6.8 - Employee Handbook

[COMPANY LOGO]

Team Handbook

September 2019

Contents 1. Message from the CEO

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2. Disclaimer

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3. Company Profile

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History & Culture

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Core Values

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Kaizen - Continuous Improvement

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Innovate and also Do What Works

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Self - Management

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Management Task Delegation

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Efficiency and Actionability

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Team

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Integrity

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Respect

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Trust & Empathy

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Customer focus

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Mission

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Vision

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Goals

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4. General Policies

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Remote working that works

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Professional Image in the Workplace

10

Probationary period

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Work hours

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Time-tracking Policy

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How to Track Time as an Upwork Employee

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How to Track Time as a Hubstaff freelancer

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Performance reviews

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Progressive Disciplinary Policy

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Records up to date

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References

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5. Working from home

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6. Freelancer Categories

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Freelancer’s platforms and trackers 7. Business policies

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Equal opportunities

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Freelancers “at will”

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‘Open door’ policy

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No-Gossip policy

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8. Health and Care Policies

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Work-Life Balance

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Stress Management

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9. Compensation & Benefits

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Payments

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Paid overtime

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Business Expense Reimbursement

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Change of shifts

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9. Vacation and Leave

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Vacation benefits

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Unpaid time off and leave benefit

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Sick leave

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10. Conduct Policy

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Anti-Harassment Policy

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Anti-discriminatory Policy

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Drug and alcohol use policy 11. Code of Conduct

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Overview

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Accountability and Responsibility

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Punctuality and Attendance

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Confidentiality and IT Security

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Protect your personal information, files and data

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Recognize phishing emails

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Safeguard your personal items while on the go

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Reacting to security breaches

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No solicitation – No distribution

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Conflict of interest and business ethics

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Intellectual Property

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12. Termination

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Disciplinary Process

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Resignation

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Exit Interviews

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13. Agreement

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1. Message from the CEO Dear Independent Contractor, [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s historical and future success comes from commitment to our core values. Our day-to-day focus revolves around how our team and processes flow together to create an efficient and effective experience for our team. The customer’s satisfaction is really a by-product of our emphasis on team and personnel success. As an online presence - our team is our company. As a remote company we all need to assume responsibility in supporting ourselves and our company members in ensuring that they have a stable and long-lasting workplace. Even though we’re separated by distance and time zones, everything we do impacts the rest of the company. Take initiative, solve problems and take responsibility for making your work and the workflows of those you work with efficient and effective. A great deal of the satisfaction with your work as a remote contractor with [YOUR COMPANY NAME] lies in your perspective towards what we do here. Our core values are a guideline to finding that satisfaction in your workplace, greater opportunity and advancement as we grow, as well as ease of operation and avoiding phases of frustration or boredom that can naturally come with work. Commit yourself to the core values, your teammates and the important roles that you play in our systems - because work will always be a critical part of life. Adopting an attitude of growth, learning and community makes all the difference in the time we spend together as a team. Welcome to the team.

[YOUR NAME]

2. Disclaimer I fully understand that the purpose of this Handbook is to deliver general information and guidelines to working with and in [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team. [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s “team” is composed by, and shall be understood as, any collaborator who helps to fulfill the mission of the company and receives a payment for it. It may not take into account all relevant local, state or regional or federal or national laws and is not a legal document such as a contract, and neither the author nor [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will assume any legal liability that may arise from the use of this policy. I also understand that [YOUR COMPANY NAME] reserves the right to modify this handbook, amend or terminate any policies, procedures, or benefit programs whether or not described in this handbook at any time, or to require and/or increase contributions toward these benefits programs and that my business relationship with [YOUR COMPANY NAME] may be terminated or resigned from at any time whether in accordance to the signed contract.

