Cinderella Inc. Employee Handbook - 2017 updates...
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EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK January 1, 2018
Transcript of Cinderella Inc. Employee Handbook - 2017 updates...
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
January 1, 2018
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................................................1
HISTORY ......................................................................................................................................2
A COMPANY BUILT BY ITS PEOPLE ......................................................................................3
ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYMENT ................................................................................................3
OPEN-DOOR POLICY .................................................................................................................3
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY ................................................................................3
EMPLOYMENT AT-WILL ..........................................................................................................4
EMPLOYMENT CATEGORIES ..................................................................................................4
OVERTIME ...................................................................................................................................4
EXEMPT EMPLOYEE REPORTING PROCEDURE .................................................................5
WORK WEEK AND PAY PERIOD .............................................................................................5
ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY ......................................................................................6
TIME KEEPING ............................................................................................................................6
PERSONAL APPEARANCE ........................................................................................................6
RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK .....................................................................................................7
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS .............................................................................................7
ACCESS TO PERSONNEL FILES ..............................................................................................7
RESIGNATION .............................................................................................................................8
COMPANY POLICIES ................................................................................................................8
SEXUAL AND OTHER HARASSMENT PREVENTION..........................................................8
EMPLOYEE REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS ....................................................................9
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ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES ................................................................................10
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION..............................................................................11
EXAMINATIONS .......................................................................................................................12
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ..........................................................................................................12
SMOKING ...................................................................................................................................17
SAFETY ......................................................................................................................................18
VISITORS....................................................................................................................................19
INSPECTION POLICY ...............................................................................................................19
EMPLOYEE CONDUCT AND WORK RULES .......................................................................20
SOLICITATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE ...................................................20
GIFTS AND GRATUITIES ........................................................................................................21
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ......................................................................................................21
CONFIDENTIALITY..................................................................................................................22
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER PRIVACY STATEMENT .....................................................23
EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES .............................................................................................23
BUSINESS TRAVEL ..................................................................................................................23
USE OF COMPANY RESOURCES ..........................................................................................24
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES ...........................................................................24
COMPUTER AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS ...................................26
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD) POLICY ....................................................................28
SOCIAL MEDIA .........................................................................................................................29
OFFICE ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE ................................................................................30
BENEFITS ....................................................................................................................................31
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HOLIDAYS .................................................................................................................................31
VACATION .................................................................................................................................32
PAID SICK DAYS ......................................................................................................................33
PAID PERSONAL BUSINESS TIME ........................................................................................33
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ...........................................................................................33
BEREAVEMENT LEAVE ..........................................................................................................38
MILITARY LEAVE ....................................................................................................................38
CIVIC LEAVE.............................................................................................................................38
PERSONAL LEAVE ...................................................................................................................39
EMPLOYEE PURCHASES ........................................................................................................40
HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE AND PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE .............................41
BENEFITS CONTINUATION ...................................................................................................41
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE ........................................................................41
RETIREMENT BENEFITS.........................................................................................................42
DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT/RETALIATION COMPLAINT FORM ..................43
EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM......................................................................45
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INTRODUCTION
This handbook is designed to acquaint all employees of Cinderella, Inc. (“Cinderella” or
“Company”) with the Company and to provide information on the Company’s policies, work
rules, and benefits. All employees are encouraged to familiarize themselves with and understand
the contents of this handbook because it will answer many questions concerning employment
with the Company.
Cinderella is committed to maintaining a work environment in which all employees treat
each other with respect and dignity, where employees feel empowered to make suggestions about
their work and the Company’s method of doing business, where all employees receive the
support they need to succeed and to develop additional skills, and where all employees value
each other’s cultural heritages, unique talents and contributions to the Company.
It is Cinderella’s policy to comply with all applicable equal employment opportunity laws
and regulations. Therefore, decisions affecting the terms and conditions of employment will be
made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, height, weight, marital or
familial status, disability, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other
characteristic protected by law. Some of the policies contained in this handbook are designed to
help implement these goals.
This handbook does not create a contract between Cinderella and any of its employees,
and should not be interpreted as creating a contract or other legal obligations, whether express or
implied. Employment at Cinderella is “at will”. Cinderella has developed this handbook to be a
guide to answer common questions. The handbook may be changed, and any of the components
may be discontinued or additional provisions added, at any time without prior notice. This
handbook (and the policies and procedures in the handbook) supersedes any past practices and
any prior written or oral representations or statements regarding the terms and conditions of
employment at Cinderella, including all prior handbooks. In the event there is a conflict between
any descriptions contained in this handbook and those of a written employment agreement,
insurance contract, collective bargaining agreement, law or written policy of Cinderella, the
applicable contract or law will control. If you have questions regarding this handbook, direct
them to Cinderella’s Human Resources Manager.
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HISTORY
How did Cinderella get its name?
In 1955, Bob Jaffe, our company’s founder, was in
California where he observed a fiberglass shell
swimming pool manufactured by the Cinderella Glass
Swimming Pool Company. Bob purchased a fiberglass
pool manufactured by Cinderella, had it shipped to his
home in Bay City, Michigan, and installed it in his
backyard.
Soon thereafter, a number of Bob’s friends approached
him about installing similar pools in their backyards,
and Bob decided to purchase a sales franchise from the
Cinderella Glass Swimming Pool Company.
Over the next several
years, Bob’s swimming
pool business prospered
as it diversified into
vinyl liner pools,
chemicals, and
maintenance equipment.
While the Cinderella
Glass Swimming Pool
Company went bankrupt
and ceased doing
business in 1958, Bob
and his brother Mark
(who had joined the
business) kept the
Cinderella name and
continued building the
company.
The Company opened several retail stores and started selling above and in-ground swimming pools,
chemicals, equipment, and patio furniture. Subsequently, Cinderella began selling swimming pool products
throughout Michigan as a wholesaler. The Company purchased warehouse facilities in Saginaw in 1974. From this
location, Cinderella now distributes swimming pool products, spas, and other leisure products throughout Michigan,
Ohio, and Indiana. Cinderella closed its last retail operation in 1997 to focus on the wholesale distribution of its
product lines.
To better serve the Western Michigan and Indiana markets, Cinderella opened its Grand Rapids and
Indianapolis warehouses in 1993 and 2013, respectively. From these combined offices and warehouse facilities,
Cinderella distributes products throughout West Michigan and Indiana.
Over 60 years later, Cinderella has become one of the largest independent pool and spa distributors in the
nation.
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A COMPANY BUILT BY ITS PEOPLE
Cinderella strives to have an open and cooperative relationship between its employees
and management. Cinderella will make every effort to ensure that employees always have the
right to deal directly with management. The Company is committed to this because we believe
that the continued growth and success of our employees and our company depend on our ability
to work together.
Cinderella as a company strives to be pro-employee. Cinderella has tried to respond to its
employees’ needs in the past, and will continue to strive to do so in the future. This can best be
accomplished through mutual trust and respect, and through open communication.
ABOUT YOUR EMPLOYMENT
OPEN-DOOR POLICY
Management welcomes your suggestions and ideas on how work procedures or
operations might be improved. You are encouraged to submit suggestions and ideas to your
supervisor or the Human Resources Manager.
Your supervisor’s door is open to you for problem resolution. If you believe that you are
being treated unfairly or if the matter is not satisfactorily resolved by your supervisor, you should
direct your concerns to the person to whom your supervisor reports or to the Human Resources
Manager. Reasonable attempts will be made to properly address and arrive at a final resolution of
all problems.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals,
employment decisions will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. Cinderella does not
discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of an applicant’s or
employee’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, height, weight, marital or familial
status, disability, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other
characteristic protected by law. “Genetic information” means information about an individual’s
or family member’s genetic tests, the manifestation of disease or disorder in family members, an
individual’s request for or participation in genetic services, an individual or family member’s
participation in clinical research involving genetic services, or the genetic information of a fetus
carried by an individual or by a family member.
This policy governs all aspects of employment, including hiring, training, job assignment,
compensation, benefits, discipline, and termination.
Any individual with questions or concerns about any type of discrimination in the
workplace is encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of Cinderella immediately in the
manner set forth in Employee Reports and Investigations, below.
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EMPLOYMENT AT WILL
Employment at Cinderella is “at will.” That means that either you or the Company may
terminate your employment with the Company at any time for any or no reason, with or without
cause or notice. As an “at will” employee, you are not guaranteed that you will be employed for
any set period of time. The “at will” employment policy of Cinderella applies to all employees of
the Company. Only the Chief Executive Officer of Cinderella has the authority to enter into a
contract with you that changes the status of your employment from “at will.” To be effective, any
such modification must be in writing and be signed by you and by Cinderella’s Chief Executive
Officer. No Employer policy or practice, written or unwritten, can modify the “at-will”
employment relationship. Cinderella does not authorize oral employment contracts except on a
strictly “at will” basis.
EMPLOYMENT CATEGORIES
Each Cinderella employee is designated as either nonexempt or exempt from federal and
state wage and hour laws. Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay under the specific
provisions of federal and state laws. Exempt employees are excluded from certain provisions of
federal and state wage and hour laws
Your pay, eligibility for overtime, and eligibility for certain benefits depends on such
factors as your status as an exempt or nonexempt employee, whether you are a seasonal
employee, the number of hours you are regularly scheduled to work, and length of service with
the Company. If you are unclear about your status, contact the Human Resources Manager for
clarification.
Cinderella hires temporary and seasonal employees to supplement the workforce or to
assist in the completion of specific projects. Work assignments to particular jobs may be for a
limited duration. Employment beyond any initially stated termination date does not imply a
change in employment status. While temporary and seasonal employees receive all legally
mandated benefits (such as Social Security and Worker’s Compensation Insurance), they are
ineligible to participate in Cinderella’s employee benefit programs with the exception of the
retirement plan, under which qualifying seasonal employees can make contributions and also
receive safe harbor contributions.
OVERTIME
When operating requirements or other needs cannot be met during regular working hours,
non-exempt employees may be assigned to work overtime. A supervisor must authorize all
overtime before it is worked. Cinderella reserves the right to make assignments to any employee
for overtime and to mandate overtime as may be needed. Employees on overtime will be paid
time-and-one-half for all hours worked over 40 hours in a regular work week.
Overtime pay is based on actual hours worked. Time off on a paid holiday, sick leave,
vacation or personal leave, or any leave of absence will not be considered hours worked for
purposes of overtime pay calculations.
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Disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, may be taken for
failure to obtain the required authorization before working overtime or for failure to work
scheduled overtime.
EXEMPT EMPLOYEE REPORTING PROCEDURE
Exempt employees who feel that their pre-determined salary has been improperly
reduced should promptly report their concern in writing to the Human Resources Manager. The
matter will be investigated and if it is determined that an improper deduction was made, the
employee will be reimbursed. Retaliatory conduct against any employee who comes forward
with a genuine concern about pay deductions is prohibited. Concerns regarding retaliation can
be addressed through the Employee Reports and Investigations policy.
