| Field Personnel Handbook
The Marek Family of Companies is an interior contractor organization that stresses quality work at competitive prices. The Company's main asset is its employees. The Companys policies are set forth in this information taken from the Marek Hourly Employee Handbook for your review and guidance. If you are an hourly employee of a Marek company you should have been given a personal copy of this book. If by chance you were not or you have misplaced your copy please ask your supervisor for a new one. In addition to this Handbook, you should also have received a copy of our employee safety booklet and insurance program book.
Our goal is to continue to grow as a quality company. Continued growth will create employment opportunities for people who strive to improve their skills, production, and loyalty to the Company.
We hope you will be a happy employee, apply yourself, and benefit from our growth in the future.
Statement of Values
- We believe finding and keeping good people is just as important to our Companies profits and growth as finding and keeping good customers. Our commitment to providing you a good place to work is based on the principles of our founders:
- We value people. Each team member will be given the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.
- We value integrity. Doing the job right the first time is essential. We insist on quick response and quality results because these are the things our customers deserve.
- We value safety. Our management is dedicated to providing you a safe working environment. We expect you to be equally dedicated to working safely.
- We value profit. Making a fair profit on good work is the only way we can continue to provide growth and opportunity to the Marek Family of employees.
- We value our customers. Customers, too, are part of our family and we insist they be treated honestly and ethically. They are our life's blood, both today and tomorrow.
- We value sharing. We recognize our community has needs, too. By sharing profits with our employees and sharing resources with our community, we contribute to a better future for all.
- We value competition. Competition is the fuel that drives us to deliver excellence. By always striving to be the best, we all become winners.
The Marek Family of Companies has stood by these principles since 1938. They are our pledge to you-- our promise to every employee who shares our values.
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Employment Opportunities
The Marek Companies offer equal employment opportunities to all persons based on qualifications without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin.
To this end, the Company will not discriminate in any aspect of the employment relationship including selection, testing, promotion, transfer, termination, pay, training, and employee benefits and will take affirmative action to assure compliance with this policy.
Additionally, it is Company policy to prohibit harassment of one employee by another on the basis of sex. If an employee feels he/she has been the victim of discrimination or sexual harassment, report the matter to your supervisor or your supervisor's superior immediately. Such alleged misconduct and allegations of harassment shall be fully investigated, and corrective or disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from employment will be taken as warranted.
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Employment Status
Neither the Company nor any of its managers, supervisors, or other employees guarantee any specific duration of employment. Employees may leave employment at any time without cause.
Likewise, the Company reserves the right to terminate any employee at any time within the provisions of the law.
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Length of Service
In the event you are laid off due to lack of work, you will not be considered to have a break in service should you be reinstated within the Company within 120 days. Employees who terminate at their own discretion or who are terminated for cause automatically have a break in service and, should they return to work, they begin as new employees.
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Work Week and Payday
Our pay week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday, with payday being each Friday.
No paychecks will be issued before Friday. There will be no exceptions to the rule. Should you quit, your paycheck will be available to you at the office on Friday. Employees who are discharged or laid off will receive their paycheck in accordance with State law either at the time of dismissal or on or before the next scheduled payday at the option of the Company.
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Authorized Check Pickup
If you are absent on a payday and instruct someone to pick up your paycheck, a note signed by you authorizing the person must be provided before the check can be released.
The person picking up the check must show proper identification and sign for the check. This protects both you and the Company. Attendance Regular and on-time attendance is essential to efficient operations. Excessive absenteeism and tardiness are not only inconvenient but also a costly problem. While it is recognized that occasional illness or personal reasons cause unavoidable absence or tardiness from work, regular on-time attendance is required for continued employment.
Employees must call in to the office prior to 6:30 a.m. to report any absence or lateness.
Employees who fail to maintain an acceptable attendance record will be subject to disciplinary measures. Unexcused absence or tardiness will affect your promotion and/or raises during performance reviews.
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Arrival Time and Work Time
All employees are required to be at their assigned work places with necessary tools at starting time, not just at the jobsite. A 30 minute lunch break is allotted at midday, with sufficient time to pick up tools allowed at the end of each work day.
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Breaks
The Company allows employees to take a break from work near midmorning. The break time will be established by your supervisor and is to be taken at your work station and should not extend beyond 10 minutes. Congregating or sending someone for food or drink is not permitted. There are no provisions for afternoon breaks.
