Contract Employee Handbook - Apex Systems

43 Pages·2011·0.4 MB·English

Contract
Employee
Handbook
Version 1.0 (08/16/2011)
Apex Systems, Inc. 4400 Cox Rd Suite 200 Glen Allen, VA 23060 804.342.9090
Introduction
The Apex Systems, Inc. Mission Statement:
It is Apex’s goal to become the premiere technical systems resource for corporate America by providing a service
that is superior in its quality, speed, cost, and reliability. Apex will aggressively expand into new markets across
the nation as it provides job-seeking individuals with an honest and professional career resource.

Apex Values Statement
Our values are central to everything we do and are at the heart and soul of Apex. They are what we believe in
and who we are, and we are passionately committed to them.
• Will to win – attitude, drive, energy, hustle, commitment, ownership
• Do the right thing – character, integrity, respect for all
• Make others better – teamwork, self-improvement, selfless, leadership, coachable
• Professionalism – sharp, knowledgeable, competent, and respectful
Core Purpose
Our Core Purpose is to experience the rush of connecting people with opportunity and providing customers
with their most valuable resource.
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Employee Handbook Guidelines In
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The guidelines outlined in this handbook are subject to change at the sole discretion of Apex and o
applies to regular full-time Apex employees. d
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The guidelines and practices referred to in this handbook are to be followed. However, management
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reserves the right to depart from these guidelines when necessary. This handbook supersedes all i
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previously published handbooks and communications, which pertain to the contents of this handbook. n
This handbook is not a contract guaranteeing employment for any specific duration.
You have entered into an “at-will” relationship, meaning there are no contractual or other legal
rights in any term, condition, or aspect of employment relationship, including but not limited to
termination of employment, i.e. either you or Apex may terminate this employment relationship
at any time, without cause or notice.
In this handbook, Apex Systems, Inc. is also referred to as ‘Apex,’ ‘Apex Systems’ and ‘the company.’

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T E C H N I C A L S T A F F I N G
SElECTIon And HIrInG EMPloYEE ConduCT
5 EmployEE REfERRals 28 standaRds of conduct
5 EmploymEnt of RElativEs 28 Ethics policy
5 REfEREncE and BackgRound chEcks 30 dREss codE/ pERsonal appEaRancE
5 immigRation act REquiREmEnts (i-9) 30 smokE-fREE woRkplacE
31 alcohol policy
32 dRug-fREE woRkplacE policy
EMPloYEE ClASSIfICATIonS
32 communication
6 “non-ExEmpt” and “ExEmpt” EmployEEs 33 pERsonal calls
33 mail
s PErSonnEl fIlES 33 intERnEt usagE
33 Email
t 7 youR pERsonnEl filE 33 woRkplacE sEaRchEs
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7 ExtERnal REquEsts foR EmployEE infoRmation 34 confidEntial infoRmation
e 34 outsidE EmploymEnt
APEx PolICIES
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dISCIPlInE/TErMInATIon
n 8 Equal EmploymEnt oppoRtunity
8 haRassmEnt/ complaint pRocEduRE 35 pRogREssivE disciplinaRy policy
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9 apEx hotlinE 36 pRocEduREs
C 10 amERicans with disaBilitiEs act (ada)
10 family and mEdical lEavE act (fmla) CoMPEnSATIon And PErforMAnCE
22 lactation Rooms
f 23 anti-fRatERnization policy 38 wagE & salaRy policiEs
o 23 pERsonnEl with sEcuRity clEaRancEs 38 dEductions (othER)/ diREct dEposit
38 mandatoRy payRoll dEductions

e TIME EnTrY
PAId lEAVES of AbSEnCE
l 24 annivERsaRy datE 39 BEREavEmEnt lEavE
b 24 Payroll and Timecards 39 lEavEs of aBsEncE
a 39 militaRy lEavE policy
TrAVEl And ExPEnSE
T
25 contRactoR tRavEl REquEst foRm Your bEnEfITS
25 Booking Process
41 insuRancE covERagE
25 TransPorTaTion
41 coBRa— continuing youR insuRancE covERagE
41 401(k)
SAfETY
43 fiRst REpoRt of injuRy
43 company pRopERty
EMPloYEE STATEMEnT of
ACknowlEdGEMEnT
44 at-will EmploymEnt
Selection and Hiring
Employee referrals
Know someone like yourself that is interested in hearing about our varied job opportunities? Apex
Systems offers competitive referral bonuses for each skilled professional whom you refer to us and
who is subsequently placed at a client site. The referral must work a minimum of 200 hours. Ask your
Recruiter for details on this excellent incentive.

