Introduction
When you join the Company, you’ll receive a copy of the Real Affinity Employee Handbook. This contains detailed explanations about your contract with the Company, and outlines your rights as an employee. The principal terms and conditions of employment, which govern your appointment, are set out in your Offer Letter and Contract of Employment, so please keep this safe.
The Handbook also forms part of your Terms and Conditions of employment and is designed to help you understand the Company structure. In the event of conflicting information, your Contract of Employment will over-ride this Handbook, as will local company rules.
The master hard copy of this Handbook is kept by Real Affinity’s HR Administrator. The detailed information referred to in the Handbook can be accessed via links within this online version.
Definitions are listed here.
Training and development policy
Real Affinity Plc is committed to the training and development of all staff.
If a formal appraisal system is in place, your manager will let you know how often this takes place. If necessary, training will be provided in the areas of technical skills, professional qualifications and personal development –based on the outcome of a review.
Equal Opportunities Policy
We’re committed to creating a positive environment that allows all employees to reach their potential. We do our utmost to ensure that no employee feels discriminated against on the grounds of sex, religion, race, religious belief, marital status, sexual orientation, disability or age, and that nobody suffers any form of harassment or bullying.
Every member of staff has an obligation to support this policy and to help their colleagues in the event of any discrimination or harassment.
Follow the link for full details of the Company’s Equal Opportunities Policy and what to do if you or a colleague is subjected to discrimination or harassment.
For further help or advice contact your line manager or the HR Administrator.
Whistleblowing Policy
Incidents of workplace fraud and wrongdoing are on the increase. Therefore, we are committed to preventing malpractice and dealing with it immediately if it does occur. You are encouraged to ”blow the whistle on" any such incident in the workplace that you see or hear. You will be protected against any detrimental treatment as a result of your disclosure if the information disclosed, in your reasonable belief, tends to show that:
• a criminal offence has been committed, is being committed or is likely to be committed;
• a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with any legal obligation to which s/he is subject;
• a miscarriage of justice has occurred, is occurring or is likely to occur;
• the health and safety of an individual has been, is being or is likely to be endangered; or
• the environment has been, is being or is likely to be damaged.
The Company will make every effort to deal consistently with such disclosures in a fair, objective and discreet manner. Anyone who has concerns about malpractice within the workplace will not be punished or victimised for their disclosures of confidential information if made in good faith. Any victimisation or harassment of you for having raised legitimate concerns will be dealt with as a serious act of misconduct.
The policy will apply where a disclosure is made in good faith and where you reasonably believe that the information disclosed and any allegations contained in it are substantially true. If any disclosure is made in bad faith (for instance, in order to cause disruption within the Employer), concerns information which you do not substantially believe is true, or is made for personal gain, then such a disclosure may constitute gross misconduct for which summary dismissal is the sanction.
For full details of the procedure to be followed see Whistleblowing Policy.
Health and Safety
At Real Affinity, the Health & Safety of its employees is taken very seriously – you must cooperate with all policies and procedures designed to look after yourself, your colleagues and visitors to the Company. A copy of our Health & Safety Policy is available via the link below and you can find detailed policies and procedures plus all the relevant forms in hard copy at your location. Every site has a Health & Safety Representative and your manager will advise you who that is. If you have any concerns you should raise them with your manager and/or the local representative. In case of difficulty you should follow the procedure outlined in the Health & Safety Forum notes.
Health & Safety Policy
Driving at Work
The management of Real Affinity plc recognises the danger to employees and others in relation to operating company vehicles and driving at work. In order to meet its obligation to minimise the risks of accidents, the company has adopted the procedure detailed in Section 9 of the Health and Safety Manual located at each site.
Employees must ensure that the vehicles they drive at work are properly maintained and roadworthy, and must abide by the rules of the Highway Code. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is strictly forbidden and employees driving on company business are prohibited from using mobile phones whilst driving unless the vehicle is fitted with a “Hands Free” device.