WORK WEEK AND PAY PERIOD
Currently, Cinderella’s work week begins Sunday at 12:00 a.m. and concludes the
following Saturday at 11:59 p.m. Paychecks are issued every two weeks and are distributed on
Thursday following each two work week period. In the event that a regularly scheduled payday
falls on a holiday, you will receive your paycheck on the last regular workday immediately
preceding the scheduled payday.
Cinderella encourages you to sign up for direct deposit. If you take advantage of this
service, Cinderella will deposit your paycheck automatically into an account with a bank, credit
union or similar financial institution. You will receive a pay stub showing your earned wages and
all withholdings. Your pay will be automatically transferred to the designated depository, even if
you are on vacation. Many banks provide certain free services for employees choosing to take
advantage of direct deposit. Request a form from the Human Resources Manager if you are
interested in automatic payroll deposit.
Cinderella does not provide pay advances or extend credit to employees for unearned
wages. If a regular payday occurs while you are on vacation, Cinderella will mail your paycheck
to your home, hold it until you return to work, or provide it to you prior to your vacation,
depending on your preference.
All deductions required by law will be deducted from total pay. In the event there is an
error in the calculation of your pay, you should promptly bring the discrepancy to the attention of
the Human Resources Manager for correction. Errors will be corrected in the next regular
paycheck or as soon as possible.
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ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY
To maintain a safe and productive work environment, Cinderella expects you to be
reliable and punctual in reporting for scheduled work. Absenteeism and tardiness place a burden
on other employees and on the Company and is not acceptable. In instances when you cannot
avoid being late to work or are unable to work as scheduled, you should notify your supervisor as
soon as possible in advance of the anticipated tardiness or absence. In most cases, this should be
no later than within the first hour of your start time. Employees who fail to show up for work or
do not call into work for three consecutive days will be deemed to have voluntarily quit as of the
first day of the absence.
Poor attendance and excessive tardiness are disruptive and are grounds for dismissal.
Make every effort to maintain a good attendance record.
TIME KEEPING
Federal and state laws require Cinderella to keep accurate records to calculate employee
pay and benefits. Time worked is the time spent on the job performing assigned duties.
Nonexempt employees must accurately record the time they begin and end their work. They
must also record the beginning and ending time of any split shift or departure from work for
personal reasons. You must record only your own time; you must not record time for anyone
other than yourself. Cinderella utilizes time clocks for employees to record their time worked.
Overtime work must always be approved before it is performed.
Employees are prohibited from performing job functions “off the clock” without
reporting the time worked. No one may authorize or instruct employees to perform work on
behalf of Cinderella that is not accurately recorded in the time record. Violations should be
reported in the manner set forth in the Employee Reports and Investigations policy.
Altering, falsifying, or tampering with time records will result in termination of
employment.
PERSONAL APPEARANCE
During regular business hours and while on Company business, employees are expected
to maintain acceptable hygiene and appropriate dress, consistent with their duties and the
operation of a professional workplace. The way you present yourself at work reflects on the
business image of Cinderella. Dress can also have an impact on your safety and the safety of
others.
Employees are expected to present a clean and neat appearance. No Cinderella
employees should come to work in clothing that presents a safety hazard or is sexually
suggestive. Employees who appear for work inappropriately dressed will be sent home and
directed to return to work in proper attire. Employees will not be paid for this time away from
work.
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For office employees, business casual is generally acceptable. Employees working in the
warehouse may wear jeans, shorts, sweatshirts and t-shirts as long as they are in good condition
and are appropriate for a business atmosphere. Excessively loose shirttails must be tucked in.
Employees in the warehouse must obey all personal protective equipment policies. Steel-toed
footwear, safety glasses, and face protection may be required in certain work areas. Steel-toed
footwear must be worn in the warehouse when working in that area.
If you have any questions concerning the use of personal protective equipment, direct
them to the Operations Manager.
RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK
Employees are encouraged to socialize and develop professional relationships in the
workplace provided that these relationships do not interfere with the work performance of either
individual or with the effective functioning of the workplace. Employees who engage in
personal relationships (including romantic and sexual relationships) should be aware of their
professional responsibilities and will be responsible for assuring that the relationship does not
raise concerns about favoritism, bias, ethics and conflict of interest. In cases of doubt, advice
and counsel should be sought from the Human Resources Manager.
Romantic or sexual relationships between employees where one individual has influence
or control over the other’s conditions of employment are inappropriate. These relationships,
even if consensual, may ultimately result in conflict or difficulties in the workplace. If such a
relationship currently exists or develops, it must be disclosed.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
It is a goal of Cinderella and its managers to provide frequent, informal feedback to
employees about their job performance. Likewise, employees should share their ideas about how
Cinderella can help them be more productive and successful.
Cinderella has a formal job performance evaluation process. This process provides
supervisors and employees the opportunity to discuss job tasks, identify and correct weaknesses,
encourage and recognize strengths, and discuss positive, purposeful approaches for meeting
goals.
ACCESS TO PERSONNEL FILES
Cinderella maintains a personnel file on each employee. The personnel file includes such
information as the employee’s job application, resume, records of training, documentation of
performance appraisals and salary increases, and other employment records.
Personnel files are the property of Cinderella. Access to the information they contain is
restricted. Generally, only supervisors and management personnel of Cinderella who have a
legitimate reason to review information in a file are allowed to do so, unless Cinderella is
authorized by the employee or compelled by law to provide information.
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Employees who wish to review their own file should contact the Human Resources
Manager. With reasonable advance notice, employees may review their own personnel files in
Cinderella offices and in the presence of an individual appointed by Cinderella to maintain the
files. Copies of specific items in the file or copies of the entire contents of the file are available
for a reasonable copying fee. Copies will be provided upon the receipt of a written request and
payment of duplicating fees.
Employees are prohibited from removing documents from their personnel file. If there is
a disagreement with information in the record, the employee may submit a written statement
explaining his/her position. The statement will become part of the personnel record.
Medical information and genetic information shall be maintained in separate files.
RESIGNATION
You may resign your employment with Cinderella at any time. Cinderella requests at
least two weeks’ prior written resignation notice from all employees who wish to terminate their
employment. Failure to provide two weeks advance written notice of resignation will result in
forfeiture of earned, unused vacation time.
COMPANY POLICIES
SEXUAL AND OTHER HARASSMENT PREVENTION
Cinderella forbids harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national
origin, age, height, weight, marital or familial status, disability, service in the uniformed services,
genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. Cinderella is committed to
providing a work environment that is free of discrimination and harassment, regardless of the
source, including other employees, vendors, clients, or visitors.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature, constitutes sexual harassment when:
submission to the conduct is made either an explicit or implicit condition of employment;
submission to or rejection of the conduct is used as the basis for any employment
decision affecting the harassed employee; or
the harassment unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work performance or creates
an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
Examples of forbidden harassment include, but are not limited to: nonverbal conduct,
including gestures, displaying of sexually suggestive, racially offensive or otherwise derogatory
objects or pictures, cartoons or drawings; verbal conduct, including jokes, slurs, comments about
an individual’s body or appearance or use of degrading words to describe an individual or a
classification of individuals, or other derogatory comments; offensive remarks about a person’s
sex; sex-based stereotyping; physical conduct, including touching, assaulting or blocking an
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individual’s movements; sexual advances; offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual
favors; or any other actions which tend to create a hostile work environment.
Each employee has the responsibility of maintaining a work environment free from
sexual and other forms of forbidden harassment. It is helpful for the subject of unwelcome
conduct to inform the alleged harasser directly that the conduct is unwelcome and must stop.
Supervisors will be evaluated on maintaining a non-hostile working environment.
Bullying is also prohibited by this harassment prevention policy. Bullying is defined as:
aggressive or intimidating behavior that is not provoked by the target or targets that may involve
intentional or repeated hurtful acts, words or other behavior. Bullying can take many forms.
Examples of bullying include name calling, rumors, jokes, slurs, pranks, gestures, purposefully
excluding people from a group, threats, attacks, demeaning or threatening text messages, instant
messages, or e mails, or other written, oral, or physical actions.
Employees should not confuse harassment or bullying with supervision. Supervisors
have the right and responsibility to define the job that they want an employee to perform, as well
as the manner in which an employee must perform the job. Thus, close supervision of an
employee (which includes, but is not limited to, counseling and warnings about job performance,
inappropriate conduct, or other performance issues) is not bullying or unlawful harassment.
Any individual with questions or concerns about any type of harassment or bullying in
the workplace is encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Human Resources
Manager immediately in the manner set forth in Employee Reports and Investigations, below.
EMPLOYEE REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS
Cinderella encourages employees to bring suggestions and concerns to management’s
attention so that issues can be addressed before they become problems and other improvements
can be made in the work environment and operations.
In addition to use of the Open Door Policy, any employee or applicant who believes that
he or she has been harassed, discriminated against, subjected to any form of inappropriate
activity or retaliated against based on any of the considerations listed in the Equal Employment
Opportunity or Sexual and Other Harassment Prevention policies by supervisors, co-workers,
contract employees, subordinates, vendors, clients, etc., is required to promptly report the matter
to Kathleen Williams, or the Human Resources Manager. The Discrimination/Harassment
Complaint form must be used. The matter will be handled in a timely and confidential manner,
although it is understood that an investigation will normally require the involvement of third
parties.
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All supervisors who are aware of or suspect any cases of harassment, discrimination,
retaliation or any other inappropriate activity in the work place are responsible for reporting such
cases to the Human Resources Manager. All employees who are aware of any cases of harassment,
discrimination, retaliation or other inappropriate activity in the work place are strongly urged to
report such cases to the appropriate supervisor or the Human Resources Manager without fear of
reprisal.
Upon receiving the report, a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation will be
conducted under the direction of the Human Resources Manager or his designee. In determining
whether the alleged conduct violates Cinderella policy, the totality of the circumstances, the
nature of the alleged actions, and the context in which the alleged incident(s) occurred will be
examined. Reasonable and appropriate action will be taken to prevent future inappropriate
activity. The results of the investigation and any action taken thereafter will be communicated to
the individual who placed the report.
There may be instances in which an individual seeks only to discuss a concern
informally, and does not desire an investigation or to take further steps. However, Cinderella
may decide that it must take action to address the concern beyond informal means.
Cinderella will not permit any retaliatory conduct against any individual who comes
forward with a genuine complaint or concern about harassment, discrimination or another
issue or who assists in the investigation process. Prohibited retaliation includes any
adverse act that might dissuade a reasonable employee or applicant from making or
supporting a charge of discrimination, harassment or other alleged inappropriate conduct.
Any employee who engages in any form of prohibited harassment, discrimination, or
other inappropriate conduct; who engages in retaliatory conduct; or who falsely accuses another
employee of such prohibited acts, will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including
termination of employment.
ACCOMMODATION OF DISABILITIES
Discrimination in employment against persons with disabilities, as defined by Michigan
and federal law, is prohibited. Cinderella also forbids discrimination against persons because the
person has a known association or relationship with an individual with a disability.