Employment of relatives
Apex does employ relatives of existing employees, except when there is a direct reporting relationship.
“Relatives” for this purpose include an employee’s spouse, natural or adopted children, parents,
brothers and sisters, step-children, grandparents, step-parents, mothers- and fathers-in-law, sons and
daughters-in-law, brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and first cousins.

reference and background Checks
As part of our commitment to servicing our clients and to maintaining our own internal standards,
Apex routinely performs background and reference checks on perspective employees. Based on client
requirements, background checks may also include drug tests. At all times Apex will complete these
duties in accordance with all state and federal requirements, and will maintain the results in a manner
that ensures candidate privacy.

Immigration Act requirements (I-9)
In compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, each new employee, as a
condition of employment, must complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 and present
documentation establishing identity and employment eligibility. Former employees who are rehired
must also complete the form if they have not completed an I-9 with Apex within the past three years, or
if their previous I-9 is no longer retained or valid.
Employees with questions or seeking more information on immigration law issues are encouraged
to contact human resources. Employees may raise questions or complaints about immigration law
compliance without fear of reprisal.
As required by law, Apex only employs persons who are authorized to work in the United States and
does not discriminate on the basis of citizenship or national origin.
Contract Employment Agreement
All employees will be required to sign a contract employment agreement as a condition of
employment. The terms of this agreement are standard for contract employees and are branch
employees are not authorized to negotiate or make any changes to the agreement..
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T E C H N I C A L S T A F F I N G
Employee Classifications
The following terms are defined for purposes of this Handbook. Some of these terms may be
used or defined differently in other places (for example, in Apex’s benefit plans).
- Salaried vs. Hourly. Salaried employees are those whose base compensation is paid as a fixed
weekly amount (which generally does not vary, for example, with precise hours worked), rather
than an hourly rate. Hourly employees are those whose base compensation is determined by
multiplying an hourly rate times the number of hours worked.
- full-time vs. Part-time. Full-time employees include all exempt employees and those non-
exempt employees whose regular work schedule is at least 30 hours per week. Part-time
employees are non-exempt hourly employees whose regular work schedule is less than 30
hours per week. Part-time employees are generally not eligible for benefits.
“non-Exempt” and “Exempt” Employees
At the time of hire, all employees are classified as either “exempt” or “non-exempt.” This is necessary
because, by law, employees in certain types of jobs are entitled to overtime pay as federal and state law
requires. These employees are referred to as “non-exempt” in this handbook. This means that they are
not exempt from (and therefore should receive) overtime pay.
Exempt employees are persons whose duties, responsibilities, and salary status allow them to be
“exempt” from overtime pay provisions as provided by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
and any applicable state laws. If you have any questions regarding your status, please contact your
supervisor or the human resources department.
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Personnel Files
Your Personnel file
Maintaining your personnel file with up-to-date information is important to you and company
management. It is your responsibility to notify human resources in the event of a name, address, tax
exemption change, etc. It is also your responsibility to insure that the proper forms are completed to
facilitate any changes.

External requests for Employee Information/Employment
Verification
THE WORK NUMBER® is a service of TALX Corporation that provides contract employees with an
automated process to handle employment verifications. It allows our contract employees to have
their employment and salary verified within a matter of minutes. This fast, secure service is used
for mortgage applications, reference checks, loan applications and apartment leases; anything that
requires proof of employment. It is quick, accurate, and best of all its easy. Requested information is
printed directly from their website at www.theworknumber.com or voiced and/or faxed to verifiers who
would access the system at 1-800-996-7566.

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T E C H N I C A L S T A F F I N G
Apex Policies
Equal Employment opportunity
Apex is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis
race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, marital or veteran status or disability or any
other classification protected by applicable law of race, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability or
any other classification protected by applicable law. All personnel actions, including hiring, benefits,
transfers, compensation, layoffs, return from layoffs, and educational, recreational, and social programs
are and must be administered in a non-discriminatory manner.
Acts of discrimination, including illegal harassment, will not be tolerated. We will make reasonable
accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, unless doing so would result in an
undue hardship on Apex.
We require that all employees lend their support to achieving our objectives of equal opportunity
employment and zero tolerance for any type of illegal harassment or discrimination. Any violation of
this Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, including its prohibitions on harassment, will be dealt with
severely. Any employee, including any manager or supervisor, who engages in such violation will be
subject to appropriate disciplinary action up to and including discharge.