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Termination and Resignation
Although employees may leave employment at any time without cause, the Company does require two weeks notice prior to resignation in order to receive pay for unused vacation time.
In addition, if you are terminated for misconduct you will not be compensated for unused vacation time.
At the time of separation, the Company will determine if the employee has any outstanding debt owed to the Company and whether the individual has in his possession any Company tools, uniforms, or other Company property.
Employees will be issued a final check in accordance with State law after this full accounting of the employee's and Companys accounts has taken place.
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Overtime
Employees who work in excess of 40 hours per week will be paid time and one-half their hourly rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours. The work week will run Monday through Sunday for the purpose of computing overtime.
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Safety
It is our objective to make your work environment as safe as possible at all times. However, since construction projects are occupied by employees of many independent contractors, we do not have control over the entire work site. Therefore, we urge employees to be alert for safety at all times. The Company has published a safety booklet which is provided to you when you are hired. You are required to read and apply it in your daily work.
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Accidents
In the event you are involved in an accident or sustain an injury while on the job, you must report it to your supervisor immediately regardless of its severity. First aid supplies are normally maintained at jobsites to take care of certain minor injuries. At your discretion or in the more serious injuries, your supervisor will assist you in getting to proper medical facilities.
Where the seriousness of the injury is in question, your supervisor may require you to seek medical attention even if you feel it is not warranted.
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General Housekeeping
The Company requests that all employees cooperate in making our facilities and jobsites cleaner and safer places in which to work. Please use trash cans that are available and do not leave trash or bottles of any kind on the jobsite or within trucks. The Company welcomes any suggestions toward making our facilities or jobsites the cleanest possible.
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Tools
The Company provides all of the necessary scaffolding, lasers, cut off saws, stocking equipment and larger tools for you to do your job. However, you are required to purchase your own personal hand tools that you will need. No tools, except those you have purchased, are allowed to be removed from a jobsite or the shop.
Employees are expected to care for Company tools and equipment and, in the event of loss or damage due to negligence, the employee will be responsible for replacement or repair costs.
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Side Jobs
As an employee you are expected to devote your primary working energies to your job. However, the Company does not restrict you from working at side jobs unless you work for a competitor or unless you do work that might have normally been available to the Company. In no instance must this work be done with Company tools, equipment or materials or lessen your ability to do your job for the Company.
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Honesty and Responsibility
All employees are expected to be honest and responsible when handling customers or the Companys materials. All employees are bonded and any theft, no matter how minor, will be prosecuted by the bonding company.
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Election Day
The Company encourages all employees to vote for the candidates of their choice on election days. Work days will be scheduled to allow time for employees to vote in general elections.
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Jury Service
If you are called for jury duty, you must notify your supervisor of the day you are to report with as much advance notice as possible. Although the Company does not pay for time spent serving on a jury, no employee will be terminated or suffer a loss of seniority for time spent in jury duty.
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Right to Work
Membership in any union or other organization is not required for a job with the Company. No employee will be discriminated against on account of or lack of union membership or membership in any other organization.
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No Solicitation
No solicitation of any type will be allowed on jobsites or in any of our facilities during working hours by employees, and at no time by outside organizations on Company property or jobsites.
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Illegal/Unauthorized Items
Illegal and unauthorized substances and drugs, look-alikes, synthetic drugs, alcoholic beverages, drug paraphernalia, legally prescribed drugs in excess of reasonable dosage requirements, contraband, stolen property, firearms, weapons, ammunition, explosives and any other hazardous substances or articles are strictly prohibited on any of the Marek Companies properties. Employees found to be using or in possession or concealment, or having a measurable presence in the body, of any of the above mentioned unauthorized items, will not be allowed on Company property and will be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, termination. All persons and their vehicles and personal property are subject to search, inspection, and urine drug screening before entering, while on, or departing the premises of properties of the Marek Companies.
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Transportation
Employees will provide their own transportation to and from the job. If in the course of a day's work you are required to go from job to job, you will be paid your hourly rate for time spent in travel.
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Complaints and Grievances
The Company feels a great concern for any work-related problem you have, and we will make every effort to resolve your grievance. The first step should be to discuss your problem with your supervisor, honestly and candidly. There is a good possibility that he can solve your problem at this stage.
If your problem remains unsolved, you may bring it to the attention of the personnel manager or next higher ranking individual, either of whom will have authority in reaching a workable solution.
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Performance Reviews
Your performance will be evaluated at least annually by your supervisor. His recommendation for promotion or pay raise must be approved by the Production Manager before any change takes effect. Performance evaluations do not necessarily mean changes in pay or job duties.