Cinderella will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified employees
and applicants so that they can perform their essential job functions. It is the employee’s
responsibility to: (1) notify the Human Resources Manager in writing of the need for
accommodation within 182 calendar days of being hired or of learning of the need for an
accommodation; (2) request one or more accommodations that will enable the employee to
perform any essential job function; and (3) cooperate in providing additional information about
the precise job-related limitations imposed by the disability and what type of accommodation
would help overcome those limitations, which will enable Cinderella to provide a reasonable
accommodation.
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After a request for accommodation has been made, Human Resources and the employee’s
supervisor will meet with the employee to discuss possible reasonable accommodations.
Cinderella has final discretion as to which accommodation it will provide.
WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Cinderella prohibits, and will not tolerate, acts or threats of violence in the workplace. In
addition, Cinderella strictly prohibits the possession of firearms, explosives, or other weapons in
Company buildings or during any work-related activity. Anyone engaging in violent conduct,
threatening violence, or possessing any kind of weapon in violation of this policy is subject to
termination and may be subject to criminal prosecution and arrest.
If an employee obtains a personal protection or restraining order that identifies or
involves Cinderella property as a protected area, the Human Resources Manager should be
immediately notified and provided with a copy of the personal protection or restraining order.
You have a responsibility to yourself, your co-workers, and the Company to report any
threats or acts of violence or aggressive behavior to your supervisor, the Human Resources
Manager, or other Company manager. If you are present during any act of violence in our
workplace, your personal safety should be your first concern. We do not want our employees to
put their own safety at risk. Only trained professionals should deal with violent individuals.
Should any act of violence occur an individual should dial 901 at the Saginaw location,
915 at the Grand Rapids location, or 903 at the Indianapolis location, and announce “active
shooter” from a safe location, through the paging system. This announcement should be short,
but can contain important information for other employees such as identity of the shooter (if
known), the location of the shooter, and the weapon involved. After the page has been made, the
caller should then call 911 and alert authorities. For the purpose of this policy, an active shooter
is defined as a person or persons who appear to be actively engaged in killing or attempting to
kill people at the Company’s premises.
In the event of an active shooter situation the response of employees should be to
evacuate if possible, hide if evacuation is not possible, and as a last resort use any means of self-
defense.
Cinderella will not permit any retaliatory conduct against any individual who comes
forward with a genuine concern about noticed verbal and physical conduct which they
reasonably believe represents a threat of potential workplace violence. Prohibited retaliation
includes any adverse act that might dissuade a reasonable employee from making or supporting a
suspicion of potential workplace violence.
If an employee has questions about active shooter protocol, or perceives a threat of a
violent act, those questions and concerns should be directed to the Human Resources Manager.
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EXAMINATIONS
Applicants for employment may be required, as a condition of employment, to take a
medical examination to establish their fitness to perform the jobs for which they have applied
without endangering the health and safety of themselves or others. Current employees may be
required to undergo a medical examination or to respond to disability related inquiries to
determine fitness for duty when Cinderella has a reasonable belief, based on objective evidence,
that: (1) an employee's ability to perform essential job functions will be impaired by a medical
condition; or (2) an employee will pose a direct threat due to a medical condition. Disability-
related inquiries and medical examinations may also follow up on a request for reasonable
accommodation when the disability or need for accommodation is not known or obvious. In
addition, periodic medical examinations and other monitoring under specific circumstances that
are job-related and consistent with business necessity may be required. Time spent in an
examination will be considered hours worked as required by law.
Employees shall comply with both physical and mental examinations required by a
government body or by Cinderella. The health professional will be directed not to collect any
genetic information of the employee or the employee’s family. Examinations will be at
Cinderella’s expense by a health professional of Cinderella’s choice. If an employee disagrees
with the results, they may be re-examined at their own expense. Employees are required to sign
a release and authorization for Cinderella to receive a copy of any required examination.
Examinations paid for by Cinderella are the property of Cinderella. The examination records
will be kept in separate medical files and access will be limited to a need-to-know basis.
Following are examples of circumstances when this information may be disclosed:
Supervisors and managers may be told about necessary restrictions on the work or duties
of the employee and about necessary accommodations;
First aid and safety personnel may be told, when appropriate, if the disability might
require emergency treatment;
Government officials investigating compliance with the ADA must be given relevant
information on request; or
State workers’ compensation offices and workers’ compensation insurance carriers in
accordance with state workers’ compensation laws.
DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
Purpose
Alcohol and drug abuse adversely affects an employee’s job performance and the kind of
work he/she can perform, and may affect his/her opportunities for continued employment.
Cinderella does not intend to intrude upon the private lives of its employees. Cinderella is
concerned, however, about the use of alcohol and/or drugs if it interferes with an employee’s job
performance, adversely affects the job performance of other employees, endangers the employee
or other employees, or is detrimental to Cinderella’s business.
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Scope
This policy applies to all applicants and employees, including temporary or seasonal
employees. The policy is applicable at Cinderella’s facilities or wherever Cinderella employees
are performing Company business. It is also applicable while operating any Cinderella vehicle or
equipment at any time, or any personal, rental or other vehicle while on Company business.
It is Cinderella’s policy to follow all applicable laws and regulations regarding drug and
alcohol testing and the other matters addressed here. This written policy is intended to
summarize how those laws and regulations apply to Cinderella and its employees. The precise
obligations of Cinderella are established by the applicable laws and regulations, as they evolve
from time to time.
Definitions
A. “Work Related Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse” is defined as the use of mood-
altering drugs, including all forms of alcohol, narcotics, depressants, inhalants, stimulants,
hallucinogens, marijuana, including medical marijuana, or the use or abuse of prescription or
over-the-counter drugs when resulting behavior or appearance adversely affects work
performance or the operation of any Cinderella vehicle or equipment at any time, or any
personal, rental or other vehicle while on Company business.
B. “Adversely Affect Work Performance” and “Under the Influence” shall be
determined to be present if the employee is perceptively impaired, has impaired alertness,
coordination, reactions, responses, or efforts; if the employee’s condition threatens the safety of
him/herself or others; or if the employee’s condition or behavior presents the appearance of
unprofessional or irresponsible conduct detrimental to the public’s perception of Cinderella as an
employer as determined by the supervisor or manager or other person observing the employee. It
includes operation of any Cinderella vehicle or equipment at any time, or use of any personal,
rental or other vehicle while on Company business.
C. “Controlled Substances” means those substances whose distribution is controlled
by regulation or statute, including but not limited to narcotics, depressants, stimulants,
hallucinogens, and cannabis, including medical marijuana.
D. “Mood-Altering” or “Alter” means changed behavior which may limit an
employee’s ability to safely and efficiently perform his/her job duties or poses a threat to the
safety of the employee or others.
Prohibitions
A. No employee shall report to or perform work for Cinderella under the influence of
alcohol, marijuana, controlled substances or other mood-altering drugs which adversely affect
his/her alertness, coordination, reaction, response, judgment, decision-making, or safety.
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B. No employee shall operate, use, or drive any equipment, machinery, or vehicle of
Cinderella, or operate, use or drive a personal, rental or other vehicle on Company business,
while under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, medical marijuana, controlled substances or
other mood-altering drugs. Such employee is under an affirmative duty to notify his/her
supervisor immediately that he/she is not in an appropriate mental or physical condition to
operate, use, or drive the equipment, whether or not belonging to Cinderella.
C. No employee shall unlawfully manufacture, distribute, dispense, possess, transfer,
or use alcohol or a controlled substance in the workplace or wherever Cinderella’s work is being
performed.
D. Engaging in off-duty sale, purchase, transfer, use or possession of illegal drugs or
controlled substances may have a negative effect on an employee’s ability to perform his/her
work for Cinderella. In such circumstances, the employee is subject to discipline.
E. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are not prohibited when taken in
standard dosage and/or according to a physician's prescription, so long as the medication does
not create a risk to workplace safety. Any employee taking prescribed or over-the-counter
medications will be responsible for consulting the prescribing physician and/or a pharmacist to
ascertain whether the medication may interfere with safe job performance. If the use of a
medication could compromise the safety of the employee, fellow employees or the public, it is
the employee's responsibility to use appropriate personnel procedures (e.g., call in sick, use
leave, request change of duty, notify supervisor, notify company doctor) to avoid unsafe
workplace practices. A reasonable accommodation may be requested by an employee and
provided at Cinderella’s discretion, such as moving an employee to a more suitable position,
granting a leave of absence, or providing other appropriate arrangements to promote safety. Any
medication brought onto Cinderella property must be safely contained.
F. Cinderella will notify the appropriate law enforcement agency when it believes
that an employee may have illegal drugs in his/her possession or is involved in other illegal
conduct.
G. Employees are prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages during lunch
periods, dinner periods, or breaks when returning immediately thereafter to perform work on
behalf of Cinderella.
Alcohol and Drug Testing
A. In order to carry out Cinderella’s commitment to an alcohol and drug-free
workplace, Cinderella reserves the right to require that applicants and employees submit to
testing in accordance with applicable law.
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B. Who may be Subject to Testing
1. Job Applicants. Cinderella may require applicants who have received
conditional offers of employment to be tested. If the conditional offer is later withdrawn,
Cinderella will notify the applicant of the reason.
2. Routine Physical Examination Testing. Cinderella may require employees
to undergo a test once a year as part of a routine physical examination.
3. Random Testing. Cinderella may require employees in safety-sensitive
positions to undergo testing on a random selection basis. Once the random selection has been
made, Cinderella will not waive the selection of any employees identified through the random
process.
4. Reasonable Suspicion Testing. Cinderella may require an employee to be
tested when Cinderella reasonably suspects that the employee:
a. is or was under the influence of drugs or alcohol;
b. has violated Cinderella’s written work rules prohibiting drug and alcohol
use;
c. has sustained or caused another employee to sustain personal injury if
there is a reasonable possibility that that drug or alcohol use caused or
contributed to the injury;
d. has caused a work-related accident or was operating or helping to operate
machinery, equipment, or vehicles involved in a work-related accident; or
e. was operating or was a passenger in a Cinderella vehicle (or personal,
rental, or other vehicle on Company business) that was involved in an
accident.
In order for “reasonable suspicion” to exist, there must be a basis for forming a belief that
testing is justified based on specific facts and rational inferences drawn from those facts.
5. Treatment Program Testing. Cinderella may require an employee to be
tested either when the Company has referred the employee for chemical dependency treatment or
evaluation or when the employee is participating in such a treatment program under an employee
assistance program. The employee may be required to undergo testing without advance notice
during the evaluation or treatment period and for up to two years following the completion of a
treatment program.
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C. Conducting the Testing.
1. Consent. All persons to be tested will be required to complete and sign an
employee consent. Substance abuse testing will not be performed unless a signed consent is in
the possession of Cinderella or the laboratory performing the test.