Harassment/Complaint Procedure
Apex Systems will not tolerate harassment of any Contract Employee on the basis of sex, race, age,
national origin, religion, disability or any other protected characteristic. Unlawful harassment occurs
whenever a Contract Employee is subjected to unwelcome conduct as a condition of their employment
and when such unwelcome conduct is directed at a Contract Employee because of that Contract
Employee’s sex, race, age, national origin, religion, disability, etc. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and
other similar federal laws prohibits this conduct.
The most common type of unlawful harassment is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment occurs
when employment decisions affecting an individual (such as hiring, promotions, awards, transfers or
disciplinary action) result from submission to, or rejection of, unwelcome sexual conduct. Thus, it is
sexual harassment for a supervisor to coerce a Contract Employee into a sexual relationship and then
reward the Contract Employee with a promotion. It is also sexual harassment for a supervisor to take
disciplinary action against, or deny a promotion to, a Contract Employee because he or she rejected
sexual advances.
Sexual harassment can also include any activity that creates a hostile or offensive working environment
for members of one sex - whether such activity is carried out by a supervisor or a coworker. This could
include such unwelcome workplace conduct such as displaying sexually oriented or demeaning
pictures; telling sexually oriented jokes; making sexually offensive remarks or gestures; engaging
in unwanted sexual teasing; or subjecting another Contract Employee to pressure for dates, sexual
advances or unwelcome touching. This could also include subjecting a Contract Employee to
objectionable comments, remarks or behavior based solely upon that Contract Employee’s sex.
The same guidelines are applicable for other types of harassment. It is against our policy to direct
negative comments against any Contract Employee-for example, because of that Contract Employee’s
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race, because that Contract Employee has a disability, or because that Contract Employee’s religion is
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Complaint Procedure: Any Contract Employee who believes that he or she has been subjected A
to sexual harassment or any other form of unlawful harassment, or who believes that they have p
information to indicate that such unlawful conduct may have occurred, should report such behavior e
or information immediately. Allegations, of or information related to, unlawful harassment should x

be brought to the attention of the Contract Employee’s Technical Recruiter. There will be no reprisals P
taken against any Contract Employee for making good faith allegations or inquiries concerning sexual o
harassment or any other form of unlawful harassment. l
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Procedure for investigation complaints: We will give complaints of sexual and other unlawful e
harassment swift and serious attention and take appropriate action in response. Each complaint s
of such conduct shall be investigated thoroughly and rapidly, and discipline, up to and including,
discharge shall be imposed upon those found to have violated this policy. Those engaging in unlawful
harassment may face termination and even personal liability for their actions.
Apex Hotline
Apex is committed to providing the best possible work environment for all of our employees. At the
foundation of that commitment is providing our employees the ability to freely communicate with
their company about any issue of interest or concern to them. The Apex Hotline has been established
solely for our employees and for their benefit. Calls to the Hotline will be provided the highest urgency
and our objective is to utilize what we learn to improve the work experience of all employees.
Employees may use the hotline at any time. Employees may choose to first attempt to resolve their
concerns through normal channels of communication with their Apex supervisor or point of contact.
When – in the employee’s opinion – resolution is not appropriate, employees are encouraged to
contact the hotline by calling 1-866-790-APEX. During regular working hours (8:00 am and 5:00 pm
CST) employees will be offered the choice of speaking directly with a Human Resource representative
or leaving an anonymous voice mail. After hours or during weekends or holidays, employees are
invited to leave a detailed voice mail, and a Human Resources representative will return the call if -
requested by the employee - during the next business day. Apex’s ability to involve the employee in the
resolution of their issue, or communicate the resolution will depend on the employee’s willingness to
be identified.

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T E C H N I C A L S T A F F I N G
s Americans with disabilities Act
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Apex will comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state and local laws that
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c forbid discrimination in employment against qualified individuals with disabilities. To this end, Apex
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1. Provide notice that Apex ensures reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with

x disabilities by including a statement to this effect on Apex’s employment application,
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employee handbook and corporate policies and procedures handbook and by posting
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conspicuously, throughout Apex’s facilities, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s
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poster regarding nondiscrimination against the disabled and other protected groups.
2. Ensure that qualified individuals with disabilities are treated in a nondiscriminatory manner
in the employment and/or promotion process and in all terms, conditions and privileges of
employment.
3. Make reasonable accommodation for applicants and employees with disabilities, except where
such accommodation would create an undue hardship on Apex or other employees or create a
risk to the disabled employee or co-workers.
4. Any request for reasonable accommodation should be discussed with the supervisor or
manager of the position being filled and any employee who have a need to know for an
appropriate management purpose. The decision to accommodate or not accommodate
hinges on the word “reasonable”. Whether a request is reasonable should be considered in
light of:
A. The nature and cost of the accommodation needed;
B. The overall financial resources of the facility and overall organization; and
C. The impact of the accommodation on the operation of the facility, including the
impact on the ability of others to perform their duties.
5. Human Resources will then inform the applicant or existing employee of Apex’s decision and
ensure that all approved accommodations are implemented.
6. Any candidate who gives false or misleading information on their application will not be
considered further for the position.

The family and Medical leave Act (fMlA)
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE POLICY
I. Purpose and Types of leave
The purpose of this policy is solely to outline and summarize the conditions under
which an employee may be granted job protected time off from work, without pay,
for a limited period for the following leave in accordance with the Family and Medical
Leave Act (referred to as FMLA leave):
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