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EMPLOYEE MANUAL
 
 

Our Company

East Coast Facilities, Inc. (ECF) is a professional facility maintenance company providing services to commercial, corporate, government and institutional clientele. ECF currently operates in four states on the East Coast of the United States.

The success and growth of the Company continue to be the result of the dedication and participation of all employees. The Company has successfully managed its operations and personnel resources so that employees can achieve the highest level of work satisfaction and need fulfillment.

Statement of Understanding

This handbook does not constitute an implied or expressed contract or guarantee of employment. The Company retains all of its rights to change, modify, revise, or alter this handbook and any policies, procedures, or other conditions related to employment at its sole discretion, at any time, without notice and without rescission to this handbook.

Employment is at the mutual consent of the employee and the Company for an undetermined length of time. The Company retains all its rights to hire, transfer, demote, adjust wages, discipline, and terminate employee’s at-will, at any time, with or without cause.

Equal Employment Policy

It is the policy of this Company to select, develop, and promote employees based on individual ability and job performance. It has been, and shall continue to be, the policy of this Company to provide equal employment opportunity to all people in all aspects of employer-employee relations without discrimination because of race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, or physical disability. This policy affects decisions including, but not limited to, an employee's compensation, benefits, terms and conditions of employment, opportunities for promotion, training, and development, transfer, and other privileges of employment. It has been, and shall continue to be, the Company's policy to maintain a working environment free of sexual harassment and intimidation. It is further the policy of the Company to comply with the letter and spirit of applicable local, state, and federal statutes concerning equal employment opportunity.

Our Core Values

• Principals govern our conduct
• We respect people
• Personal accountability makes us stronger
• We do not give orders we would not do ourselves
• Board room decisions are for Banks
• We have the courage to take on risks and seize opportunity
• We play to win
• We laugh every single day

Our Clients

As a professional service business, we are contracted to provide a professional service to meet and/or exceed our client's needs. We all are responsible for client satisfaction and strive to be courteous and helpful. We seek to correct mistakes. Great care is taken when operating equipment around buildings, vehicles, and pedestrians. Many of our job sites are high-security locations, consequently, our conduct and decorum should be professional always.

Our Work 

Introductory Period

The first 90 days of your employment are an introductory period. During this time, you should become familiar with the Company, the other employees, your work, and the opportunities available within the Company.

You may be required to take a physical exam during this period to ensure that you are physically capable of performing the essential functions of your job. You must be physically capable of performing the work.

Toward the end of the introductory period, your performance will be reviewed with you by your Supervisor. Thereafter,
performance reviews will be conducted at least every twelve months. See “Performance Reviews”

During the introductory period, as at all other times during your employment, the Company retains all of its rights to
transfer, demote, discipline, and terminate employee’s at-will, at any time, with or without just cause.

Work Hours

Working hours vary somewhat between service centers and types of work. At most Service Centers, the workweek is standard and consistent; however, overtime may occasionally be required and in some states is part of a normal schedule.
Periodically a person may be asked to start work earlier or work later than usual due to special job conditions or requirements.
Work-time normally begins when you depart from the warehouse, or when you start working at the job site or assigned place of work (If it is site work).
You may provide your own transportation to the job or you may report to the yard and ride to the job in a Company vehicle if one is available.
You will not be paid for this time unless you are specifically required to report to the yard.
The lunch periods are usually one-half hour. You should bring your lunch with you. Company vehicles are not to be used for lunch period transportation unless explicitly authorized by a manager.

Punctuality and Absence

Your regular attendance on the job is necessary for the Company to meet its commitments. If you are late or miss work, you make it difficult for your crew to work effectively. If you must be late or miss work, you should notify the office as early as possible so that your job can be covered and your crew members are not delayed. If you do not call and do not present yourself for work you are subject to termination.

Uniform Standards

Once you are issued a uniform you are required to wear it. The company will pay for and provide you with uniforms but you are responsible for the cleaning and care of your uniform. We have strict uniform guidelines that must be followed including but not limited to:

1. You must wear your full issued uniform
2. Shirts must be tucked in at all times when on the clock
3. You must wear a belt, pants may not sag below the waistline
4. Only company-issued hats or neck gators are acceptable
5. No hoop earrings or visible long neck chains are allowed
6. If you have long hair, it must be tied back and out of the way
7. Beards must be neatly trimmed
8. No facial or tongue piercings may be visible
9. No more than two buttons can be undone on a shirt
10. Shirt cuffs must be buttoned or neatly rolled up
11. You must wear work boots and all appropriate PPE
12. Your official company ID must be visible at all times

If you are not in uniform according to our standards it can be assumed that you are not on the clock. When you are in your uniform you are representing the Company's brand. You must exercise discernment when posting content on social media platforms. Whether or not you are on company time, unprofessional, criminal, religiously offensive, or politically offensive actions are grounds for termination, especially if such actions occurred while you were in uniform. 
 