2. Refusal to Participate. An employee or job applicant has the right to
refuse testing. However, a refusal of testing will be treated as a failure to comply with
Cinderella’s policy and may result in withdrawal of a job offer or disciplinary action up to and
including termination of employment. A refusal includes lab discovery of adulterated or
substituted samples, claiming “shy bladder” without valid medical basis, and outright verbal
refusal or failure to appear or sign consent forms at the testing site.
3. The Laboratory. The laboratory selected to perform testing must be
certified by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the College of American Pathologists
(CAP), the New York State Department of Health, or similar regulatory body.
4. Test Results.
a. Negative Tests [passed tests]. Negative test results on an initial test will
be provided in writing to Cinderella within three working days after the
test result. An applicant or employee may receive written notification of
the test result within three working days after Cinderella is notified of the
result.
b. Positive Tests [failed tests]. A confirmatory test may be performed on all
samples that result in a positive test result on an initial test. In the case of a
positive test result, the tested individual may, within three working days
after notice of the test result, explain the result or request a retest of the
original sample at the individual’s own expense. If a retest is requested,
the individual must notify Cinderella in writing, within five working days
after notice of the positive test result, of his or her intention to obtain a
retest.
c. Right to Test Result. An applicant or employee has the right to request
and receive from Cinderella a copy of the test result report on any drug or
alcohol test.
D. Costs. All costs related to alcohol and drug testing will be paid by Cinderella,
with the exception of retests, which must be paid for by the applicant or employee requesting the
retest.
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E. Disciplinary Action in Response to a Positive Test Result.
1. Interim Disciplinary Action: Cinderella reserves the right to transfer an
employee with a positive test to another position or to temporarily suspend the employee (and
prohibit further use of any Company vehicles or equipment) pending the outcome of a retest if
Cinderella believes that it is reasonably necessary to do so to protect the health and safety of the
employee, co-employees or the public. An employee who is suspended without pay or who is
transferred to another position with lower pay will be reinstated with back pay or will otherwise
be reimbursed for lost pay if the retest is negative. In the case of applicants, a positive initial test
may lead to the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment.
2. Final Disciplinary Action: Cinderella is free to discharge an employee
who tests positive on a test.
F. Privacy of Test Results.
1. Test results and other information acquired as a result of the testing
program are private and confidential information and will be handled in a manner consistent with
applicable law.
2. Cinderella will provide an employee with access to information in the
employee’s file relating to positive test result reports and other information acquired in the
testing process as well as conclusions drawn from or actions taken based upon such information
upon advance written request.
SMOKING
Statement of Policy
Smoking, including e-cigarettes, is strictly prohibited in all enclosed areas within
Cinderella’s facilities without exception. This includes common work areas, conference and
meeting rooms, private offices, elevators, hallways, cafeterias, employee lounges, stairs,
restrooms, employer owned or leased business vehicles, and all other enclosed facilities. This
policy applies to all employees, clients, contractors, and visitors.
Individuals who smoke in prohibited areas may be subject to fines under applicable local
or state law. Under Michigan law, violators are subject to fines of $100 to $500.
Enforcement of Policy
All employees share in the responsibility for adhering to and abiding with this policy.
Employees are expected to assist Cinderella with maintaining a smoke-free environment by
informing non-compliant visitors to our worksite of this smoking ban.
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Complaints
Any person observing a violation of this policy will first bring it to the attention of the
offending party and seek voluntary cooperation. If the offender is noncompliant, the
employee will notify a supervisor or manager of the violation.
Supervisors receiving a complaint will investigate and take action to resolve the issue as
soon as possible.
Cinderella prohibits retaliatory or adverse action against an employee or applicant for
employment on the basis of the individual’s exercise of his/her rights under applicable
laws prohibiting smoking in the place of employment.
If all internal steps fail to result in compliance, employees at the Saginaw location may
contact the Environmental Health Division of the Saginaw County Department of Public
Health at (989) 758-3686 for assistance.
Violations
Violations of this smoking policy will be subject to disciplinary action(s) in the same
manner as violations of other company policies.
Persons violating this policy will be subject to fines pursuant to Michigan and Saginaw
County law.
SAFETY
The safety of our employees is of utmost importance, and every effort must be made to
reduce on-the-job accidents through compliance with Cinderella’s policies and procedures and
the federal, state and local laws governing safety and health in the workplace.
You are responsible for wearing the safety gear issued for your position. You will be
trained on the safety procedures for your position and it is your responsibility to follow these
procedures to ensure a safe work environment for yourself and others. If you have ideas to make
the workplace safer, or have concerns over any safety issue, please communicate with your
supervisor or with the Operations Manager. You should report any perceived safety hazards
immediately to your supervisor or the Operations Manager.
Employees have the right to raise a safety or health concern with Cinderella, OSHA, or
MIOSHA, or report a work-related injury and or illness without retaliation. Discharging, in any
manner discriminating against, or taking any other adverse action that could well dissuade an
employee from reporting work-related injuries and illnesses is prohibited.
If you receive a workplace injury, you must do the following:
• Report the injury to your supervisor as soon as reasonably possible -- no matter how
minor it appears to be.
• Immediately secure any necessary medical treatment. Designated supervisors and
managers can authorize treatment.
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• Accurately fill out all accident reporting forms. Such reports are necessary to comply
with laws and initiate insurance and workers’ compensation benefits procedures on
behalf of the injured employee.
• Cooperate in the investigation by providing full details concerning the nature of your
injuries, the cause, the time/date, and any other relevant information.
Employees and their representatives have the right to access relevant exposure and
medical records which Cinderella is required to maintain under OSHA’s Access to Exposure and
Medical Records and recordkeeping standards, or similar state requirements. This includes injury
and illness records (i.e., MIOSHA 300 Logs). See the Human Resources Manager for more
information.
VISITORS
Visitors must report to the front office, which will notify the appropriate employee(s).
This control is necessary to prevent unauthorized visitors from entering our facilities and to
minimize disruptions to normal work activity. Visitors must be escorted by a Cinderella
employee at all times.
Employees are discouraged from receiving personal visitors at work, except during an
emergency. Any personal visits must be limited to break times. If you wish to arrange for your
family or friends to see where you work, speak with your supervisor.
INSPECTION POLICY
Cinderella provides offices, desks, computers and other equipment to certain employees
for their use while employed by Cinderella. These items are the property of Cinderella.
Employees must not place personal locks on any Cinderella office door, desk, file cabinet, or
other equipment. Cinderella can make no assurances about the security or privacy of any office,
desk, file cabinet, or computer, and discourages the storage of valuables, perishables, or other
personal items in them. Cinderella reserves the right to open and inspect any office, desk,
computer and files, file cabinet, or other Cinderella property and its contents, at any time, with or
without notice or consent.
Cinderella reserves the right to search or inspect any employee’s coat or outerwear,
purses, handbags, shopping bags, backpacks or any other bags, parcels, or containers an
employee possesses during the working day or which the employee may be carrying as he or she
enters or leaves the Company’s premises. The Company reserves the right to inspect the interior
and exterior of an employee’s automobile if it is parked on property owned or controlled by the
Company. Searches under this policy may occur without prior notice. Employees generally have
the right to refuse to allow a search of their personal property, but not of Company property. A
refusal may subject the employee to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Cinderella prohibits employees from inspecting one another’s personal property or
Company property issued exclusively for a particular employee’s use without a legitimate
business reason, or without consent of the employee or of management.
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EMPLOYEE CONDUCT AND WORK RULES
To assure orderly operations and provide the best possible work environment, Cinderella
expects employees to conduct themselves in ways that will protect the interests and safety of all
employees and the Company. Employees are expected to work in a cooperative and professional
manner with management, co-workers, customers and vendors. It is not possible to list all
forms of behavior that are considered unacceptable in the workplace. The following are some
examples of infractions of rules of conduct that are prohibited, and may result in disciplinary
action, up to and including termination of employment:
• Theft or inappropriate removal or possession of Company property or that of a co-
worker,
• Fighting or threatening violence in the workplace;
• Boisterous activity in the workplace;
• Sexual or other unlawful harassment and bullying;
• Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials, such as explosives or
firearms, in the workplace;
• Excessive absenteeism or any absence without notice;
• Unauthorized absence from the work station during the workday;
• Unauthorized use of Company facilities or equipment for personal purposes;
• Discourtesy to customers or vendors;
• Falsifying a timecard or punching a timecard of another employee;
• Poor work performance;
• Unauthorized access to, disclosure of, or use of financial or confidential
information;
• Insubordination;
• Immoral, indecent, illegal, unethical or dishonest conduct or other behavior that
may adversely affect Cinderella’s reputation in the community or
• Any other violation of Company policy.
This list is not meant to be all-inclusive. Cinderella expects its employees to demonstrate
professionalism and maturity at all times.
SOLICITATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE
Cinderella believes that you should not be disturbed by being solicited, even for a good
cause, during your work time. It is inappropriate to solicit or distribute literature for products,
services or causes, including charitable organizations, political causes, fundraisers, or other
purposes during work time or in work areas.
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You may engage in these activities during non-work times, including breaks and
lunchtime. You may distribute literature in the lunchroom, parking lot, and other outdoor areas,
or you may post it on the lunchroom bulletin boards, as long as the content does not violate other
Cinderella policies, such as the policy on harassment, and the literature does not at any time or in
any way cause litter in work areas. Fundraising activities are allowed, but should not disturb
employees of Cinderella. If an employee is selling items for a fundraiser, they should not
actively solicit other employees, but are permitted to leave the fundraising items out in a visible
location. Cinderella will remove outdated or inappropriate materials posted on the bulletin board.
It is never appropriate for non-employees to solicit or distribute literature on Cinderella’s
premises, including non-working areas.
Any situation that raises a question regarding this policy should be referred to the Human
Resources Manager.
GIFTS AND GRATUITIES
We recognize that some employees are occasionally offered gifts or gratuities in the
course of their work. We expect that you will not permit personal interests to conflict with your
duties with the Company. When conflicts occur, we expect you to be guided solely by
Cinderella’s best interests. No employee may benefit personally from Cinderella’s dealings with
others.
To avoid these kinds of conflicts, do not accept gifts, entertainment or any other special
considerations from an individual or business association. This may create a compromising
situation for you or the Company.
The Company will reimburse you for all expenses for business trips. You may accept an
occasional meal or entertainment, but only if it would be appropriate to reciprocate or if refusal
would be discourteous. Settings for these activities should be consistent with the image
Cinderella would feel comfortable projecting to the public.
In situations where refusal appears impossible or would create serious business
repercussions, gifts may be accepted but their disposal should be discussed with your supervisor
and/or manager. You should discuss with your supervisor any gifts you receive in connection
with your employment with Cinderella that have a value of $25 or more.
If you are unsure if a specific issue violates our policies, please discuss the matter with
the Human Resources Manager.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
We respect your privacy when not at work with Cinderella. We require only that your
outside activities not interfere with your work with us. You must avoid situations in which your
interests conflict with the interests of the Company, or which appear to create a conflict of
interest. Please contact the Human Resources Manager if you have a question about whether an
outside interest poses a conflict of interest.