3. Company Profile History & Culture [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is an international start-up company based in [COUNTRY] founded in [YEAR] and proudly growing ever since. Our company has generated a profitable 7-figures revenue in the first year of inception and 8 figures in the second without requiring outside investor backing. [NOTE: ADJUST THIS STATEMENT AS NEEDED] At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we utilize a management system of remote work, multiple time-zones and flexible working hours. Our management career opportunity and key department roles are filled by a host of international top talent from 7 countries and remote travel roles. Due to our company structure, low overhead, remote and at-home work system, our screening and trial processes require us to find the best matches for our departmental needs while offering a greater career advancement opportunity as a startup than an established, location office-based firm. Our core departments division for a multi-channel e-commerce enterprise are as follows: Logistics and Operations, Creative, Marketing and Communications, and Human Resources. Within each of the departments, there are important roles such as customer service coordination, supplier relationship management, creative direction, among others. The ongoing efforts of our marketing team and the effectiveness of our logistics and operations department and creativity of our artists have positioned [YOUR COMPANY NAME] as an emerging startup in the e-commerce industry. Here at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we believe in evolution and constant improvement, and empower our team to go beyond our customers’ expectations and their assigned tasks welcoming their ideas and proposals. With no office requirements, our team members have the freedom to distribute their time and duties while keeping in mind the company’s vision.

Core Values Kaizen - Continuous Improvement Actively finding and seeking out ways to improve and create systems so business processes and workflows are efficient and do not generate unintended byproducts. Thinking about ways to make work easier, cheaper, and more time effective. Being remote and all digital - our company can stay small and the rewards of success held more tightly by our effective and efficient top team members instead of lost in inefficient processes and spread out to unnecessary additional staff. Always ask - how can I improve something every day?

Innovate & Also Do What Works Innovation requires the awareness of what’s going on in a process or project to identify opportunities to try something new to make things better. More revenue, more efficiency, easier automations, etc. We want to be innovative to grab opportunities that take us to the next level. Also - we want to do what works. Doing what works requires the awareness of what is going well in a process or project and identifying the variables that cause something to be effective. Sometimes this comes down to saving time to research what other bigger, better, smarter companies and people are doing and bringing in what already works. So, don't be afraid to innovate - but keep in mind what's already making things work or how to be more efficient in your innovation.

Self-Management As a remote company, we all need to assume responsibility in supporting ourselves and our company members in ensuring that they have a stable and long-lasting workplace. Even though we’re separated by distance and time zones, everything we do impacts the rest of the company. Take initiative, solve problems, and take responsibility for making your work and the workflows of your subordinates efficient and effective.

Management & Task Delegation If you are doing something repetitive or time consuming, you can systemize it. Create a proposal to do that, and execute on it after getting feedback to confirm it. The more time you can free up for advanced level work - thinking work - and the work of seeing processes from the outside to improve them - the better our company operates at the highest level.

Efficiency and Actionability Our systems process and data systems need to tie into taking action that help us achieve our goals, improve our systems, or reinforce our company culture. Ask yourself - how can I make things more efficient? How and where should I collect data and make it actionable?

Team Our company is our team, and everything revolves around how our team works together and how our processes flow together to create an efficient and effective experience. The customer’s satisfaction is a byproduct of our emphasis on team and personnel success. Ask yourself - what can I do to make my workplace more enjoyable for myself and my team? How can I create systems that are streamlined, time efficient, and cost-effective? We all work together to create a stable work environment that enables our core team members to take advantage of our reduced work hours and flexible clock in times.

Integrity Showing moral and ethical principles at work and beyond. Integrity is the foundation of our work and business relationship, and at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we expect honesty and trustworthiness amongst all of us. We base this value on constant communication, as well as a positive and collaborative environment.

Respect Valuing differences and allowing others to express themselves is essential at [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. We promote responsibility of assigned time and tasks as part of teamwork towards common goalsbuilding an efficient company. At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we also value your contributions. If you have a proposal that foresees an improvement of your activities, we invite you to present it. The more time you can free up for advanced level work, the easier your job would be, and the better our company operates at the highest level thanks to you.

Trust & Empathy At [COMPANY NAME] we understand and like to be understood. Therefore, due to the trust we deposit in our team’s abilities and capacities by allowing them to organize their schedules, we are making this company stronger. Even though we are separated by distance and time zones, everything we do impacts the rest of the company. Hence, we invite our team to take initiative, solve problems and make your work efficient and effective.

Customer Focus We recognize that our customers are the reason for our success in business, and we are committed to listen and respond positively to their needs.