Pay Check Procedures

The workweek is Monday through Sunday. Paychecks for the previous week's work are distributed by Friday.
If you feel that a mistake has been made in preparing your check, the facts should be immediately reported to your supervisor.
The company does not give advances in pay.

Performance Reviews

Periodic performance reviews are a time for you to discuss the job and personal goals with your supervisor. Your first review may occur toward the end of the three-month introductory period. Thereafter, a review of your progress may be made at least every twelve months. Performance reviews are to determine if you are working within the acceptable parameters of your job description. These reviews will assist you with coaching to fully fulfill your work assignment.
Performance reviews usually do not involve wage increases.

Wage Reviews

Wage increases are not automatic and are not based upon seniority. They are based on sustained performance, internal equity, and external competitiveness. They are based on the job you perform, the geographic area it is in and your level of expertise. Wage reviews are not conducted because of a pay increase request by an employee. Employees who wish to earn pay increases must be interested in development and advancement through merit and performance.

Promotions

It is policy to select from qualified people within the company as promotional opportunities arise. Promotions are based upon employee performance and company needs. If you desire a promotion or transfer you should let your supervisor know. The best time to do this is during periodic performance reviews.

Complaints & Open-Door Policy

Your work with us should be satisfying and rewarding. Since problems and complaints do arise from time to time, you are encouraged to take such matters to your immediate supervisor. Your problem or complaint will be addressed promptly before it becomes a serious irritant.
The following are steps you must take to have such matters resolved:

1. Discuss the problem with your immediate supervisor. Your Project Manager works closely with you and should know you and your job better than anyone else.
2. If you are not satisfied with this discussion, take the matter to the Service Center General Manager. The General Manager will meet with you, investigate the facts concerning the situation, and respond back to you.
3. If you are not satisfied with the discussion you have with the General Manager, you may speak directly with the President of East Coast Facilities, Inc., Joshua Gamez. Phone Number 732-654-2639, indicate you are an employee calling to speak with the President, be prepared to provide your name, branch, and employee ID number.

Rainy Day Policy for Field Employees

If it is raining in the morning prior to the start of work, hourly field employees must call the designated phone number to see if they should report to work. If they (field employees) report to work without telephoning and are sent home, they will not be paid to show up time.
If it begins to rain after work has started, all employees will be entitled to a minimum of 2 hours of paid time.
 

Continuity of Employment

Operations require employees that will be available year-round. When a contract is lost, there may be a temporary lack of work and displacement of employees, which can result in layoffs, but we encourage you to apply for any open position within the Company.
If you resign to relocate, and if there is a Service Center in your new area, you may be able to arrange a transfer. Notice will help you accomplish this.

Moonlighting

Use of any of the Company's equipment or materials on non-Company projects without the General Managers' permission is prohibited and will be treated as theft.

The Company feels that full mental and physical capabilities are hampered and diminished if a person attempts to hold down more than one job, therefore moonlighting is discouraged. Your job at East Coast Facilities, Inc. is your primary job, even if you are a seasonal employee. Therefore, we will not accommodate any alternate employment obligations which may fall on an evening or weekend, when shifts run late or into the weekends, due to inclement weather.

Vacations

The purpose of a vacation is to provide an annual rest period from work. Only full-time employees working greater than 2080 hours per year are eligible. The following guidelines have been set:

• Vacation earned shall be based upon the anniversary of the date hired.
• Vacations must be taken by the next succeeding anniversary date and are not cumulative from one year to the next. For example, if you were hired on June 1, by June 1 of the next year you would earn one week of vacation (presuming this was the first year). You must take your vacation before June 1 comes up again.
  • Unused vacation days will not be accumulated year over year, instead, they will be paid out to you during the pay period immediately following the date on which they can no longer be utilized or scheduled.
    • You must give your supervisor thirty-day notice in writing prior to taking vacation time. Eligible Vacation Terms:

If the Project Manager, due to extraordinary circumstances, permitted you to take a vacation prior to the accrual of such vacation and you subsequently leave the company's employ, a deduction will be made from your final check to adjust for any unearned vacation that was taken.

Vacation time is based on one week of regular hourly wages paid for one week's work at the time the vacation is taken. If a vacation is authorized in one-day increments, it will be compensated at 8 HR Periods. The “week” as referenced herein refers to 5 paid days of vacation at 8 hours each, regardless of whether some service centers operate by way of four (4) ten (10) hour shifts.