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The Company reserves the right to review outside jobs and insist that they not interfere
with your performance or attendance with Cinderella, endanger Cinderella’s interests, or
compete with the Company. If Cinderella determines that your outside work interferes with your
performance or employment with us, you may be required to terminate the outside employment
to remain employed by Cinderella.
CONFIDENTIALITY
It is important for all of us to protect the intangible assets of Cinderella. During your
employment with Cinderella, you may become aware of confidential or proprietary information
belonging to the Company or its customers. Such confidential or proprietary information
includes, but is not limited to, Cinderella’s strategies, plans, or proposals; information on
Cinderella’s manufacturing processes; new product information; information about Cinderella’s
customers, their buying history and preferences, and the names of customer contacts; financial
and systems information; and any other information that has value to Cinderella that is generally
not known outside the Company.
Confidential and proprietary information represents a unique and valuable asset of
Cinderella. Except as part of your legitimate job duties for Cinderella, either during or after your
employment with Cinderella, you must not disclose or permit to be disclosed any such
information or any other information Cinderella or its customers treat as confidential, to any
person, firm, corporation, association or other entity for any reason. In addition, you must not use
any such confidential or proprietary information for your own benefit, or the benefit of another,
except with Cinderella’s written permission.
Please secure all proprietary and confidential information safely when you are away from
your work area.
Employees may be required to sign a Non-Disclosure, Non-Competition, Non-
Solicitation, Patent Rights and Copyrights Agreement as a condition of continued employment.
An individual may not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade
secret law for disclosure of a trade secret: (i) made in confidence to a government official, either
directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a
suspected violation of law; or (ii) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other
proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Additionally, an individual suing an employer for
retaliation based on the reporting of a suspected violation of law may disclose a trade secret to
his or her attorney and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, so long as any
document containing the trade secret is filed under seal and the individual does not disclose the
trade secret except pursuant to court order.
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SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER PRIVACY STATEMENT
Cinderella is committed to securing and protecting the privacy of employee social
security numbers. In order to protect this information to the extent practicable, access to
documents that contain social security numbers is limited to Cinderella’s Human Resource,
Payroll, and Benefits Administrators on a need-to-know basis within the Company. Documents
containing social security numbers will be shredded or otherwise disposed of by taking
reasonable measures to protect against unauthorized access to or use of the information in
connection with its disposal.
Any individual that accesses social security information in violation of this policy or for
illegal purposes shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. If illegal
intent is suspected, the individual will be referred to the appropriate authorities for possible
criminal prosecution.
If you have any questions regarding social security number privacy and security, please
see the Human Resources Manager for more information.
EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES
Cinderella will not refuse to hire an applicant solely because he or she is related to a
current employee. Cinderella prefers that relatives not be placed in a situation where one relative
has supervisory responsibility toward another. The Company reserves the right to revise work
assignments, transfer employees or make other appropriate decisions in order not to place one
relative in a supervisory capacity over another. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis,
as appropriate.
For this policy, a relative is a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, child, brother, sister,
grandparent, grandchild, aunt, uncle, first cousin, niece, or nephew, including step relations.
If you have any questions or concerns about this issue, please contact the Human
Resources Manager.
BUSINESS TRAVEL
When employees must travel on company business, the company intends to provide for
their comfort and well-being and to receive the best value for the money spent on business travel
expenses.
In general, the company will pay all reasonable business travel expenses. Employees are
expected to live normally while on company business without experiencing any personal
financial losses. At the same time, employees are asked to spend the company’s money with the
same care and judgment that they would use with their own funds.
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Employees who travel on company business may be obliged to entertain business
associates in the normal course of a business trip. The amount of the expenses incurred should
reflect good business practice and judgment. All entertainment expenses should be well
documented to include the time, place, business purpose, names of individuals attending, and the
business relationships of the people involved.
The company will reimburse employees for business expenses upon submission of
expense reports. Receipts are required for all expenditures and must be submitted within one
month of incurring the expense.
USE OF COMPANY RESOURCES
Cinderella has invested significant time, money, and effort providing its employees with
the facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources that will help them and the Company
succeed. These tools must be used in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Except as
expressly permitted in this handbook, the use of Cinderella’s facilities, equipment, supplies, and
other resources for personal or other non-business-related purposes is prohibited.
Among the equipment and resources included in this policy are electronic mail (e-mail),
voicemail, online subscriber services and the Internet. To ensure that Cinderella complies with
the business and legal requirements created by the use of these services, we have adopted the
guidelines below to assist each employee in using these tools appropriately.
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION DEVICES
Cinderella provides personal communication devices (PCDs) to some employees as
business tools. The PCDs are provided to assist employees in communicating with management
and other employees, customers, and other business-related contacts. PCDs are intended for
business-related calls only and personal calls are not permitted. Employees should be aware that
the Company might review cell phone invoices.
Employees in possession of Cinderella’s equipment such as PCDs are expected to protect
the equipment from loss, damage or theft. Upon resignation or termination of employment or at
any time upon request, the employee may be asked to produce the PCD for return or inspection.
Employees unable to present the PCD in good working condition within the time period
requested (for example, 24 hours) may be expected to bear the cost of a replacement.
Employees who separate from employment with outstanding debts for equipment loss or
unauthorized charges will be considered to have left employment on unsatisfactory terms and
may be subject to legal action for recovery of the loss.
If you use a PCD for business, always remember to apply normal business etiquette by
keeping your conversations private and non-disruptive to others.
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While at work, employees are to exercise the same discretion in using personal PCDs as
they do for company PCDs. Excessive personal calls during the workday, regardless of the
phone used, can interfere with employee productivity and be distracting to others. Cinderella
encourages a reasonable standard of limiting personal calls during work time to no more than
one per day as needed. Employees are therefore asked to make any other personal calls on non-
work time where possible and to ensure that friends and family members are aware of the
company’s policy. Flexibility will be provided in circumstances demanding immediate attention.
Safety issues for personal communication device use
Employees whose job responsibilities include regular or occasional driving and who are
issued a PCD for business use are expected to refrain from using their PCD while driving. Many
states, including Michigan, prohibit reading, manually typing and sending text messages while
driving. Safety must come before all other concerns. Regardless of the circumstances, including
slow or stopped traffic, employees are strongly encouraged to pull off to the side of the road and
safely stop the vehicle before placing or accepting a call. If acceptance of a call is unavoidable
and pulling over is not an option, employees are expected to keep the call short, use hands-free
options if available, refrain from discussion of complicated or emotional issues and keep their
eyes on the road. Special care should be taken in situations where there is traffic, inclement
weather, or the employee is driving in an unfamiliar area.
Employees whose job responsibilities do not specifically include driving as an essential
function, but who are issued a PCD for business use, are also expected to abide by the provisions
above. Under no circumstances are employees allowed to place themselves or others at risk to
fulfill business needs.
Employees who are charged with traffic violations resulting from the use of their PCD
while driving will be solely responsible for all liabilities that result from such actions.
Violations of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination.
Camera phones and other recording devices
Camera phones and other recording devices can present risks to a company, potentially
compromising customer information, trade secrets, or the privacy of other employees. The use
of camera phones or other recording devices in restrooms and locker rooms is expressly
prohibited. Any employee found to be using a camera phone or other recording device in these
areas to record others without consent, will be subject to disciplinary action, including
termination. If illegal intent is suspected, the individual will be referred to the appropriate
authorities for possible criminal prosecution.
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COMPUTER AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
Computers, handheld and portable computers/PCDs, computer files, the e-mail system,
internet access, electronic calendars and address books, software and passwords (collectively
“computer systems”) and telephones and voicemail systems; cell phones; BlackBerries; iPhones
and similar devices, and pagers/beeper; or any similar technology or communication devices
(collectively “electronic communications systems”) furnished to employees are Cinderella’s
property. The equipment as well as the documents, messages, communications and other data
created and stored on the equipment is owned by Cinderella.
Although Cinderella recognizes that there will be incidental non-work-related use of
these systems, they are intended to be used primarily for business purposes associated with the
performance of each employee’s job. Any use of the computer and electronic communications
systems for non-work-related purposes, beyond limited incidental use, is prohibited. Incidental
use of these systems is acceptable as long as good judgment is followed, there are no measurable
increased costs, and co-workers are not distracted by such use.
Employees are expected to observe the following computer and electronic
communications systems use guidelines:
• While personal use is not prohibited, any personal use should be minimal and occur at
times which do not otherwise interfere with the completion of company business.
• Authorization must be obtained to use a password, access a file, or retrieve any stored
communication.
• Employees must protect the security of their passwords and computer and electronic
communications systems by not disclosing their or another individual’s password or
enabling unauthorized persons to access the company’s systems.
• Internet users should take the necessary anti-virus precautions before downloading or
copying any file from the Internet. All downloaded files are to be checked for viruses; all
compressed files are to be checked before and after decompression.
• The following uses are prohibited:
○ Uploading or downloading of confidential or proprietary materials;
○ Engaging in other employment or personal business enterprise and searching for
other employment;
○ Browsing, uploading, downloading, creating, displaying, and communicating
discriminatory, harassing, sexually or racially offensive, pornographic,
maliciously false, or profane messages or information of any nature;
○ Using the computer and electronic communications systems to violate any
Cinderella Inc. policy or the law;
○ Unauthorized use, installation, copying, distribution, or communication of trade
secrets, proprietary information, copyrighted, trademarked, or patented software
or other materials on the Internet, including any other highly sensitive or
otherwise confidential information;
○ Making maliciously false statements about another person or entity, or the
products or services of Cinderella’s vendors or competitors;
○ Gambling;
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○ Soliciting for commercial ventures, religious or political causes, fundraisers,
outside organizations, or other non-business matters;
○ Playing computer games, including downloading games from the Internet; and
○ Deleting internet or other electronic record or communication use history.
No Right to Privacy. Consistent with state and federal law, Cinderella has the right to
enter, search, and monitor the computer and electronic communications system of any employee,
without advance notice, for any business purpose, such as investigating theft, disclosure of
confidential business or proprietary information, personal abuse of the system, or monitoring
work flow or productivity. Personal and business work and communications on Cinderella’s
systems should not be considered private.
Employees should be aware that messages sent, received, or stored in the system could
become public knowledge at any time. An e-mail message sent over the Internet is like a
postcard. As your information travels over the Internet, any person at an intermediate computer
can view your message, make copies, alter content, and add or remove recipients, all with your
name and address still attached. Even deleted files and messages are retrievable and employees
should assume that whatever they create will never be erased.
Passwords. Passwords or passcodes are used for the benefit of Cinderella and its
employees. However, they do not assure privacy. Cinderella may override individual passcodes
or passwords and require employees to disclose individual passwords or passcodes.