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Raises
Consideration for raises is based upon several factors relating to your overall job performance. These include your production, safety, attitude, attendance, and seniority.
Your production capabilities will always be the first consideration for a raise. Employees who demonstrate an increased capacity to produce on a consistent basis will be considered for a raise according to current production schedules.
In addition to production, you must also maintain above-average performance in the areas of safety and attendance. Likewise, your attitude toward your work and cooperation with management, supervisory personnel, coworkers, and our customers plus your length of service with the Company will be factors in your consideration for a raise.
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Errors in Pay
Every precaution is taken to ensure that you are paid correctly. If you believe there is an error, notify your supervisor or the payroll department. We will make every attempt to adjust the error immediately and no later than the next pay period.
Shortages involving overtime work or for less than eight hours in an otherwise full week will be paid on the following week's check.
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Leaves of Absence
On occasion, it may be necessary for you to be absent from work for an extended period of time due to personal, health, or family related problems. Leaves of absence for limited periods of time will be considered depending upon the reasons and circumstances that prompt such a request, and will be in compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act. These periods shall be without pay.
Leaves for personal reasons are reviewed and acted upon with consideration of the following factors:
- the purpose for which the leave is requested
- the length of time the employee will be away
- the effect the leave will have on the Company
- the employee's position and length of service.
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Benefits
A comprehensive group of employee benefits has been developed for you by the Marek Companies. Benefits are carefully designed to provide you with a balance of time off from work without creating undue hardship, help in cases of injury, illness, or retirement, and an opportunity to grow with your job. Most of the cost of the benefits is paid by The Marek Companies.
Regular full time employees are eligible for most benefits if they meet specific requirements. The following benefits are subject to change from time to time. Any questions you may have should be directed to your supervisor, personnel manager, or payroll department.
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Flexible Benefit Plan
Your Company provides many of its benefits to you under a Flexible Plan called FlexPlan. With FlexPlan you will be able to select from different levels of coverage or participation in several benefit areas such as group health care, life insurance, dental coverage and a cafeteria plan. This enables you to tailor your benefit package to better fit your individual needs.
These benefits are paid, in part, by FlexDollars provided to you by the Company. Under FlexPlan, most benefits selected by employees in excess of available FlexDollars can be paid for on a pretax basis through payroll deduction.
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Vacation
The Company recognizes that employees need a scheduled time away from normal work duties for their personal well being. The Company grants annual vacation with pay to regular full time employees who have completed at least one year of continuous service.
Since vacation time is earned for the prior year's service, the following will govern the amount of vacation you will receive each calendar year.
- 3.5 hours of paid vacation time for each full month remaining in the calendar year at the time you complete your first year of service. For example, if you complete your first year of service on February 10, 1998, then your 1998 paid vacation time is 35 hours (10 X 3.5 = 35, 10 being the number of months left in 1998 after February).
- 40 hours of paid vacation time each calendar year thereafter through the calendar year of your 10th service anniversary.
- 80 hours of paid vacation time each calendar year beginning with the calendar year of your 11th anniversary and for each year thereafter.
- Vacations should be scheduled with your supervisor at least one week in advance of the time you wish to be off.
- Vacation pay will be paid the normal payday covering the work week in which your vacation falls and will not be considered as time worked for overtime purposes.
- Since vacations are designed to provide you with a period of annual relaxation, taking pay in lieu of time off is discouraged and granted only in special situations.
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Holidays
The Company normally observes the following paid holidays for employees who meet eligibility requirements.
- New Year's Day
- Labor Day
- Memorial Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- July 4th
- Christmas Day
To be eligible for pay you must have completed one year of continuous service and work the workdays before and after the holiday. Those who qualify will receive eight (8) hours pay for the holiday. Paid holiday time will not be considered as time worked for the purpose of computing overtime.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, its observance will be at Management's discretion.
The Company may decide to work on a holiday depending upon job requirements. Additionally, the Company may elect to close for holidays in addition to those listed above. These holidays will be considered days off without pay.
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Health Care Insurance
To offer greater medical security for you and your family, group health care insurance is available to all regular full-time employees.
The insurance becomes effective on the first of the month following 90 days of service.
A choice of medical plans is available to meet your individual needs, including the ability to elect coverage for your dependents.
As outlined previously in this booklet, the Company will provide you with FlexDollars that can be used toward the cost of the insurance.