It is recognised that driving when tired is highly dangerous. The Company’s management will not schedule work on timeframes that require employees to drive without adequate rest periods. Employees must ensure that they have adequate rest before undertaking journeys on the company’s behalf, to take a compulsory break of at least 15 minutes after every two and a half hours of driving and take appropriate breaks when feeling drowsy.
Security of personal and company property
Whilst the Company does all it can to provide a safe and secure working environment, you should take all sensible steps to look after your own belongings, company equipment and documents issued to you.
Full details of the rules concerning Company security are attached.
Travel & subsistence
You will be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the course of doing your job, in line with the Travel & Subsistence Policy.
You must claim your expenses monthly on the relevant forms.
Mobile phone policy
If you have regular need of a mobile phone for business use you may be issued with a Company mobile phone. Your manager will advise you whether or not the Company will pay the whole bill or whether you must pay for personal calls yourself. If the Company pays for personal calls then the phone will be treated as a taxable benefit.
If you use your own phone for business use the Company will reimburse you for itemised business calls at cost but will not pay for rental and service charges.
Annual holidays
Your Holiday Entitlement is as detailed in your Contract of Employment. The rules concerning when holidays may be taken, notification of holidays and what happens if you are sick whilst on holiday are given in the Company’s Holiday Arrangements.
Special leave
Normally, paid leave of absence is only permitted for holidays, compassionate leave and public duties such as jury service but the Company will do its best to help you in difficult circumstances with either paid or unpaid leave as appropriate.
Rules surrounding leave for bereavement, compassionate leave, sickness of dependants and public duties are given in the Special Leave document attached.
The rights to maternity leave, paternity leave and parental leave are described individually.
Maternity, Paternity and Parental Leave Policy
The Company actively supports its employees as parents and complies with all statutory provisions for maternity, paternity and parental leave.
For full details of your options, rights and obligations under these provisions please contact Real Affinity HR department or follow the links below:
• Maternity leave
• Form – Notification of Maternity Leave
• Form – Request for early return to work from Maternity Leave
• Paternity leave
• Parental leave
• Form – Parental leave
Childcare Vouchers
If you have children in paid for childcare you could save money by sacrificing up to £2,860 of your annual salary for childcare vouchers which are Tax and National Insurance exempt. You could save between £916 and £1,195 per year depending on your personal circumstances. If your spouse/partner also works for an employer who operates such a scheme you can both take advantage of this benefit.
Real Affinity operates its Childcare Voucher Scheme through Allsave Ltd.
To participate in the Scheme or for more information contact the HR department.
Computer Use
The Company depends on its computer systems for the continuation of its business and, whilst you are allowed reasonable personal use, it is important for everyone that the Company’s rules and security measures are adhered to.
Each company has its own rules, for details contact jeanette.nielson@realaffinity.co.uk
Data protection policy
This is the Company's policy, created with the purposes of protecting personal data about its employees and that of others who work for Real Affinity Plc.
You can download a copy of the Data Protection Policy here.
Share option schemes and share dealing
Real Affinity plc is a publicly quoted company on the AIM stock market.
The Directors of Real Affinity plc encourage employees to take an interest in the fortunes of the Group through share ownership and from time to time Share Option Schemes are announced for the benefit of serving members of staff. Employees are also free to buy and sell shares on the open market.
However, it is important to ensure that directors and employees do not abuse, or place themselves under suspicion of abusing, price sensitive information that they may have or are thought to have. The United Kingdom Listing Authority therefore requires listed companies to adopt and apply a code for share dealing.
It is generally safest to assume that you and any person connected with you should not deal in the company’s shares without clearance from the Chief Executive of Real Affinity.
If you wish to deal in shares and would like a copy of the complete Code adopted by Real Affinity please contact the Company Secretary, Brent Fitzpatrick at brent.fitzpatrick@realaffinity.co.uk.