Mission

[YOUR COMPANY NAME] & Kaizen We are a remote and all-digital company that offers dropshipping and easy channels of communication between final customers and online stores. We continually strive for innovation of e-commerce and assist with an efficient retail fulfillment method.

Vision Sustain and operate a series of well-established and stable brands as a source of capital to operate and enact change from. With a new baseline, we can do a lot more of what we want to do, not just what we must.

Goals Our current [YEAR] and [NEXT YEAR] goals are to build up our capital reserves to enable us to solidify private brands from design, to production, to market. As a start-up we are very limited by what fixed costs we can pick up and our opportunity caused by this baseline instability is limited. Our long-term goals are to market products and employ business practices that can support and grow a workplace that is innovative in providing a host of benefits and opportunity to our top team members. We want [YOUR COMPANY NAME] to be a place for people to thrive. Our team comes first.

4. General Policies Remote working that works In [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we want to ensure that employee performance will not suffer in remote work arrangements, so we advise our remote team members to: ● ● ● ● ●

Choose a quiet and distraction-free working space. Have an internet connection that’s adequate for their job. Dedicate their full attention to their job duties during working hours. Adhere to break and attendance schedules agreed upon with their manager. Ensure their schedules overlap with those of their team members for as long as is necessary to complete their job duties effectively.

Professional Image in the Workplace At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] your professional image is a key defining element that shapes your reputation. It is part of your personal brand both inside and outside the workplace. For that reason, we kindly ask you to pay attention to the following things: ● ●

Slack profile image: should not have any offensive or non-professional content. Workstations during a video-conference: when talking to other team members through webcam, make sure you keep your workspace, as always, clean, tidy and professional. It is important that no family or other persons are nearby causing visual or noise interference. We want to keep professionalism as if you were in a ground office.

Probationary period [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will set a trial period for its freelancers, it could go from one week up to 90 days of freelancers’ service provision as a probationary period. It will be a time for learning about the company, [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team, your manager and the tasks involved in your job. During the first 90 days of your service provision, [YOUR COMPANY NAME] has the opportunity to decide on the continuation of the business

relationship. This is a probationary time used as an opportunity for the Company to evaluate your performance, and for you to feel comfortable in your position and tasks. We also expect you will become familiar with other relevant information about the company and our rules and regulations. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] may extend the probationary period if it desires and if, at the end of the period, the relationship with the Company is satisfactory to the supervisor, the business relationship will continue.

Work hours [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is proud to offer flexible work hours for our team. The work hours will be discussed during the recruitment period and agreed between [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and the freelancer upon signing an Independent Contractor Agreement or through Upwork, both in quality of freelancers. It is the freelancer’s responsibility to accurately report time worked and to conform to work schedules and overtime policies in effect at the time. Work performed outside of authorized work hours may lead to disciplinary action unless approved by a supervisor in writing.

Time-tracking Policy At [YOUR COMPANY NAME], HR or your manager/supervisor are entitled to track your working time. If you have any questions please contact the Human Resources department at [company hr email address]

How to Track Time as an Upwork Employee ·

Open the Upwork Desktop App

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Log into your Upwork Account

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Select the Correct Contract

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Click the On/Off toggle switch to turn on logging

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Click the “What are you working on?” box to enter a memo and/or activity label

Important note: All Upwork freelancers are required to take Webcam shots while working. Please enable the ‘Take camera shots with screenshots while tracking’ feature.

How to Track Time as a Hubstaff freelancer ·

Open the Hubstaff Desktop App

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Log into your Hubstaff Account

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Select the Correct Contract

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Click the On/Off toggle switch to turn on logging

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Click the “What are you working on?” box to enter a memo and/or activity label

Performance reviews At [YOUR COMPANY NAME], supervisors are continually monitoring each department’s performance, either through Upwork and Hubstaff’s reports or manually. Additionally, some departments measure their productivity through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and these shall be monitored either weekly or monthly depending on the nature of the department. As for overall performance reviews to new team’s members, we carry them at the end of their first three months of business engagement with us. Thereafter, performance reviews will normally be conducted bi-annually. All performance reviews will be completed in writing by the immediate supervisor or manager on the form designated by [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and reviewed during a conference with the freelancer. Compensation increases are given by the Company at its discretion in consideration of various factors, including the results of the performance review.