Complete information concerning the coverage available to you is detailed in your group insurance booklet.
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Continuation of Health Care Insurance
If an employee who has been covered by the Companys health care insurance plan is laid off because of a temporary lack of work and is rehired within 120 days, the employee will become eligible to participate in the group insurance plan as of the first of the month after rehire.
Employees terminating (other than for gross misconduct) may continue their health care insurance coverage for eighteen (18) months at their own expense. Employees whose work hours are reduced to a point where they are ineligible for coverage may also continue coverage for eighteen (18) months at their own expense.
Dependents who are no longer eligible to be covered under the employee's insurance contract due to employee's death, a divorced or legally separated spouse or child ceasing to be a dependent, may continue health care insurance for up to thirty-six (36) months at the expense of the employee or dependents.
Employees and/or dependents must notify the Company within the legally prescribed time frames of their intent to continue coverage. Failure to do so is considered to be notice of cancellation of this option.
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Group Life Insurance
Regular full-time employees may select from specific amounts of group life insurance. This coverage becomes effective at the same time as the group health care insurance.
Dependent life insurance for spouses and each child over six months of age may also be obtained.
Information on the Companys group life coverage will be provided together with the group health care insurance booklet.
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Profit Sharing Plan
To help provide greater financial security during retirement, the Company has established a Profit Sharing Plan to which the Company and/or employees may make contributions.
You will be eligible to join the Plan on the January 1 or July 1 following one year of employment.
Company-funded contributions are placed into the plan on an annual basis when Company profits permit. Employees are allocated a portion of the monies based on their salaries.
As a vesting plan, the amount of Company contribution to which you are actually entitled is based on your length of service with the Company. Vesting (ownership of the money by the employee) begins at three years of service at 20 percent and increases by 20 percent each year. Those with seven years of service or more are 100 percent vested.
Employees may contribute up to 10 percent of their pay through payroll deduction into the plan in order to save for retirement. Employee contributions are always 100 percent vested and may be accessed one time each calendar year.
Normal distributions from the Plan occur when a participant retires, becomes disabled, dies, or separates from the Company.
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401(K) Plan
To further enhance employees ability to save for retirement, the Company offers a 401(K) retirement savings plan. Like the profit sharing plan, the 401(K) can be funded through both Company and employee contributions.
Eligibility requirements for the 401(K) plan are the same as the profit sharing plan.
Eligible employees may contribute up to 10 percent of their pay to the plan through payroll deduction. The 401(K) differs from the profit sharing plan in that employee contributions are made pretax, meaning that they escape federal income tax until distributed to the employee. At its discretion, the Company may elect to match a portion of the money you place into the 401(K) plan. By matching, the Company provides an incentive for employees to save for retirement.
Employee contributions may be accessed based upon hardship as defined in the Plan documents. Like the profit sharing plan, funds are normally distributed upon retirement, death, disability, or separating from employment. Funds in the 401(K) are always 100 percent vested, by the employee.
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Flexible Benefits Plan
The Company offers employees the ability to enjoy significant savings by providing for many benefits to be paid for on a tax-free basis through its flexible benefits (cafeteria) plan.
Under the flexible benefits plan, employees enjoy three tax-free benefits: the ability to pay for the cost of benefits with tax-free dollars, the ability to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses tax-free, and the ability to pay dependent (child care) expenses on a tax-free basis.
Complete information on the Companys Flexible Benefits Plan is available in the Summary Plan Description booklet.
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Disability Policy
The Company has established a fund in the amount of $25,000 per year for the purpose of providing disability payments to employees with a minimum of one year service not able to work because of personal illness or injury not related to the employee's work.
Employees with less than 10 years service are eligible for 20 hours of pay per week up to a maximum of $150 after having been disabled for a period of 10 working days. Employees with 10 years or more of service can receive up to $300 per week. An employee's disability must be confirmed by a written statement from a company-approved physician.
Disability payments to any one employee will not exceed eight weeks in any calendar year.
If in any one year the $25,000 is used up, the Company will rely on employee contributions to aid disabled employees.
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Bonus
Although not guaranteed and not part of your normal compensation, the Company has in the past granted bonuses to those employees who have good records for production, safety, attitude, attendance, and seniority.
These bonuses are gifts from the Company and are based upon the profitability of the Company for the preceding fiscal year. Safety Responsibilities It is the desire of management to protect employees from accidental injury and damage to health while working with our organization. This matter must receive top priority attention from all levels.