Vacations must be requested in advance to be in keeping with Branch needs and schedules. Vacation schedules are to be approved by the Service Center General Manager. If you have more than one week of vacation, only one of those weeks may be taken during the Summer (May through September). You are required to request vacation time no less than 30 days in advance, in writing. It is recommended that you consider requesting a vacation farther in advance than 30-days when possible. Managers stagger vacations, and your request may not be approved. Such notice should be provided to your supervisor.

 

Holidays

National Holidays
East Coast Facilities, Inc. does not provide compensation for holidays to hourly employees. On weeks where holidays are observed, workweeks shift, and therefore, the number of hours worked is not generally reduced.

The following are regularly observed holidays when our offices will be closed, and operations shifted to the next available workday:
New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When the above holidays fall on Saturday or Sunday, they will be observed on Friday or Monday, respectively. 

Religious Holidays
Religious holidays which are observed by employees will be recognized by the Company and the employee should coordinate the taking of a religious holiday with the Service Center General Manager. You must disclose prior to your start of employment in writing whether you will take any religious holidays. This disclosure must be given to the Service Center General Manager. You will not be compensated for Religious Holidays.

Personal Holidays
We do not offer personal holidays.

Paid Personal Time Off (PTO)

PTO is available to all full-time employees working greater than 1500 hours annually. Personal paid time off (PTO) provides you with the flexibility to use your time off to meet your personal needs while recognizing your individual responsibility to manage your paid time off. You will earn a specified amount of PTO each pay period worked and it is up to you to allocate how you will use it - for illness, caring for children, school activities, medical/dental appointments, leave, personal business, or emergencies.
 
PTO is not vacation time, due to the nature of our business, we request all vacations to be scheduled and approved in advance.
 
Earned PTO will not be accumulated year over year, instead, unused PTO will be paid out to you during the pay period immediately following the date on which they can no longer be utilized or scheduled.

Personal Time Off - Allocations by Group
Full-Time Hourly Field Workers - 2-days per calendar year
Full-Time Salaried Field Supervisors - 3-days per calendar year
Full-Time Field / Project / Operations Manager - 4-days per calendar year Full-Time Senior Managers - 5-days per calendar year
 

Leave of Absence

Family Care and Medical Leave
Employees who have more than 1 year of service and who have worked 1250 hours may have up to 12 weeks in 12 months of unpaid leave for the reasons listed below.
 

• An employee with a serious health condition
• Caring for a newborn/adopted child/foster child
• Caring for a seriously ill child, spouse, or parent
• Pregnancy or childbirth

In addition to the above provision. Full-time employees who give birth to a child, will be entitled to one month of paid leave and full-time employees whose spouse gives birth to a child will be entitled to one week of paid leave.

Military Leave
The company will grant leave of absence to full-time and part-time employees to serve in the United States Armed Forces, Reserve Unit, or the National Guard. Employees will be reimbursed for the difference between their base pay and any compensation paid by the United States Armed Forces, Reserve Unit, or the National Guard Unit for up to two weeks in any calendar year.

Jury Duty

The company will grant leave of absence to full-time and part-time employees to serve on jury duty. For all states other than Colorado, the company has no provision for paying employees while on jury duty.

Death in the Family

Upon death in your immediate family (spouse, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sister, or brother), full-time employees may receive two days' leave of absence with pay after 3 months of continuous employment. If additional time is required, the Supervisor should be consulted.

Personal Business

A personal leave of absence must be discussed with your Supervisor. Such leave is not paid for by the Company. The duration of a leave of absence should be understood and agreed to between the Supervisor and employee, especially since benefits eligibility may be affected.

Company Vehicles

Company vehicles are used only by authorized employees on Company business.

Keys

Keys for Company vehicles parked at Company yards at night are locked up to prevent unauthorized use of Company vehicles. Keys to facilities, gates, equipment rooms, or supply rooms are assigned by project managers.

Driver’s License

Only authorized employees, who have completed an internal driving certification, and possess a valid driver’s license may drive Company vehicles. Driving records are reviewed annually and poor driving records can be cause for the loss of driving privileges.

Traffic Accidents

All accidents must be reported to the office by phone as soon as possible. Each vehicle has an "Accident Reporting Envelope" containing report forms and instructions for filling them out. These should be completed and turned in to the office the day the accident occurs, if possible.
If anyone is injured in an accident, the Service Center must be notified at once, or as soon as possible.

When an accident occurs, employees are to make no statements other than to exchange insurance information. Take the accident envelope out and fill out all lines completely.

Drug and alcohol testing is required for a pre-employment check and when an employee is involved in any work-related accident or injury. For further information about this Program consult the Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy and procedures document at your Branch.