Progressive Disciplinary Policy [YOUR COMPANY NAME] enforces a policy of progressive sanctions in which it attempts to provide team members with notice of deficiencies and an opportunity to improve. Sanctions may take the form of the following in the order indicated: ● ● ●

written warning written warning stating probation termination

The course of action will be determined by the company at its sole discretion as it deems appropriate. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] reserves the right to accelerate disciplinary measures to deal with the severity of the infraction. Furthermore, there are some situations which [YOUR COMPANY NAME] believes are so detrimental to the integrity of its operations and personnel that immediate termination may be required (see the sections 10. Conduct Policy and 11. Code of Conduct).

Records up to date At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we keep our team members’ personal information up-to-date. Therefore, when you commence your collaboration with us, you are expected to provide current personal information, such as full name, address, phone number, etc. It is important that these details are current at all times. If you change any of these details, please notify the Human Resources department immediately in writing. It is not sufficient to change your details with your department or via an employee website as this will not update Human Resource systems.

References [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will respond to business reference requests through Human Resources

5. Working from home [YOUR COMPANY NAME] team works from home. Therefore, we want to assure we give you all the ergonomic guidelines for you to follow in order to avoid any possible health issue or discomfort. There are three ergonomic rules of thumb you should always follow: ● ● ●

Make sure your computer display is at eye level Use a keyboard and mouse with hand and wrist support If you’re using a chair, ensure that it adequately supports your back

The freelancer is responsible for resolving any home-related issues that can potentially hinder their work. In case of interruption of work related activities due to phenomena unrelated to the freelancer’s solution possibilities, such as electricity loss in the area, natural disasters, loss of internet reception in the area, among others, these must be timely communicated together with a contingency plan proposed by the freelancer to recover the activities and working time.

6. Freelancer Categories ●

Full-Time Freelancer: These are freelancers who are not in a temporary or probationary status and who are regularly scheduled to provide his/her services to the organizations as agreed in their contract with [YOUR COMPANY NAME].

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Short Term Freelancer: A “short term freelancer” shall mean an individual whose services provision is limited in duration and his/her services are contracted for a specific short-term project, or on a short-term freelance, per diem or temporary basis. Short-term freelancers are not eligible for Company benefits.

Freelancer’s platforms and trackers ●

Upwork

Freelancers ́services contracted from Upwork shall work and be paid hourly. When [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and an Upwork Freelancer enter into an Hourly Contract, when [YOUR COMPANY NAME] makes a bonus or expense payment to an Upwork Freelancer, the UpWork agreement between [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and the Upwork Freelancer applies. ●

Hubstaff

Freelancers whose nature of business with [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is through “Independent Contractors Agreements” will be monitored through Hubstaff. For this purpose, they will have to install this application on their machines to track time, activity levels, and take screenshots.

7. Business policies Equal opportunities [YOUR COMPANY NAME] provides equal opportunities to all freelancers and applicants, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic addressed as “discrimination” by the international human rights legal framework1. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of business engagement, including freelance recruiting, hiring of independent contractors or any others, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] conforms to the spirit as well as to the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

Freelancers “at will” The term “at will” means that [YOUR COMPANY NAME] may terminate business with you at any time with or without notice or cause. While the company generally adheres to progressive discipline, it is not bound or obligated to do so. In addition, the company may need to alter your service provision status, service

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https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/thematic-areas/human-rights/equality-and-non-discrimination/

hours, schedule or demote your role at the company at its own discretion with or without notice or cause. As an “at will” freelancer, you are not guaranteed, in any manner, that your services will be requested for any set period of time. No one in the company, except the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in a written, signed contract, may make any representation or promise to you that you are other than an “at-will” service provider. Any freelancer providing its services to [YOUR COMPANY NAME], manager or supervisor who makes such a representation or promise to you is not authorized to do so. · For Upwork Freelancers – Provision of services “at will”: Either you or the company may terminate the business relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice. · For Freelancers “at will” tracking their hours through Hubstaff: Either you or the company may terminate the business relationship given that there is a two week notice for both parties, with or without cause or notice.