Essentially, safety is the functional responsibility of each supervisor who has the right to demand safe operations. It is the supervisor's obligation to teach employees to work safely.
Not withstanding the responsibilities of supervisors, each level of our organization is accountable for safe operations.
Duties and responsibilities of all personnel under this firm's safety program are as follows.
ALL EMPLOYEES MUST:
- Be familiar with and comply with proper safety and health practices.
- Use the required safety devices and proper protective safety equipment.
- Inspect all personal tools and equipment for safe working order.
- Evaluate work area and/or task assignment for personal safety and discuss discrepancies with your immediate supervisor.
- Promptly report all accidents or injuries, regardless of severity, to immediate supervisor.
- Promptly report all unsafe conditions and/or near-misses to immediate supervisor.
- Realize that the use of, or being under the influence of, alcohol or other drugs while on the job is prohibited.
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Safety Rules
As stated in our Company Safety Policy, a serious concentrated effort must be made to hold accidents on the job to a minimum. OSHA law states that no contractor shall require any employee to work in surroundings which are dangerous or hazardous to his safety and health. To comply with these standards, the following rules shall be initiated and enforced immediately.
These are as follows:
- Personal protection
A. Hard hats. Required at all times.
B. Safety glasses. Shall be worn when using any type of powder-actuated tool, when using a screwgun at chest level or above, or power saw. Anywhere there is the serious danger of flying particles shall require the wearing of safety glasses.
C. Proper dress.
- Shirts shall be worn at all times.
- Long pants shall be worn at all times.
- Proper hard sole footwear shall be worn at all times (no athletic shoes permitted).
D. Ear protection. Shall be provided and worn when noise level exceeds safe standards set by OSHAs standards.
E. Safety harnesses. Shall be worn while working 10 feet or more above ground or adjacent work surfaces where no other fall protection such as safety rails is provided.
F. Respiratory protection. When gases, vapors, fumes, etc., are present, appropriate respiratory protection shall be provided and used.
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Disciplinary Policy
All companies, no matter what their business, have certain rules of behavior which must be observed to ensure a productive, safe operation. The Marek Companies are no exception. For the welfare of all of us who work together on a day-to-day basis, certain actions are serious enough to warrant disciplinary procedures. Therefore, infractions such as the ones listed below will result in such action which may be in the form of a verbal warning, written warning, suspension, probation, or discharge, depending on the facts of each case.
Since it would be impossible to write rules to cover every situation, the following list is not intended to be all inclusive. It illustrates some of the types of conduct which are unacceptable.
- Unauthorized destruction or removal of any property or records from the Company, a fellow employee, or from any client or customer.
- Fighting and/or using profane, abusive, or threatening language.
- Withholding or falsifying pertinent information at the time of application or employment.
- Possession, drinking, or working under the influence of intoxicants or drugs, and illegal possession of same.
- Violation of safety rules and/or horseplay, or any conduct which endangers the life, safety or health of the employee or others.
- Dishonesty of any kind, including falsification or omission of any information pertaining to employment records, time cards, employee daily work record, etc.
- Insubordination or deliberate failure to accept job assignments from supervisor or other properly designated authority.
- Possession of unauthorized items or substances on premises at any time.
- Non-productivity on the job or project.
- Dispersing confidential Company information to any person outside of the Company.
- Harassment of one employee by another on the basis of sex or any protected status.
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Receipt of Marek Family of Companies Employee Handbook
(When you are given your copy or a replacement copy of the Hourly Employee Handbook you will be ask to sign a receipt like the one that follows. Please make sure you do this. Thank you.)
I have this day received a copy of the Marek Family of Companies Employee Handbook. I understand the rules, policies and benefits contained in the handbook may be changed, modified or deleted at any time. I agree to abide by the rules and regulations contained in the handbook and with the revisions made thereafter. I also understand that any delay or failure by The Marek Family of Companies to enforce any Company policy or rule will not constitute a waiver of Companys right to do so in the future.
I understand that no oral modifications to my employment-at-will status are permitted and that I am required to read the Handbook as a condition of employment. My signature below establishes that I have done so.
I understand that neither this handbook nor any other communication by a Management representative is intended to, in any way, create a contract of permanent employment. Employment can be terminated by either party at any time. However, I do recognize that all members of Management are dedicated to ensuring that discipline, including dismissal, is administered fairly and uniformly.
Employee Signature:____________________________________
Date:______________________
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