right to deduct replacement cost of any damaged property belonging to the Company or its customers, from the employee’s wages. Prior to any such deductions being made, the employee will be notified in writing by the Company. Such instances may result in Disciplinary action.
It is also the duty of each employee to notify his/her line manager of any such loss or damage as soon as practically possible.
Company Phones & Personal Use of Phones
A Company mobile phone may be provided for employees where appropriate. Company phones (including landline phones on company or customer premises) are intended for business use only. Neither Company phones nor personal phones should be answered or used for private use during working hours unless prior permission has been granted. A full copy of the Mobile Phone Policy is available on request from your line manager or from the HR department.
You should discourage your friends and relatives from either calling on you in person or by telephone, except, of course, in the case of a genuine emergency – you should ensure that your line manager is notified in advance where this is the case.
In some instances, site rules may completely ban personal phones from sensitive security areas or for hygiene reasons. These will be highlighted to you during your site induction.
Use of I.T. and Social Media
If you use computers, you must follow Company regulations aimed at protecting computer equipment, systems, networks and information.
The Company operates a full I.T. & Electronic Communications policy which provides guidance for the use of email and internet. This may be requested from your line manager or from the HR department and you are required to make yourself familiar with its content. A summary of the main points to remember are provided below.
Please remember that all I.T. equipment provided to you remains the property of the Company. Try to reduce the risk of loss, theft, damage and unauthorised access to computer systems – for example, do not share your passwords or record them using a method that others may access; change them regularly in line with the I.T policy and do not leave Company equipment where it may be readily viewed or stolen. This applies particularly to portable equipment.
Any equipment provided by the Company should only be used for occasional private use outside of working hours; and in any event, Company email and internet systems may not be used for personal purposes during normal working hours. As with any other equipment, employees are obliged to use these tools in a responsible, effective and lawful manner.
Bear in mind that any confidential information held within computer equipment, emails or exchangeable media (e.g. CD ROMS; memory sticks, etc) is subject to our Confidentiality and Data Protection rules – see pg 38.
Use of Email
Email provides many benefits to our organization; however there are a number of potential pitfalls which employees should be aware of.
A number of general guidance points are provided below. Please also ensure that you read and familiarize yourself with the full Company I.T. policy, which includes several rules regarding use of email.
• email is not an informal communication tool, but has the same authority as any other communication to and from the organisation; therefore please consider the content and tone of any emails you send. If you are unsure if the content/tone is appropriate, seek advice from a colleague.
• email is a business tool, intended to support you to fulfil your role within our Company; therefore email should not be used for personal reasons during working hours. While occasional use for personal reasons is allowed outside working hours subject to the I.T. policy; personal external email sent via a Company access account should clearly indicate that it is a personal communication and unrelated to the Company. All emails should be regarded in the same way as published information – for example, any emails sent or received by you may be disclosable in the event of an investigation.
• employees must be aware that, while emails are not routinely monitored without cause, emails may be accessed and/or monitored when the Company believes there is just cause to do so – for example in the course of an investigation. In such an instance, emails will only be accessed/monitored by a senior management I.T. representative for the protection of employee welfare or for the prevention of fraud.
• you must not attempt to access or use another employee’s email without their permission and the express authorisation of the designated senior management I.T. representative.
• binding contracts may be inadvertently created; therefore be careful if making promises or claims by email.
• Do not open any attachments or send or forward any emails which you know or suspect contain a virus or other malicious code. This includes emails from accounts you do not recognize. Contact the senior management I.T. representative immediately.
• defamation of colleagues or other parties (deliberate or otherwise) may occur. Please bear in mind that while your email may not be offensive to the intended recipient, any unintended third party may find the content offensive.
• abrupt, inappropriate and unthinking use of language can lead to a bullying or harassing tone and, subsequently, may be offensive to others. For example, capitals are often interpreted as shouting.
• consider whether a phone call may be a better way of discussing a complex or confidential matter.
Please report any suspected abuse of email to the HR department.
Use of the Internet
We recognise that the Internet is increasingly used by employees in the support of day-to-day work activity - it can be a valuable business tool for research and for comparing products, supply and prices.