‘Open door’ policy [YOUR COMPANY NAME] has an open-door policy and takes all concerns and problems seriously. The company values everyone within its team and strives to keep a positive work experience. Everyone in [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team is encouraged to speak with his or her immediate supervisor at any time with questions or problems relating to the assigned tasks while providing services to [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. If you are unable to satisfactorily resolve your question or problem with your supervisor, you can request a meeting with a manager or with the Human Resources Manager.

No-Gossip policy Gossip - unproductive complaints without creating a proposal for enacted change - isn’t welcome at our team. It is our policy here at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] that one team member does not complain to another team member about systems or people outside of that team member’s power to improve or adjust. In other words, if the person you’re talking to cannot change the situation, please do not complain to him or her. Please bring this up with someone who can so we can move towards improvement or resolution. If someone begins to involve you in gossip, it’s your responsibility to let him or her know that this is not helpful or to inform management if you need assistance in finding resolution between parties. Each team member is responsible for making sure the policies of our practice are carried out. If you see another team member violating policy, it’s your responsibility to gently correct him or her or to let a superior know so he or she can correct the violator. If this doesn’t resolve the problem, submit a written report to your manager. Historically - this doesn't happen, and we hope to encourage people to keep things productive this way. Policies that aren’t carried out or that are violated are detrimental to the team. Everyone must work for the good and progression of the team.

8. Health and Care Policies Work-Life Balance In [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we want for you to have quality time with your family so as a consequence you can give quality time at work. We understand the importance of balancing work and family life, especially if you work from home. Therefore, we encourage you to set boundaries with your family and person’s at home so that they can respect your work time. This will, in turn, guarantee you have quality family time.

Stress Management [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of its team members and promoting a positive work environment. We recognize that work-related stress can affect mental and physical health, that's why we encourage you to practice self-stress management and take actions if you feel the need. [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team will always be open to dialogue and will do their best to support you.

9. Compensation & Benefits Payments All freelancers of the Company are paid depending on the platform they use. In the case of freelancers from Upwork, they will be paid weekly and freelancers who are under Hubstaff will be paid monthly, after the monthly services delivered. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] takes all reasonable steps to ensure that freelancers receive the correct amount of pay in each paycheck and that freelancers are paid promptly on the scheduled payday. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will not deduct taxes from your pay. You are responsible to pay taxes in your home country.

Paid overtime There may be occasions when you will be required to work outside of your rostered hours; these hours may be considered as overtime. No paid overtime is to be worked, or paid, unless previous authorization has been given by your supervisor/manager. To request over time, follow these steps: 1. Please make sure that overtime will be requested ahead of time or at least 2 days before your weekly limit runs out. 2. Click [LINK TO OVERTIME-REQUEST FORM] to open the Overtime Approval Form and answer all required questions. 3. Make sure you input all the information needed to avoid errors and disapprovals.

4. Notify your Team Lead and the Executive Assistant to the Director of Operations and Logistics after you submitted the form so we can check progress. 5. Check if you received a copy of your Overtime Request on your email. Notify [HR DIRECTOR NAME] if you didn’t receive any. 6. Your Team Lead will receive a copy of your request via email and will do the review. Once reviewed, they will endorse it to the Department Director for approval. 7. The Department Director will do the approval. 8. You will receive an email about the progress of your request, or you can always track it using the link provided in the confirmation email that you will receive after the form is submitted. Please note the process might take up to 2-3 business days.

Business Expense Reimbursement [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members may be reimbursed for reasonable approved expenses incurred in the course of business. These expenses must be approved by your Supervisor, and may include air travel, hotels, meals, cab fare, rental vehicles, or gas and car mileage for personal vehicles, as long as they have been incurred in work duties. Contact your Supervisor in advance if you have any questions about whether an expense will be reimbursed.