Reporting Requirement. Employees should notify their immediate supervisor, the
Human Resources Manager or any member of management upon learning of violations of this
policy.
Disciplinary Action. Use of the computer and electronic systems in violation of law or
Cinderella policies will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of
employment and possible criminal action. Employees may be held personally liable for any
violations of this policy.
Email Business Etiquette. All messages sent should be short and to the point. Refrain
from routinely forwarding messages to multiple parties unless there is a clear business need to do
so. Your e-mail messages may be read by someone other than the person you send them to and
may someday have to be disclosed to outside parties or a court in connection with litigation.
Accordingly, take care to ensure that your messages are courteous, professional, and business-
like.
Access to E-Mail and Voicemail. Except for normal systems maintenance and upgrades,
or pursuant to Company business, Cinderella employees may not access the e-mail or voicemail
systems of another user or transmit messages from a coworker’s e-mail or voicemail system.
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Use of Online or Internet Software. Software downloaded from an online service or the
Internet could create serious problems for Cinderella. Downloaded software from an online
service or the Internet could, for example, contain a virus that might affect the operation of
Cinderella’s computer network. In addition, certain individuals or groups permit online or
Internet users to download software without being legally entitled to do so. No software should
be downloaded from an online or Internet source without the prior approval of the Information
Technology Director.
Protection of Proprietary and/or Confidential Information. Because of the potential
security problems related to the transmission of electronic data, use of e-mail, online subscriber
services, or the Internet could jeopardize the proprietary and/or confidential information of the
Company or of our customers, suppliers and business associates. Each manager shall have the
responsibility of determining whether or not proprietary and/or confidential information should
be transmitted by use of e-mail, online service providers, or the Internet. Use of such electronic
services to discuss or exchange proprietary and/or confidential information with customers,
suppliers, or other business associates should be approved by each of the parties involved in
advance of such communications.
BRING YOUR OWN DEVICE (BYOD) POLICY
Cinderella allows its employees to use smartphones and tablets of their choosing at work
for their convenience. Cinderella reserves the right to revoke this privilege if users do not abide
by the policies and procedures outlined below.
This policy is intended to protect the security and integrity of Cinderella’s data and
technology infrastructure. Limited exceptions to the policy may occur due to variations in
devices and platforms. Cinderella employees must agree to the terms and conditions set forth in
this policy in order to be able to connect their devices to the company network.
The Company defines acceptable business use as activities that directly or indirectly
support the business of Cinderella. Employees are prohibited from accessing questionable
websites during work hours while connected to the corporate network. As a rule of thumb, any
website that you would not visit on a company computer should not be visited on your own
device while on the company network. Employees may use their mobile device to access the
following company-owned resources: email, calendars, contacts, and documents.
Devices may not be used at any time to store or transmit illicit materials, store or transmit
proprietary information belonging to another company, harass others, or engage in outside
business activities.
The company will not reimburse the employee for any portion of the cost of the device.
The Company may decide to reimburse a portion of the cost of operating the device, in
designated situations.
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In order to prevent unauthorized access, devices must be password protected using the
features of the device and a strong password is required to access the company network. Rooted
(Android) or jailbroken (iOS) devices are strictly forbidden from accessing the network. The
employee’s device may be remotely wiped if the device is lost, the employee terminates his or
her employment, or if IT detects a data or policy breach, a virus or similar threat to the security
of the company’s data and technology infrastructure.
While every precaution will be taken to prevent the employee’s personal data from being
lost in the event it must wipe a device, it is the employee’s responsibility to take additional
precautions, such as backing up email, contacts, etc. The Company reserves the right to
disconnect devices or disable services without notification. Lost or stolen devices must be
reported to the company within 24 hours. Employees are responsible for notifying their mobile
carrier immediately upon loss of a device. The employee is expected to use his or her devices in
an ethical manner at all times and adhere to the Company’s acceptable use policy. Cinderella
reserves the right to take appropriate disciplinary action up to and including termination for
noncompliance with this policy.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The following rules are applicable to any personal social media activities, regardless of
time, place, or equipment ownership.
Social media can take many different forms, including, but not limited to, internet
forums, blogs and microblogs, online profiles, podcasts, pictures, video, email, instant
messaging, music-sharing, and voice over IP. Examples of social media applications include,
but are not limited to, the following: LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Wikipedia, YouTube,
Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Yelp, Flickr, Second Life, Yahoo Groups, Wordpress, and
ZoomInfo.
It is not Cinderella’s intention to restrict your ability to have an online presence. This
policy defines appropriate online conduct for Cinderella employees when participating in social
media.
Social media activities are subject to all Cinderella policies and procedures including, for
example, confidentiality; safeguarding of property; bullying, discrimination and harassment
prohibitions; and use of communication and computer systems. If what you do on social media
affects your job performance, the performance of your co-workers, or Cinderella’s legitimate
business interests, then this policy shall apply. This policy does not apply to employee
discussions or activities involving the terms and conditions of employment.
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The following are Cinderella’s expectations of employees using social media:
Maintain the confidentiality of company trade secrets and other private or confidential
information. All customer-related information is protected confidential information.
Trade secrets include information regarding the development of systems, processes,
products, know-how, and technology. Do not post internal reports, policies, procedures,
or other internal business-related confidential communications. Examples of confidential
information that should not be disclosed include: information about safety performance
of the company’s products, attorney-client privileged information, information about the
company’s customers, business partners, and vendors (but not staff or temp employees).
Respect all copyright and other intellectual property laws. For Cinderella’s protection as
well as your own, it is critical that you show proper respect for the laws governing
copyright, fair use of copyrighted material owned by others, trademarks, and other
intellectual property, including Cinderella’s own copyrights, trademarks and brands.
Any harassment, bullying, discrimination, or retaliation that would not be permissible in
the workplace is not permissible between co-workers online, even if it is done after hours,
from home and on home computers.
Do not post anything in the name of Cinderella or in a manner that could be attributed to
Cinderella without prior authorization.
Company issued email addresses should not be posted on or used to create employee
personal profiles.
Personal social media activities must not occur during working time.
You are responsible for any commentary you express and the material you post while
engaging in social media activities. Be aware that information remains in cyberspace forever.
Cinderella maintains certain social media sites in the name of Cinderella. Cinderella’s
approval is required for any employee to post public messages on behalf of the Company. Only
designated Cinderella spokespersons may speak on behalf of the Company in the social media or
in any other form of media. Any messages that might act as the “voice” or position of Cinderella
must be approved by the CEO or his designee.
If you see a social media post in violation of this policy, do not try to have the post
removed or send a written reply that will escalate the situation. Forward this information to our
Human Resources Manager.
OFFICE ACCESS AND MAINTENANCE
Pleasant, safe surroundings can help make work more enjoyable for all of us. That is
why Cinderella asks for its employees’ cooperation in keeping our office and warehouse
facilities neat and secure.
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Although Cinderella has regular custodial service, all employees are expected to do their
part to keep their work areas and common areas (such as the lunch room) clean and orderly. In
addition, at the end of each workday, employees must turn off all lights and equipment (such as
computers, printers, copy machines, and coffee makers) in their work areas or for which they are
responsible.
Entrances to the building are locked after 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, after 12:00
p.m. on Saturday and all day on Sunday. Employees who do not have keys must make
arrangements to gain entrance to the building when it is locked. When leaving the building after
business hours, make sure the door is locked behind you.
BENEFITS
HOLIDAYS
Eligible employees are provided time off, with pay at their regular hourly rate then in
effect, for company-recognized holidays. Eligible employees are all full-time employees who
have completed 30 days of continuous employment as of the date of the holiday. Part-time and
seasonal employees are not eligible for paid holiday benefits.
At the beginning of each year, Cinderella will publish a list of the holidays to be observed
that year. Cinderella generally recognizes the following nine paid holidays each year:
Day before New Year’s Day
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Day before Christmas
Christmas Day
Employees must work the regularly scheduled hours on the workday preceding or the
workday following the holiday to qualify for holiday pay. Exceptions may be made with prior
approval. Employees wishing to extend a recognized holiday may, with prior approval, use their
vacation time to do so.
Employees who are ineligible for paid holiday benefits will receive the day(s) off without
pay. Cinderella will not close for any of the other nationally-celebrated holidays unless otherwise
posted.
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VACATION
Cinderella provides paid vacation to all full-time employees (not including part-time or
seasonal employees) for rest and relaxation as well as for times you must be absent for illness,
doctor’s or dentist’s appointments, emergencies, family needs, or other such incidents. Vacation
is earned at varying rates depending on your years of service with the Company. The current
schedule is as follows:
Length of Service Vacation hours/year
After 1 year of employment 40 hours (5 days)
After 2 years of employment 80 hours (10 days)
After 8 years of employment 120 hours (15 days)
After 15 years of employment 160 hours (20 days)
The amount of vacation paid for each scheduled day off shall be equal to 8 hours per day
at the employee’s straight time. Because the months of April through September are very busy at
Cinderella, vacation time scheduled during these months shall be no more than one day per
calendar week without authorization of your supervisor.
Carry-Forward
Employees shall be allowed to carry over 80 hours of vacation from one year to the next.
Any amount of earned but unused vacation in excess of this will be forfeited at the end of the day
on your anniversary date. You are encouraged to carefully plan your vacation time off well in
advance of your anniversary date in order to avoid losing any vacation time. Except upon
mutual agreement in special circumstances, Cinderella will not pay you for unused vacation
time. Cinderella will pay you for earned, unused vacation time on the Company’s books upon
your separation of employment unless you fail to provide two weeks advance written notice of
resignation or if you are terminated by the Company for disciplinary reasons. Generally, this
payment will be made on Cinderella’s next regular payday.
Requests for and Approval of Vacation
To the extent practical, vacation time off must be arranged with and approved by your
supervisor at least three days in advance. Approval of vacation time will be at the discretion of
your supervisor depending on current or anticipated staffing, workload, and deadlines. When
circumstances do not allow advance approval, you must notify your supervisor as soon as
possible of your absence and anticipated return. Such notice is to be given directly to your
supervisor within the first hour of your start time. Failure to report an absence (unless conditions
preclude such notification) will be considered an unexcused absence.
Vacation time generally will be used in the case of any absence, planned or unplanned.
No time off will be unpaid unless you have no earned vacation time available.
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Repeated failure to get proper prior approval or to give proper notice of absences from
work will be taken into consideration in the performance evaluation process. This may affect
promotion opportunities, pay raises, incentive/bonus pay and other employment considerations,
and may lead to discipline, including termination of employment.
PAID SICK DAYS
All full time employees hired prior to January 9, 2004, shall be paid for six (6) scheduled
workdays per year at the employee’s straight time rate for lost time due to illness. All employees
hired after January 9, 2004, shall be paid for four (4) scheduled workdays per year at the
employee’s straight time rate for lost time due to illness. Unused sick leave may be accumulated
in a personal sick leave bank not to exceed sixty (60) days (480 hours). This personal sick leave
bank may be used in the event of a future illness of the employee.
The sick leave benefit is for times an employee is unable to work due to illness. It is not
to be considered as time off in addition to holidays and vacations. Use of sick leave pay may be
subject to physician verification.
Cinderella does not pay employees for unused sick leave upon termination of
employment.
PAID PERSONAL BUSINESS TIME
Cinderella grants all full-time employees sixteen (16) hours of paid personal business
time off per year beginning on the January 1 following the employee’s full-time hire date.
Employees must request and receive approval for personal business time off at least one day (24
hours) in advance. Personal leave hours should be used to conduct business or for appointments
that may not otherwise be scheduled at times other than during normal working hours. Cinderella
does not pay employees for unused personal business leave upon termination of employment.
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (“FMLA”) requires covered employers to
provide up to twelve (12) work weeks of family and medical leave during any twelve (12) month
period to eligible employees and up to twenty-six (26) work weeks of leave in any twelve (12)
month period in accordance with the expansion of FMLA under the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The leave may be paid, unpaid or a combination of paid
and unpaid leave, depending on the circumstances of the leave and as specified in this policy.
Should this policy conflict with the FMLA, the FMLA shall be deemed controlling. Cinderella
also retains all rights under the FMLA and its implementing regulations even though they may
not be incorporated into this policy.
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A. Employee Eligibility
An employee must have been employed for at least twelve (12) months (which need not
be consecutive) and have worked for at least 1,250 hours during the preceding twelve (12) month
period in order to be eligible for family and medical leave.
B. Reasons for Leave
Eligible employees may take family and medical leave for one or more of the following
reasons:
(1) Birth, Adoption, or Placement of a Child. The birth of an employee’s child and to
care for the newborn child or the placement and care of a newly-adopted or
recently-placed foster child.
Family leave for this purpose must be completed within twelve (12) months from
the date of the birth, adoption, or placement. Also, this type of leave cannot be
taken on an intermittent or reduced schedule basis without prior approval.
(2) Care for a Family Member. To care for a spouse, child, or parent (but not parent-
in-law) who has a serious health condition.
(3) Employee’s Own Health Condition. An employee’s own serious health condition
that renders the employee unable to perform one or more of the essential
functions of his or her job.
(4) Qualifying Exigency. A “qualifying exigency” arising out of the fact that a
spouse, child, or parent is on covered active duty or has been notified of an
impending call or order to covered active duty in the Armed Forces in support of
a contingency operation.
(5) Care of a Servicemember or Veteran. To care for a spouse, parent, child, or next
of kin (a) who is a covered servicemember that has incurred a serious injury or
illness while in the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces or has
aggravated a serious injury or illness while in the line of duty on active duty in
the Armed Forces, provided that such injury or illness may render the family
member medically unfit to perform duties of the member’s office, grade, rank or
rating, or (b) who is a covered veteran undergoing treatment, recuperation, or
therapy for a serious injury or illness that was incurred by the covered veteran in
the line of duty on active duty in the Armed Forces or a serious injury or illness
that was aggravated by service in the line of duty on active duty, if certain
conditions are met.
Please contact the Human Resources Manager if you have any questions regarding
interpretation of any of these reasons for leave.
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C. Length of Leave
If the leave is for reasons (1)–(4) above, eligible employees may receive a total of twelve
(12) work weeks of FMLA leave during a twelve (12) month period. However, if the leave is for
reason (5) above, an eligible employee may receive a total of twenty-six (26) work weeks of
FMLA leave during a single twelve (12) month period to care for the covered servicemember or
veteran. Leave to care for an injured or ill servicemember or veteran, when combined with other
FMLA leave, may not exceed twenty-six (26) weeks in a single twelve (12) month period. The
twelve (12) month period used to determine leave availability is calculated backwards from the
date an employee uses any family and medical leave.
If spouses are both employed by Cinderella, they are limited to a combined total of
twelve (12) work weeks of family and medical leave during any twelve (12) month period if the
reason for the leave is for (1) Birth, Adoption, or Placement of a Child or (2) Care for a Family
Member. However, if leave is for (3) Employee’s Own Health Condition, each spouse is
allowed twelve (12) weeks of leave, less the amount of leave used for a purpose listed in (1) or
(2) of this paragraph. In addition, if leave is for reason (5) Care for a Servicemember or Veteran,
or any combination of reasons that includes reason (5), the aggregate number of work weeks of
leave the spouses are entitled to may be limited to twenty-six (26) work weeks during a single
twelve (12) month period.
D. Application for Leave
In all cases, it is the employee’s duty to make the need for family and medical leave
known to the Human Resources Manager when providing notice of an absence and to furnish
enough information regarding the reason for the leave so that the Human Resources Manager can
determine eligibility. The employee should state the reason for the leave, the duration of the
leave, and the starting and ending dates of the leave. Calling in “sick” without providing a
reason for the need for time off is not sufficient notice of FMLA leave under this policy.
A written request for family or medical leave must be made to the Human Resources
Manager at least thirty (30) calendar days in advance when the need for leave is foreseeable,
such as for Birth of a Child or for planned medical treatment. Otherwise, notice must be
provided as soon as practicable after the need for leave becomes known. If the employee fails to
give thirty (30) days of notice for a leave under this provision, Cinderella may require the
employee to explain the reasons why such notice was not practicable. Leave may be delayed if
the advance notice requirements of this provision are not met.
An employee who is to undergo planned medical treatment is required to consult with
Cinderella and make a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment in order to minimize
disruptions to Cinderella’s operations.
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If a properly reported absence should be covered by the FMLA, but Cinderella is not
aware of the FMLA reason at the time of the absence, the employee must notify Cinderella of the
FMLA reason for the absence within the timeframe stated in Cinderella’s normal Attendance and
Punctuality policy. In the absence of such timely notification, FMLA protection for the absence
may not be subsequently asserted and the absence will be considered under the Attendance and
Punctuality policy.
E. Certification of Leave
If an application for leave is based on (2) Care for a Family Member or (3) Employee’s
Own Health Condition, Cinderella reserves the right to request a medical certification of the
serious health condition from a health care provider. Forms for this purpose will be provided by
the Human Resources Manager. The medical certification must be returned within fifteen (15)
calendar days of the date that the form is provided or provide a reasonable explanation for the
delay. Failure to timely return the certification will result in a delay or denial of FMLA leave.
Cinderella may require clarification of the medical certification. It may also require a
second or third opinion at Cinderella’s expense.
If an application for leave is based on (4) Qualifying Exigency, Cinderella may require a
copy of the active duty orders or other documentation issued by the military showing the covered
military member’s active duty or call to active duty status. Forms for this purpose will be
provided by the Human Resources Manager.
If an application for leave is based on (5) Care of a Servicemember or Veteran,
Cinderella may require certification of the family member’s or next-of-kin’s serious injury or
illness. Forms for this purpose will be provided by the Human Resources Manager.’
Recertification of intermittent leaves will be requested on an annual basis or more
frequently if necessary as allowed by FMLA regulations.
F. Intermittent and Reduced Schedule Leave
FMLA leave may be taken intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule because of the
employee's own serious health condition, to care for a parent, son, or daughter with a serious
health condition, or to care for a covered servicemember or covered veteran with a serious injury
or illness. In such cases, there must be a medical need for leave and it must be that such medical
need can be best accommodated through an intermittent or reduced leave schedule.
If an employee needs leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule for planned
medical treatment, the employee must make a reasonable effort to schedule the treatment to
minimize disruptions to operations. In such cases, Cinderella may require the employee to
transfer temporarily to an available alternative position for which the employee is qualified and
which better accommodates recurring periods of leave than does the employee's regular job. The
temporary position will have equivalent pay and benefits as the employee's regular job.
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G. Benefits During Leave
An employee may choose to use earned vacation time, paid sick time, and/or paid
personal business time while on unpaid FMLA leave by submitting a written request to the
Human Resources Manager. This time will be credited against the applicable twelve (12) week
or twenty-six (26) week FMLA leave period. If the reason for the leave is an (3) Employee’s
Own Health Condition and the individual qualifies under the applicable policy, all available
workers’ compensation benefits will be credited against the twelve (12) week period as well.
Employees will be retained on Cinderella’s health plan during FMLA leave, so long as
the employee continues to make normal premium contributions. Failure of the employee to pay
his or her share of the health insurance premium may result in loss of coverage.
If an employee fails to return to work after expiration of the leave, the employee may be
required to reimburse Cinderella for health insurance premiums paid during the leave, unless the
employee does not return because of the presence of a serious health condition which prevents
the employee from performing his/her job or circumstances beyond the control of the employee.
Benefits will be maintained in the same manner and at the same level as provided when
the leave began, but subject to any company-wide benefit changes made by Cinderella that may
have taken place during the period of FMLA leave.
H. Return from Leave
If an employee plans to return on a date other than the date specified in the original
request for leave, the Human Resources Manager must be notified in writing as soon as the
change of circumstances become known. The employee must provide at least one (1) week
advance notice before he/she intends to return to work. If an employee fails to report to work on
the agreed upon return date, Cinderella may assume that the employee has voluntarily resigned.
A return to work release from the employee’s doctor will be required where the leave was
due to an employee’s own serious health condition.
Except for those employees designated as “key employees,” employees will be returned
to the same or to an equivalent position upon their return from leave.
The failure of an employee to return to work upon the expiration of the family and
medical leave will result in a loss of protection under the FMLA.
If the need for a leave continues beyond the period provided under FMLA, the employee
will revert to being covered by Cinderella’s leave of absence policies. A separate request must
be made to extend the leave under the leave of absence policies.
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BEREAVEMENT LEAVE
Cinderella supports your need to take time off from work if one of your family members
dies. In the event your spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, grandson,
granddaughter, or step-child dies, you will be allowed up to three days off with pay in order to
assist with arrangements and to attend the funeral. In the event your grandmother, grandfather,
son-in-law, daughter-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law dies, you will be allowed up to two
days off with pay. In the event your brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or grandparents-in-law dies,
you will allowed one day off with pay. If additional time is necessary, you may use vacation time
or paid personal business time if you are eligible. Personal leave may also be granted without
pay.
The bereavement period in all cases shall be all days between the date of death and the
day of the funeral and shall be a continuous period. Saturdays and Sundays falling during the
bereavement period do not qualify for bereavement leave pay. Cinderella reserves the right to
request documentation with proof of relationship when filling out the absence report upon
returning to work.
You must use vacation time or paid personal business time, or request unpaid personal
leave, to attend the funeral of any other family or non-family members. Prior approval for any
bereavement leave must be obtained from your supervisor. If prior approval is not obtained, the
employee will not be paid for the bereavement leave.
MILITARY LEAVE
A military leave of absence will be granted to employees who are absent from work
because of service in the U.S. uniformed services in accordance with the Uniformed Services
Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Advance notice of military service is
required, unless military necessity prevents such notice or it is otherwise impossible or
unreasonable.
The leave will be unpaid. However, employees may use any available vacation time or
paid personal business time for the absence.
CIVIC LEAVE
Cinderella supports your obligations to the court system. When an employee is called for
jury duty, the Company will grant you time off with pay for up to two weeks per year as follows:
• Cinderella will pay the difference between what the court pays and the
employee’s regular pay rate.
• A document from the court showing the time and amount paid must be given
promptly to the Human Resources Manager.
• Employees must notify supervisor upon receipt of their summons.
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• If the court dismisses the juror or witness early, the employee is expected to
return to work as soon as possible and complete a regular shift comprised of civic
time and time on the job.
• Should the employee’s work duties with Cinderella be vital to its operation, the
court may be asked to excuse the employee from jury duty.
The Company may also grant limited time off with pay if you are subpoenaed to testify in
a matter in which you have no personal interest.
PERSONAL LEAVE
A personal leave of absence is an unpaid period of time off from work without a loss of
employment. A personal leave of absence for an emergency or reasons determined valid in the
discretion of management may be granted for a period of time not to exceed twelve (12) work
weeks in a twelve (12) month period. Approval for a leave of absence is at Cinderella’s
discretion, based on factors including the workload and availability of other employees.
Circumstances that may lead to the need for a personal leave of absence include an extended
illness, pursuit of an education, and family emergency.
An employee may use a personal leave to extend an absence beyond the leave provided
under the FMLA upon proper approval for a leave extension under this policy.
When possible, a “Request for a Leave of Absence” must be completed and submitted to
the Company for approval at least thirty (30) calendar days before the leave is to commence,
along with any requested documentation (medical slip, etc.). When it is not possible to submit a
request thirty (30) calendar days in advance, the request should be submitted as soon as the need
for a personal leave becomes known. The reason for the personal leave must be stated on the
request form. All available vacation time, paid sick days, and/or paid personal business time
may be used upon written request from the employee during a personal leave of absence.
If the need for a leave of absence is due to an employee’s health condition, the employee
will be required to submit a physician’s letter that justifies the need for the leave of absence,
confirms the employee’s inability to work during the requested time off, and provides an
estimated return to work date. If leave is due to an employee’s health condition, a physician’s
certification of the employee’s ability to perform the job is required prior to being reinstated.
While on leave, employees are required to report periodically to the Human Resources
Manager, at least every thirty (30) calendar days, regarding the status of their need for leave and
their intent to return to work. Employees may be required to provide satisfactory medical
evidence substantiating their need for continued leave. Further, the Human Resources Manager
should be contacted seven (7) calendar days before the expiration of an approved leave to discuss
return to work.
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Any request for a leave extension must be made as soon as the need for the extension is
known with the appropriate documentation of the need for an extension in the case of a leave of
absence due to an employee’s health condition. If, after consideration by Cinderella, it is felt
that such a leave or an extension of a personal leave may be granted without jeopardizing the
operations of the department, the request may be granted.
Benefits will continue only until the end of the month for which premiums are already
paid. After that time, the employee may elect to continue benefits at the employee’s expense.
Otherwise, benefits will be canceled. Holiday pay is not available to employees during an
unpaid leave of absence.
Employees who take a personal leave of absence are not guaranteed reinstatement.
Economic or other conditions may necessitate job replacement or elimination of an employee’s
position before a leave of absence is complete. If an employee’s position is eliminated while on
a leave of absence and the employee refuses an offer of employment upon return to employment,
employment will be terminated.
An employee who seeks, obtains and/or performs other employment or becomes self-
employed while on any type of leave of absence shall be terminated from employment effective
on the date the leave of absence started, unless the employee was specifically granted the leave
for that particular purpose.
If an employee does not return at the end of an approved leave of absence, the employee
will be considered a voluntary quit and employment will be terminated. If at the end of the
personal leave, an employee is still not able to return to the job due to an illness or injury that
results in an inability to perform the job, either with or without reasonable accommodation, then
the Company will allow the employee to apply for any vacant position that the employee is
qualified for and capable of performing with or without accommodation. In all events, if an
employee is unable to return to either their job or an unfilled position which they are qualified
for and capable of performing, because of illness or injury for a period of twelve (12) work
weeks (or twenty-four (24) work weeks if the employee took FMLA leave) within a twelve (12)
month rolling period, the employee shall be separated from employment.
EMPLOYEE PURCHASES
Any Cinderella employee may purchase for his or her personal use any product normally
sold by the Company, at a price determined by adding together Cinderella’s invoice cost of the
item plus ten percent, applicable freight, and sales tax. Any purchases not paid for within ten
days of purchase shall be paid for through payroll deduction.
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HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE AND PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE
Cinderella maintains several insurance programs for the benefit of employees, including
health and life insurance and prescription coverage. These policies require you to be a full-time
Cinderella employee to qualify and there may be limitations if you are eligible for coverage
through a spouse’s employment. For purposes of health insurance, an employee is full-time if
the employee works an average of 30 hours per week or at least 130 hours per month. For all
other benefit programs, an employee is full-time if the employee works 40 hours per week.
If you choose to forgo health insurance and prescription coverage and maintain coverage
through another source, you will be eligible for a weekly supplement from Cinderella.
If your spouse is eligible for health insurance and prescription coverage through his or
her employer and you choose to include your spouse on Cinderella’s coverage, such coverage
will be subject to an additional charge.
Current information about these programs, including eligibility requirements and costs, is
available from the Human Resources Manager. The Company reserves the right to change its
insurance programs and other benefit plans consistent with applicable law.
Summary Plan Descriptions providing additional information on plan specifications is
distributed to all plan participants.
BENEFITS CONTINUATION
Many benefits end on the last day of your employment. Generally, under COBRA laws,
employees and their qualified beneficiaries may extend medical and life insurance coverages for
up to 18 months if the employee or qualified beneficiary elects to pay for the full cost of
coverage plus an administrative fee. In certain circumstances, the 18-month period may be
extended. COBRA information will be sent to you within 15 days of your last day of
employment. For more information on what happens with your benefits upon termination, please
contact the Human Resources Manager.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION INSURANCE
Cinderella provides a comprehensive workers’ compensation insurance program at no
extra cost to you. This program covers any injury or illness you sustain in the course of
employment that requires medical, surgical, or hospital treatment. Subject to applicable legal
requirements, workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits after a short waiting period or,
if you are hospitalized, immediately.
Employees who sustain work-related injuries or illnesses must inform their supervisor
immediately. A “First Report of Injury” form must be completed for any on-the-job injury. No
matter how minor an on-the-job injury may appear, it is important that it be reported
immediately. This will enable an eligible employee to qualify for coverage as quickly as
possible. See Safety policy on page 18 for additional information.
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RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Cinderella currently provides a defined contribution benefit plan for all full time
employees who are at least 21 years of age and have been employed six (6) months or more.
The entire plan and its qualifications and benefits are available from the Human
Resources Manager.
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DISCRIMINATION/HARASSMENT/RETALIATION COMPLAINT FORM
Cinderella believes that all employees have a right to work in an environment free from unlawful employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Discrimination, harassment, and retaliation not only violates the law, but also have a negative impact on the working relationship with and between employees, vendors, contractors and our customers. Discrimination, harassment, or retaliation in any form will not be tolerated by Cinderella. The management of Cinderella will actively investigate every complaint of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. It is the duty of every employee to cooperate in any such investigation.
The Human Resources Manager will initiate a preliminary fact finding process upon receiving information of an employee who believes that he/she has observed or been subject to unlawful harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, height, weight, marital or familial status, disability, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. However, the employee or witness must document the incident(s) on this Discrimination/Harassment/Retaliation Complaint Form in order to trigger an official investigation of any discrimination, harassment, or retaliation.
During the investigation it is the duty of every employee to cooperate in the fact finding process. Any employee found to have provided false information will be subjected to discipline. Any employee found to have retaliated against or penalize an employee for asserting a claim of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation will be subject to the disciplinary actions, up to and including termination of employment. Any employee found to have made a false claim of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation will also be subject to discipline, up to and including discharge.
Name: Department/Unit you work for: Contact number that we can reach you for any follow up questions:
Are you a witness reporting an incident? ______ Yes _______ No Are you the victim of the incident? ______ Yes ______ No On the bottom and back of this page, describe the alleged incident in detail including the date upon which each incident occurred; the identity of the individual who committed the act of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation; the approximate time when each incident occurred; the acts which you believe constituted unlawful discrimination, harassment, or retaliation including any verbal acts; your response or reactions; and any other details which will assist the Human Resources Manager in the investigation of this incident:
Description of incident:
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Have you reported this incident to anyone else? ____Yes ____ No If so who? _______________________________________________________ Have you been subjected to similar acts of harassment, discrimination, and/or retaliation by the same persons in the past? _____Yes ____No If so, did you report the prior incident(s)? _____Yes ____No _________________________ __________________________ Signature Date
To be completed by HR Manager: Date complaint form received: __________________ Date of contact with reporter: _____________ Other documentation attached? ___________ Reference of other documentation related to case: __________________________________________
Date investigation commenced: __________________________________________________________ Date Investigation closed: _______________________________________________________________ Outcome/Remedies:
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EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM
I acknowledge receipt of the Cinderella Employee Handbook. It describes important
information about my employment with Cinderella and I understand that I should consult the
Human Resources Manager regarding any questions not answered in this handbook. I understand
that it is my responsibility to read and comply with the policies contained in this Employee
Handbook. I understand that this handbook replaces any and all prior handbooks, policies and
practices of Cinderella.
I agree to abide by and I consent to all the policies in the Employee Handbook, including
the policies on sexual and other harassment; workplace violence; safety; inspections; drug and
alcohol testing, confidentiality, and e-mail, voicemail, social media, computer monitoring, online
information services and the Internet.
I have entered into my employment relationship with Cinderella voluntarily and I
acknowledge that there is no specified length of employment. Either Cinderella or I can
terminate the relationship at will, with or without notice or cause, at any time. I understand
the only person Cinderella has authorized to enter into an employment contract, except an at will
contract, is the Chief Executive Officer of Cinderella, and that no one at Cinderella, including the
Company’s Chief Executive Officer, is authorized to enter into a verbal employment contract,
except for a contract providing for at will employment.
I am aware that the Employee Handbook does not constitute a contract or agreement and
is subject to change at the sole discretion of the Cinderella at any time without notice. Except
that, in consideration for my continued at-will employment, I agree that any claim arising out of
my employment or termination of employment including, but not limited to, claims arising under
State or Federal statutes, must be filed in court or with the appropriate governmental agency
within the lesser of one hundred eighty (180) calendar days or the statutory claim limitations
period of the event that is the subject of the claim or be forever barred. I understand that the
statutory period to file an employment related claim might otherwise be longer than one hundred
eighty (180) calendar days. I agree to be bound by the shorter period and I voluntarily waive any
statutory period to the contrary.
EMPLOYEE’S SIGNATURE DATE
EMPLOYEE’S NAME (TYPED OR PRINTED)