To safeguard employees from malicious web content, and to protect the Company from the electronic security risk associated with misuse of the Internet, the Company has implemented web management and monitoring technology which tracks the web sites being used by each user and verifies these against Company policy requirements.
In this context employees are advised that web usage is monitored and inappropriate use is a disciplinary offence. The following standards must be followed:
• Do not access or attempt to access any sites that contain offensive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, discriminatory or other indecent material. This includes images, multimedia and text.
• Employees are reminded that internet usage is monitored and the Internet must not be used for personal reasons. Internet access is limited to job-related activities only. Job-related activities include research and tasks that may be completed via the Internet that would help in an employee's role.
Social Media
We appreciate that many of our employees use social networking sites; personal email accounts or other forms of social media. We would ask employees to use a common sense approach and take care that these activities, including posted blogs; comments made; images uploaded; tweets or any other information communicated do not create negative publicity or have a derogatory effect on your colleagues; the Robinson Service’s Company name or reputation.
For example, the following actions may be treated by the Company as gross misconduct:
• Posting derogatory or offensive comments about our Company, a colleague, customer or other work-related third party
• Online bullying or harassment of a colleague, customer or other work-related third party
• Breach of confidentiality or data protection by posting sensitive personal or commercial information online
• Defamation by posting damaging comments about the Company; its products or customers
I.T. Monitoring
Please remember that internet and email usage may be scanned; monitored via automated techniques or via other techniques where necessary for the protection of employee welfare or for the prevention of fraud; for example to investigate bona fide suspected breaches of the I.T. policy or criminal activity.
This activity will only be carried out by the designated senior management I.T. representative where there is just cause to do so, however employees should consider that no form of electronic communication or internet use should be regarded as confidential.
Failure to follow and adhere to these procedures and codes of practice may result in disciplinary action or dismissal. Some deliberate or serious breaches may lead to criminal prosecution.
CCTV
The Company reserves the right to use CCTV surveillance on our own premises and on our client premises for the protection, benefit and safety of staff, in particular for the detection and prevention of crime; to provide emergency services assistance; to assist with health and safety and other serious occurrences and to detect, prevent and reduce the incidence of any internal conduct and performance matters which may lead to the Company Disciplinary procedure being invoked.
Alcohol, Drug & Substance Abuse
An individual’s ability to do their job should not be affected by alcohol, illegal drugs or substances. If you are taking medication that may affect your ability to do your job, inform your line manager immediately.
The Company is concerned for the health and safety of all employees and aims to support individuals with alcohol/drug problems. We will discuss problems fully and sympathetically and encourage the individual to follow prescribed treatments.
Drug-taking/Possession
Drug-taking and possession of drugs are illegal. Any employee found to be taking, dealing or possessing drugs on Company, on Company premises or at Company functions will have the appropriate disciplinary action taken which may result in dismissal.
Similarly, any employee who attends work having consumed intoxicating substances likely to have an effect on their work performance or on their health, safety or the safety of others; or who brings, sells or consumes alcohol onsite may be subject to gross misconduct proceedings.
The Company operates a full Alcohol & Drugs policy, which may be requested from the HR department.
Employee Counselling Support
The Company has engaged a counselling service helpline which is available to our employees; and any members of their immediate family who permanently live with them who are 18 years old+. The service is completely confidential and is provided over the phone.
The counselling service can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 01850 670 407.
Grievance Procedure
We sincerely hope that your experience as a member of the Robinson team is an enjoyable one. However there may be times when employees feel that they wish to discuss a problem related to their employment.
Informal Resolution
We would encourage you to always seek to resolve any issues informally in the first instance by discussing the problem with your colleagues; line manager or with another senior manager if the problem:
• Concerns your immediate manager
• Is of too personal or sensitive a nature to raise with your immediate manager
• Concerns discrimination, bullying or harassment by your immediate manager.
It is preferable for all concerned that workplace difficulties are dealt with informally whenever possible and appropriate. An informal resolution has advantages for both you and the Company as it is likely to produce solutions which are speedy; effective; minimise embarrassment and also the risk of breaching confidentiality. The informal approach in no way purposes to diminish the issue or the effect it may have on individuals – the informal procedure allows scope for resolving issues quickly and with the minimum of distress. Mediation may also be offered where deemed appropriate by the Company.