Change of shifts Virtual assistants for customer service have established shifts. However, as stated in our values, at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we understand and like to be understood. Consequently, when a [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member requires a change of his/her shift, the direct manager/supervisor will assess the situation and if considered suitable he/she will grant it. For formalization purposes, [LINK TO FORM] should be filled. Please make sure that a change of shifts has to be requested ahead of time, at least 3 days before. As for the form, make sure you complete all the information needed to avoid delays. If you work on Customer Service, coordinate first with the person that will cover your shift and/or tasks before requesting change of shift. Last, when the request has been sent, you will receive an email about the progress of your request, or you can always track it using the link provided in the confirmation email that you will receive after the form is submitted.

9. Vacation and Leave Vacation benefits [YOUR COMPANY NAME] decided to provide (though not required), as a benefit, 5 days as paid vacations for its eligible freelancers. However, we ask you to plan those days off in advance for organization purposes. In this regard, tentative time-off request shall be submitted every quarter of a year, this means, within the first week of January, March, June, and September. Forward requests for time off to a supervisor, who may approve or deny the request based on company resources and needs. Vacation days are granted only on a full day basis. An eligible freelancer is to receive paid time off after 6 months of service. Any remaining accrued time off may not be accumulated or carried forward into the next year. For the purpose of formally request your vacations, you must fill [VACATION REQUEST FORM]. Please make sure that those vacation days will be requested a month before and make sure you complete all the information needed to avoid delays. If you work on Customer Service, coordinate first with the person that will cover your shift and/or tasks before requesting for vacations. Check if you received a copy of your Vacations Request on your email and if not, notify Human Resources. Your request will then be reviewed and formally approved with the decision previously discussed with your supervisor. Last, when the request has been sent, you will receive an email about the progress of your request, or you can always track it using the link provided in the confirmation email that you will receive after the form is submitted.

Unpaid time off and leave benefit [YOUR COMPANY NAME] offers to its freelancer’s unpaid time off as an authorized absence from work without pay, which may be granted for personal reasons after a freelancer has exhausted his or her applicable Vacation Leave. Freelancers must submit a request for Unpaid Time Off to their immediate supervisor at least 15 days in advance of the desired time off. Approval decisions must take into consideration the staffing and budgetary needs of the department. Requests may be denied on the basis of these or other reasonable considerations.

Sick leave At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we care about our team’s wellbeing and the reality is that our team is composed by freelancers. Therefore, the nature of freelancers’ business does not entitle sick leave. However, one of the advantages of working at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is the freedom and trust we deposit in our team members. Hence, in case of feeling sick, we recommend for you to speak with your supervisor and arrange your weekly working hours to recover those that were dedicated to rest due to illness.

10. Conduct Policy Anti-Harassment Policy Everyone at [YOUR COMPANY NAME] has a responsibility to prevent and stop harassment. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] prohibits harassment in any form. Prohibited harassment refers to any verbal, visual or physical harassment that is unwelcome or creates a hostile work environment. Working remotely means that most of our interactions are by video call and written communication, such as email or shared documents. Therefore, no matter the method of communication, it is expected that all team members will contribute to an inclusive and collaborative working environment aligned to [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s core values. Should you become aware of or witness any form of harassment or behavior that violates this policy or our company values, please report the incident immediately to the Human Resources department for thorough investigation.

Anti-discriminatory Policy At [YOUR COMPANY NAME] we offer equal opportunities. Hence, any form of discrimination towards an individual is strictly prohibited. Types of discrimination may include, but are not limited to: · · · · · · · ·

Age Disability Race; including color, nationality, ethnic or national origin Religious beliefs or lack of religious belief Life expectancy Sex Sexual orientation Transgender status

If you believe you have been discriminated against or witnessed discriminatory practices, please contact the Human Resources department to initiate an investigation into the behavior.

[YOUR COMPANY NAME] will ensure the well-being of its freelancers and in case of harassment to any of our team members, [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will attempt to investigate and address any situations that arise, consistent with the intent of this policy, laws and regulations. We will take appropriate action to correct any incidences of discrimination or harassment found. Managers are responsible for implementing this policy in their departments, keeping the workplace free from any form of harassment, bullying or discrimination, ensuring that all stakeholders fully understand this policy.

Drug and alcohol use policy It is completely prohibited for you to be under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol while you are performing tasks for [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. If [YOUR COMPANY NAME] notices this wrongful behavior through the webcam shots taken or if your behavior or duties performance appear unusual, the business relationship between you and [YOUR COMPANY NAME] will be terminated immediately.