Equipment Responsibility

It is the responsibility of all employees to see that their Company equipment is secured and properly maintained always. Further, it is the Company's intent to see that each crew has the means and support to achieve the above.
Therefore, we have established the following procedures:

1. If a vehicle is left unattended, the driver must always remove the keys from the ignition and lock the doors.
2. If equipment is left unattended on the job, the equipment must be secured by chains and locked.
3. At the job site, equipment should not be left out of sight of the crew at any time unless secured with chains.

1. The crew/team leader or technician is responsible for making sure all tools are picked up and accounted for when leaving job sites.
2. All operator maintenance is to be performed according to the manufacturer's requirements. It is the operator's responsibility. No repairs beyond maintenance will be made without a team/crew leader's approval.
3. Equipment that is in an unsafe condition is not to be operated until the condition is corrected.
4. All equipment is to be locked and secured at night prior to closing.

Employees who fail to observe these procedures and/or abuse equipment will be subject to corrective action, which may include payment for the loss.

Insurance and Benefits

Full-Time employees who work more than 1500 hours annually, qualify for health insurance. You will be eligible after 90 days of continuous employment. Please ask your managing Project Manager or the General Manager for details on the available programs.

Sexual Harassment

It is Company policy that all employees should be able to enjoy a work atmosphere free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment does not mean occasional compliments of a socially acceptable nature. Sexual harassment refers to conduct that is offensive to the individual, harms morale, and which interferes with the effectiveness of our business. No employee, male or female, should be subjected to unsolicited and unwelcome sexual overtures, either verbally or physically. This type of conduct is strictly prohibited.
Any employee who feels he or she has become a victim of sexual harassment or has knowledge of that kind of behavior should report such conduct immediately. During the investigation phase, the complaint will be kept confidential.
Following a thorough investigation, the Company will take immediate disciplinary action against any employee engaging in sexual harassment. Such action may include reprimand, suspension, demotion, or discharge, depending upon the circumstances.

Standards of Conduct

DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING PROGRAM - All individuals seeking employment with East Coast Facilities, Inc. must clear an illicit drug screen as a condition of employment regardless of the number of hours intended to work or the position held. After employment begins drug and alcohol testing is always required when an employee is involved in a work-related accident or injury. Employees may also be subject to random, reasonable suspicion, return-to-duty, and follow-up testing. For further information about this Program consult the Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy and procedures document at your Branch.

Commercial motor vehicle drivers are subject to a separate Drug and Alcohol Testing Program. For further information about this program, consult the Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy for commercial motor vehicle drivers at your Branch.
The Company retains its right to progressively discipline employees for violations of Company rules which may include:

1. Verbal warning
2. Written warning
3. Suspension
4. Termination

Copies of documented disciplinary action will be sent to the employee and the employee's personnel file.
The progressive disciplinary steps are discretionary and not mandatory. The Company retains the right to deviate from these steps or procedures or eliminate them entirely, at the Company's discretion. The Company also retains the right to demote or terminate for one violation of one Company rule.
Infractions of Company Policy include but are not limited to:

• Dishonesty, fraud, theft, or misappropriation of property of employees or of the company.
• Sabotage
• Insubordination
• Willful falsification of Company records
• Possession of unauthorized weapons on Company or Client property at any time
• Misuse or removal from premises without proper authorization of company property employee lists, blueprints, company records or confidential information of any nature
• Fighting

The Company will terminate the employment of employees who test positive for drugs or alcohol, refuse to submit to testing, report for duty or remain on duty while possessing or using drugs or alcohol, or substantial evidence indicates their use of drugs or alcohol
Other unacceptable forms of conduct include:

• Threatening, intimidating, coercing, or interfering with the rights of fellow employees
• Creating and contributing to unsafe conditions
• Continued disregard for good housekeeping practices
• Immoral or indecent conduct on Company or Client premises
• Encouragement of work slowdown or work stoppage
• Horseplay on premises at any time
• Absence without proper notification
• Leaving the job site during working hours without authorization from your supervisor (Other than scheduled breaks.) 
• Irregular attendance, including excessive absenteeism or tardiness
• Gambling on Company property
• Unauthorized use of Company equipment or materials for any reason
• Unsatisfactory work performance
• Smoking in unauthorized areas
• Failure to report poor workmanship, a mistake, or accidental damage immediately to your supervisor

Safety Rules

It is a company objective to provide a safe and satisfying work environment. Your safety and the safety of your fellow workers require that you make safety the first consideration in doing your work. This means that each one of us must:

1. Actively participate in safety meetings. 
2. Report all injuries or accidents immediately to supervisors - no matter how minor! 
3. Wear proper safety equipment. 
4. Never perform a job that is unsafe - notify supervisors or a Safety Officer immediately of any unsafe conditions.

SEE SAFETY MANUAL