Formal Resolution
If the issue persists, there is a formal Company Grievance procedure available to you. A copy of the full procedure is available either on our website or on request from your line manager, however the procedure, in short, is as follows:
Stage 1 – Communicating your Complaint
You should raise your formal complaint, in the first instance, in writing with your immediate manager without unreasonable delay (within 3 months of the alleged incident). You should state:
• That you wish to invoke the formal grievance procedure;
• the nature of your complaint and how it has arisen with facts;
• Your views as to how the complaint may be resolved.
Stage 2 – Resolution Meeting
You will be invited to a resolution meeting to discuss your complaint and how you think it might be resolved, normally within 2 weeks of receipt of your complaint or without unreasonable delay. Where this is not possible, the procedure will be completed as soon as is practical and you will be advised of any revised time scales accordingly.
Stage 3 – Outcome Notification
Normally within 1 week of the meeting being held you will receive a letter to confirm the outcome.
When the outcome is decided, you will be given the right to appeal within 1 week of receipt of your outcome letter. The appeal meeting will be held within 2 weeks of receipt of you appeal – the appeal manager’s decision will be final.
You have the right to be accompanied to any such resolution or appeal meeting by a fellow worker or accredited trade union representative.
Discrimination, Harassment, Bullying & Victimisation
It is our policy to promote an environment free from discrimination; harassment and victimisation, where everyone will receive equal treatment.
Robinson Services believes that all employees should be treated with dignity and respect. Any discrimination, victimisation or harassing or bullying behaviour will be dealt with as a serious matter, potentially leading to disciplinary action/dismissal.
The Company believes that each employee is responsible for his/her own behaviour and for maintaining an environment in which discrimination, harassment and victimisation are regarded as unacceptable. In addition we all have a responsibility not to indirectly support unfair behaviour by ignoring what is happening around us.
The procedure for dealing with such instances is summarized below. A full copy of our Anti-Harassment and Anti-Bullying policy is available to all employees online or on request from the HR department. This includes some examples of behaviours which may be viewed by the Company as bullying and/or harassment.
What to Do: Informally
It may be appropriate to attempt to deal with a harassment situation informally, for example, where the harassing behaviour is not so serious (although its continuation presents a risk), or, where there has only been a one-off incident which is not considered serious, or where the individual simply wants undesirable behaviour to stop.
If you believe that you have suffered any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation, which meets the above description, we encourage you to speak to the person concerned and seek to resolve the matter. Approach them and explain that you find their behaviour unacceptable. Ask them to recognise the effect of their actions and stop acting in that way.
At this early stage, a decision must be made regarding whether a verbal report of the matter ought to be made to management or any trusted and impartial third person. This early report may assist the investigation should the incident be repeated and in any case, a second incident must be reported per the formal procedure below.
It is important that employees are aware that there may be occasions when an employee would prefer to deal with the situation informally; however the Company may feel it more appropriate to deal with complaints formally to fulfill its duty of care. If there is a risk that the matter complained of will give rise to any kind of disciplinary response, then formal procedures, in this instance the Company Grievance procedure, should always be used. A full investigation into the matter may only be conducted under formal procedures.
Remember that you can approach the person with the support of a colleague or line manager if you do decide to verbally report the matter at this stage. However, please recognise that at the informal stage their role can only be one of support or assistance. Ask a line manager to talk to the person on your behalf, if it is too difficult or too embarrassing to do this yourself.
If your harasser is acting anonymously then speak to your line manager as soon as possible in order that appropriate safeguards can be put in place.
What to Do: Formally
If you believe the behaviour is serious, if you prefer a formal approach, or if the behaviour continues after the informal procedures have been used, we encourage you to use the formal procedure.
You should:
1. make your complaint to your line manager, or a senior manager if your complaint concerns your line manager, following the existing procedure for raising a complaint, as soon as possible after the alleged incident has taken place -preferably in writing, although it can be verbal and followed up in writing;
2. attend all requests for meetings with the investigating manager - you may be accompanied at all such meetings by a colleague/trade union official if you wish;
3. avoid contact with the alleged harasser where possible.
A manager (wholly unconnected with the allegations) will be responsible for the investigation assisted by a notetaker who will keep a written record of proceedings.
As per Company Grievance procedure, you will be normally be invited to the investigation meeting within 2 weeks of receipt of your complaint. Where this is not possible, the procedure will be completed as soon as is practical and you will be advised of any revised time scales accordingly.
The investigating manager will conduct a series of interviews with you, the alleged harasser and anyone else who can assist with the investigation. Having reviewed all of the information, the manager will consider whether it is appropriate to use the Company’s disciplinary procedures or take some other form of action.
After the investigation is complete, the manager will communicate to you and the
alleged harasser, in writing, the most appropriate course of action. Where it is identified that harassment has occurred, you will be offered on-going support to ensure no further harassment takes place.
Redundancy
It is our Company’s aim to maintain full employment at all times through careful planning of its human resource requirements. However, it must be recognised that changes in customer contracts; competitive conditions; organisational requirements and financial restrictions may affect staffing needs.
If it is required to reduce employee numbers by more than can be achieved via natural wastage, it will be necessary to implement a redundancy procedure. The Company will manage the redundancy situation in the most fair, consistent and sympathetic manner possible and in accordance with legal requirements.
The Company will consider any employees who volunteer for redundancy, but retains the right to reject anyone who volunteers where acceptance would cause an imbalance in skills or experience or might restrict the continued efficient running of the business or its services.
All employees who have been selected for potential redundancy will be consulted with. Please speak to the HR department for a full copy of the Company Redundancy procedure.
Capability
As an employer we have a right to require our employees to meet certain standards of performance. We also have a duty to ensure that the standards we require our people to achieve are fair and understood and that our employees feel supported and encouraged to meet those standards.
Using regular reviews during probation and afterwards, it is the responsibility of your line manager to agree with you the standards required and the timescales to reach this standard. This will of course include any training or support you may need.
If you continue to have difficulty in meeting the standards required or to deliver agreed objectives, a series of ongoing reviews and warnings (verbal, written and final written) will take place to ensure the performance standards required are being met. In the event that you are unable to meet the performance standards required, alternative work options within the Company can be explored. If this is not possible then your employment may be terminated on the ground of capability.
For a full copy of the Company Capability Policy, please contact the HR department.
Conduct
The Company believes that our employees are motivated by their responsibilities and involvement and not by fear of disciplinary action. It is important to be aware of the standards required and to understand and follow the regulations and guidelines fully.
Our objective in taking disciplinary action is to emphasise and encourage improvements in conduct rather than to punish. We, therefore, give verbal, written or final written warnings depending on the seriousness of the case - but there may be certain situations where conduct may render dismissal necessary. Dismissal will be a last resort following instruction, review and full and open discussions with the employee.
We believe it is important to understand what has led to breakdown in the working relationship, and to re-establish co-operation and prevent recurrence, however action may be taken where Company regulations and procedures are broken, standards of conduct are not acceptable or where criminal acts are committed inside or outside work (which are relevant to employment). This may ultimately result in dismissal.
In serious cases, dismissal may be immediate, i.e. summary dismissal, which means that we will not pay compensation for loss of income during the notice period.
Formal Disciplinary Stages
The basic procedure will be as follows. This will vary depending on the nature of the case. In most cases we would expect an informal discussion with the line manager to take place to establish the issues and discuss any problems, prior to any formal stages.
Stage 1 Verbal warning
Stage 2 Written warning
Stage 3 Final warning
Stage 4 Dismissal
A full copy of the Company Disciplinary procedure is available online and will be discussed with you during your Induction. A summary of the procedure is provided below.
Disciplinary Procedure
Regarding disciplinary hearings:
• Depending on the matter under consideration, it may be necessary to undertake an informal investigation prior to decision to raise a disciplinary hearing.
• If it is difficult to deal with an incident immediately, or it is inappropriate for the individual to continue working whilst the investigation takes place, there may be a period of paid suspension. Paid suspension does not imply guilt in any way.
• You will be given notice that a hearing will take place and will be given full details of any criticisms or allegations prior to the hearing. Failure to attend an agreed hearing date or refusal to co-operate with the disciplinary process may also result in a period of suspension.
• You will be interviewed by your line manager or whoever is most appropriate.
• You have the right to be accompanied at formal disciplinary hearings by a fellow worker or a Trade Union representative and should consider this carefully.
• Any criticisms or allegations will always be discussed first so that you can make comment, reply to or explain your side before action is taken.
• A short summary of the discussion will be noted on your file with any action required.
• Should disciplinary action result from stages 1–3, you will be given a letter confirming the outcome; a copy of which will be kept on your file.
• It may be appropriate in certain circumstances, depending upon the seriousness of the offence, for the disciplining manager to go directly to stages 2 and 3. Under circumstances involving gross misconduct, someone may be summarily dismissed without resort to stages 1-3.
• Following any formal disciplinary action including dismissal you can raise an appeal if you feel you have been unfairly treated.
Note that employees with live warnings at any stage may not be eligible for a pay increase.
Misconduct
The Company has a right to expect its employees to follow acceptable standards of conduct and to deal with colleagues, suppliers and customer representatives in a co-operative and respectful way.
The Company procedure recognises three categories of misconduct:
• Misconduct
• Major Misconduct
• Gross Misconduct
Whilst each disciplinary stage will entail discussion/written instruction on the exact requirements for improving standards of conduct, a more serious incident of misconduct will have the appropriate level of sanction applied, for example it may be appropriate to go straight to the first written warning stage.
In instances involving major misconduct, it may be appropriate to issue a final written warning in line with procedure. In certain circumstances sanctions short of dismissal, such as demotion, may be used in addition to/in place of warnings or instead of dismissal.
A range of examples of misconduct and major misconduct can be found within the Disciplinary policy and below. None of these lists are exhaustive and are intended to give examples only – the Company reserves the right to decide how any other misconduct shall be categorised:
MISCONDUCT
• Absenteeism in breach of Absence policy
Poor timekeeping/frequent lateness
Extended breaks
Failure to follow appropriate Absence notification procedures
• Engaging in unnecessary activity which prevents you from fulfilling your role e.g. misuse of non-Company issued telephone or excessive time away from your post
• Failure to comply with agreed cover or additional hours arrangements made with management
• Performance of duties below an acceptable standard or poor effort - carelessness, lack of attention, poor effort in relation to work, or non-completion/incomplete/incorrectly completed Company required documentation
• Minor breach of hygiene/security rules
• Failure to maintain a tidy and safe work environment
• Failure to wear uniform which has been provided or to meet an acceptable standard of appearance
• Failing to observe and comply with general Company procedures and rules
MAJOR MISCONDUCT
• Breaches of safety policy, e.g. dangerous physical horseplay
• Neglect or carelessness causing damage to or loss of company or customers or other employees property / equipment e.g. equipment/facilities/vehicles
• Serious neglect or breach of hygiene/security rules set out by Robinson Services and our clients
• Careless or excessive misuse/wastage of materials or other resources
• Failure to complete contracted working hours
• Use of foul or abusive language
• Failure to carry out or poor response to carrying out a reasonable work instruction or to a reasonable management request e.g. not completing work, not attending a meeting
GROSS MISCONDUCT
• Presenting for work while intoxicated; consuming any form of intoxicant during work hours or bringing intoxicants into the workplace without permission
• Physically violent behaviour
• Aggressive or other inappropriate behaviour towards colleagues or customers, e.g. uncooperative and/or disrespectful attitude; swearing or using abusive language
• Serious unauthorised absence e.g. leaving post of work without management permission or ongoing unauthorised absence from work
• Gross Insubordination - willfully refusing or deliberately neglecting to carry out or a reasonable work instruction, verbal insubordination towards management
• Deliberately ignoring safety / security rules and thereby endangering ones’ own or another’s physical well-being, or safety
• Any form of bullying or harassment including sexual, racial or religious harassment
• Obscene behaviour
• Deliberate disregard of learning gained through Company provided training
• Unacceptable unauthorised absence from planned training/meetings
• Gambling on Company or client premises
• Serious misuse of Company or customer-supplied electronic/IT equipment
• Fraud, theft or any other offence committed against the Company which would be in breach of the law of the land
• Working for self or someone other than the Company, during hours of employment with the company
• Willful damage to or gross negligence of company’s customers or other employees property / equipment / tools
• Deliberate or gross wastage of Company resources or materials
• Falsification of records/documentation or receiving money for hours not worked
• Unauthorised use of the Company’s vehicles
• Sleeping whilst at work
• Disclosure of information pertaining to customers or employees, or of Company confidential information, to unauthorised persons
• Smoking in prohibited areas NB: Smoking refers to and includes; chewing tobacco, the use of any electronic devices such as e-cigarettes, vapes and any other devices that is used for similar purpose.
Summary Dismissal
Cases of gross misconduct may lead to summary dismissal i.e. dismissal will be immediate and without recourse through to the normal warning steps and without compensation for loss of notice. Examples of gross misconduct are provided above and some examples of incidents are as follows:
• Where an employee breaks a regulation or fails to follow a procedure knowing that it is a serious breach of regulations e.g. refusal to obey smoking regulations, breach of data protection or health and safety rules.
• Where an employee behaves in such a way that it destroys the relationship of mutual trust and confidence between employer and employee. Continuation of employment then becomes impossible e.g. being under the influence or possession of alcohol or illegal drugs, discriminatory behaviour towards colleagues, fighting on company premises, unwelcome sexual or personal attention, deliberate unauthorised access of information.
• Where an employee commits a dishonest or fraudulent act e.g. stealing or intending to steal cash, equipment and/or property including items of little or no value from the Company, colleagues or public, fraudulent acts with the intention of obtaining money assets or services which would otherwise be denied, falsifying or forging documentation/systems for personal gain.
• Where criminal acts or other acts relevant to your employment are committed outside of work
Statement of Reasons for Dismissal
If dismissal occurs, a written statement of the reasons for dismissal will be sent out within 1 week of the disciplinary hearing.
Appeal Process
Our appeal process is for those who feel that the outcome of a formal disciplinary hearing is unfair. It is an internal mechanism between employer and employee. Its purpose is to examine the circumstances and procedures leading to the disciplinary action to decide whether it was fair and reasonable.
The appeal process will involve a comprehensive review of all the issues and rehear all the facts where new evidence comes to light.
It will:
• establish whether the Company's disciplinary procedures were followed
• check that a full investigation was carried out, which attempted to substantiate the allegations and which dealt fully with the employee's explanations
• assess the fairness and reasonableness of the disciplinary action in terms of the Company's rules and policies
• determine whether the disciplining manager's actions and decisions were reasonable given the circumstances and facts available at the time.
Procedure
Following formal disciplinary action an employee who wishes to appeal will have their case heard by a different manager who has the authority to uphold, vary or overturn the decision.
The process is as follows:
• Notify the HR department in writing within five working days that
you wish to appeal. This must include your written reasons for appeal.
• You will have a formal discussion with the manager allocated to hear your appeal.
• The manager makes a detailed investigation of the facts. They review all the issues and facts available.
• The manager decides to uphold, vary or overturn the decision.
• The manager will meet with you to discuss the details of their investigation and the reasons for their decision. This will also be confirmed to you in writing.
Leaving Robinson Services
If you resign from the Company, you will be required to follow the procedure, plus give and work the notice, detailed within the Notice Periods section of this handbook.
You will be expected to return all Company property to your line manager prior to your leave date (these include: security passes; uniform; company car, telephones; IT equipment and where appropriate confidential information).
References
It is our policy to confirm only the following details by way of employment references:
- the start date of employment with Robinson Services;
- your job role(s) during your time with the Company;
- your Robinson Services employment cessation date
On leaving the Company is it your responsibility to make your manager aware should you not wish us to provide any future employer with a reference.
Outstanding Payments
You will need to repay all overpayments or amounts owed immediately and in full when you leave the Company – e.g. holiday hours overtaken; uniform costs; SIA licensing costs; etc.
We reserve the right to recover payments owing and may make an adjustment to any outstanding payments due to you.
Your final pay and deductions will be entered into the Revenue’s online system and you can access these details through Revenue’s myAccount service.
Finally...
We hope that you have found the information in this Handbook useful.
If you have any questions or concerns, or need any further information, please do not hesitate to speak to your line manager.
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