11. Code of Conduct Overview The purpose of this section is to clarify the high standard of conduct that is associated with ethical business and practices, and to identify areas and situations where standards might be compromised, and to describe guidelines governing such situations. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is proud to have an open and positive work environment by promoting basic practices of good conduct, which include but are not limited to: ·

Ensure quality projects, products and excellent customer service.

· Maintain honesty and integrity, avoiding actual or apparent conflicts of interest in personal and professional relationships. · Provide customers with information that is accurate, complete, objective, relevant, timely, and understandable. ·

Act in good faith, responsibly, with due care, competence and diligence.

· Respect the confidentiality of information acquired in the course of one’s work except when authorized or otherwise legally obligated to disclose. Confidential information acquired in the course of one’s work will not be used for personal advantage.

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Responsible use of and control over all company assets (virtual and physical) employed or entrusted.

Accountability and Responsibility · It is [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members’ responsibility to be accountable for adhering to this code of conduct. · [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members must disclose all potential conflicts of interest, including those in which they have been inadvertently placed due to either company or personal relationships. This includes family members, customers, suppliers, company associates or competitors of [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. · [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members must not, accept gifts, trips, entertainment, or favors from a customer, potential customer, supplier, or potential supplier of goods or services to [YOUR COMPANY NAME], unless what is given is of nominal value and refusal to accept it would be discourteous or otherwise harmful to [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. If this is the case, first it should be notified to the superior and a decision shall be made then, in order to accept it.

Punctuality and Attendance Scheduled hours may vary depending on work location and job responsibilities. Supervisors will provide freelancers with their work schedule, and should a freelancer have any questions regarding his/her work schedule, the freelancer should contact the supervisor. The company does not tolerate absenteeism without excuse. Any [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who will be late to or absent from work should notify a supervisor in advance, or as soon as practicable in the event of an emergency. [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members are expected to comply with their established work hours and failure to report to work and not calling to report the absence is a no call/no show and is a serious matter. Any unreported absences are considered job abandonment and will be considered a voluntary will to terminate your business engagement with [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. For [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members with assigned shifts, we recognize that there are times when absences and tardiness cannot be avoided. In such cases, you are expected to notify your Supervisor as early as possible, but no later than the start of your workday. Asking a colleague, friend or relative to give this notice is improper and constitutes grounds for disciplinary action. Please use [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s communication channels for stating the nature of your urgency. [YOUR COMPANY NAME] reserves the right to require reasonable proof of illness or temporary disability. Excessive absences or tardiness will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Confidentiality and IT Security [YOUR COMPANY NAME] fully trusts its team and while there are many advantages to allowing its team to work from home, the retention of sensitive company information needs a great deal of consideration:

Protect your personal information, files and data ·

Perform all transactions on a secure, password-protected network.

· Use different passwords for every account. Of course, it can be difficult to remember so many passwords, that’s why it’s a good idea to use a password manager such as LastPass or Dashlane to help you do this. ·

Log off when you’re done. Always log out of every online account when you’ve finished using them.

· Encrypt your data. Doing this means that, even if a hacker were to somehow get access to some of your data, they wouldn’t be able to read it without the encryption key.

Recognize phishing emails · Vagueness. If the subject of the email or any attachments are suspiciously nonspecific and don’t reference any project you are working on, leave them alone. · Recognizable email address but weird content. It’s easy for a phisher to fake the email address of someone you’re already in contact with. If the message seems out of character and asks for your personal info or for you to click a strange link, then it's probably a phishing attack. As a freelancer working from home, you may not have personally met your professional contacts in person, but a little intuition and noticing other tell-tale signs should help.

Safeguard your personal items while on the go Many freelancers are also cyber nomads, meaning that in addition to working out-of-office, you may also be working out-of-country in a faraway country where pickpockets and other scammers pose a threat. Not only is your data at risk, but your possessions, as well. Follow these tips to safeguard against thieves: · Use a travel-safe, anti-theft backpack or bag. Travel safe bags are padded, lockable and contain inner pockets to prevent slashing and other forms of theft. · Never let go of your valuables. If you are on a bus, in a taxi, or just working at a coffee shop: don’t store your stuff in a compartment or at your feet. · Keep USBs, credit cards, etc in a money belt (along with your money). Losing money is very upsetting, but it might be worse to lose valuable data or information stored in a flash drive, so protect them as you protect cash and payment cards. · Be on guard at all times. Don’t talk to suspicious strangers or fall for common scams where one thief distracts you while another runs off with your valuables.

Reacting to security breaches If you suspect someone hacked your computer, lost your work-issued tech device, make sure you alert in the event of a security breach and report it as soon as possible to your supervisor.

Maintaining confidentiality is a top priority for [YOUR COMPANY NAME]. In an age where security breaches and leaked information are commonplace, [YOUR COMPANY NAME] promotes extra security to protect its clients, partners and reputation. No solicitation – No distribution [YOUR COMPANY NAME] is enthused to maintain a pleasant and cooperative relationship with its team in all matters. However, no business relationship can operate efficiently if there are frequent work interruptions. As such, [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members may not solicit for any cause, or distribute literature of any kind (for themselves or another employee) for any purpose while performing duties for [YOUR COMPANY NAME].

Conflict of interest and business ethics [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s freelancers might have more than one business relationship where they provide their services and we respect that. However, we do expect a satisfactory performance of your responsibilities with [YOUR COMPANY NAME] and high consideration towards our reputation. The fundamental principle guiding this policy is that no [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member should have, or appear to have, personal interests or relationships that actually or potentially conflict with the best interests and nature of the Company. Examples include but are not limited to: ● ● ● ● ● ●

The ability of a [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member to use their position with the company to their personal advantage [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who participates in activities that provide direct or indirect benefits to a competitor [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who hold shares of the shares of a competitor [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who uses connections obtained through the company for their own private purposes [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who uses company equipment or means to support an external business [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member who acts in a way that could compromise the legality of the company (for example, accepting bribes or bribing representatives of legal authorities)

[YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members can seek further clarification on issues related to the subject of acceptable standards of operation. Situations that would constitute a conflict in most cases include but are not limited to: · No "presumption of guilt" is created by the mere existence of a relationship with outside personnel. However, if a [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member has any influence on transactions involving purchases, contracts, or leases, it is imperative that he/she disclose to an officer of the organization as soon as

possible the existence of any actual or potential conflict of interest so that safeguards can be established to protect all parties. · A conflict of interest would also exist when a member of a [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team member’s immediate family is involved in situations such as those above. This policy is not intended to prohibit the acceptance of modest courtesies, openly given and accepted as part of the usual business amenities, for example, occasional business-related meals or promotional items of nominal or minor value. It is your responsibility to report any actual or potential conflict that may exist between you (and your immediate family) and the Company.

Intellectual Property [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s team members are prohibited from any unauthorized use of the [YOUR COMPANY NAME]’s intellectual property, such as audio and video tapes, print material, database materials and software and documents. The Company is not responsible for any damage to freelancers’ personal belongings unless the respective supervisor provided advance approval for the employee to bring the personal property to an “in-person” meeting.

12. Termination Disciplinary Process Please refer to the Progressive Discipline Policy.

Resignation To resign from your position and terminate business with [YOUR COMPANY NAME], we ask that freelancers submit a written two-week (at minimum) notice to their direct supervisor. The Freelancer agrees to return any property including, but not limited to, passwords, software, online documents belonging to the Company at the time of termination.

Exit Interviews At [YOUR COMPANY NAME], we are always striving to improve. Exit interviews have a proven track record of providing helpful and insightful information about an individual’s time with the company. Exit interviews are not mandatory but encouraged to openly discuss areas of improvement.

13. Agreement By signing and submitting this page, the freelancer confirms that it is their responsibility to understand and follow the policies in the document. You accept that: ·

You have read the entire [YOUR COMPANY NAME] handbook and understand your responsibilities related to it.

·

You have had the opportunity to ask questions to clarify any unclear aspects of the handbook.

·

You agree to abide by its principles.

. You agree to report any violations of the handbook and to cooperate in any investigations of violations of the handbook.

Name: Position: Date:

Signature: