CHESTERFIELD LAWN & LANDSCAPE, INC.
EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK
&
OPERATIONS MANUAL
Dear New Employee,
I want to personally take this opportunity to welcome you to our family here at Chesterfield Lawn & Landscape, Inc.
We are excited to have you become a part of our growing company and we look forward to a long mutually beneficial relationship together.
As you will see, we are very serious about taking excellent care of our customers and our employees. We genuinely believe it is the people we work with that makes our company special and unique.
In the following pages you will read about how we do things here. You will see how serious we are about doing things the right way. We have worked very hard to create a detailed and helpful employee handbook and operations manual so you will be able to refer back to this book any time you have questions.
If there is anything inside this book you do not understand fully, please speak with your immediate supervisor or the company’s manager.
There is an acknowledgement form you must fill out and turn in to your supervisor before your employment can officially begin. Please remove that form from and sign it and turn it in.
Once again, thank you for joining our team and I look forward to working with you.
Respectfully,
John B. Chesterfield
Owner & Founder
COMPANY MISSION
To enhance the beauty and value of our client’s homes and properties while remaining in line with their budget and showing them an unmatched level of customer service in the process. We will always focus on quality, doing our very best to give our clients the very best. We will be professional in every aspect of our business. We will continue to cultivate an atmosphere of team work with our employees as well as our clients and vendors.
COMPANY HISTORY AND TIMELINE
Our company was founded in 1990 by John Chesterfield. Starting out John mowed lawns in his neighborhood. Within 2 years John hired two employees and began offering an array of services including landscape maintenance and landscape installation. In 1998, the business reached a significant milestone, generating $500,000 in revenue and employing 8 people full time. In 2001 John purchased 4 acres of land and built what is still today our company headquarters which is where we keep our offices, equipment, trucks and trailers. In 2006, Chesterfield Lawn & Landscape, Inc. became the official lawn care provider for the city of Omaha and Nebraska University. Currently, Chesterfield is a $2,000,000 operation that employs 40 people and is still growing.
1990 – Business Started
1992 – 100 clients maintained
1996 – John Chesterfield named Young Entrepreneur of Omaha
1998 – Company eclipses the $500,000 revenue mark
1999 – John hires Andy Rollins who is now the Operations Manager
2000 – Company buys all new lawn mowing equipment for first time in company’s history
2001 – Ground broken on Chesterfield facility
2002 – Company officially moves into new facility
2004 – Company hires 20th employee and generates over $1,000,000 in revenue
2006 – Chesterfield becomes official lawn care provider for City of Omaha
2006 – Chesterfield becomes official lawn care provider for University of Nebraska
2010 – John’s son Anthony becomes the company’s full time landscape designer
2012 – Company still growing
ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK & OPERATIONS MANUAL
This handbook and operations manual contains information about the employment policies and practices of Chesterfield Lawn & Landscape, Inc. (“the Company”) in effect at the time of this publication. All previously issued handbooks and any inconsistent policy statements or other documents are superseded, with the exception of any currently valid written agreements between an individual employee and the Company.
The Company reserves the right to revise, modify, delete or add to any and all policies, procedures, work rules and benefits stated in this handbook or in any other document, except for the policy of at-will employment or any other valid written agreement between an employee and the Company. All changes must be made in writing and signed by the President of the Company. No oral statements, agreements or representations can change or alter the provisions of this handbook. Therefore, this handbook and operations manual sets forth the entire agreement between you and the Company as to the duration of employment and the circumstances in which employment may be terminated.
Nothing in this employee handbook or operations manual or any other personnel document creates or is intended to create a promise or representation of continued employment for any employee.
EMPLOYMENT AT THE COMPANY
EMPLOYMENT AT THE COMPANY IS EMPLOYMENT AT WILL. Employment at will may be terminated for any reason, with or without cause or notice, at any time by the employee or the Company. Nothing in this handbook or operations manual or in any document or statement, written or oral, limits the right to terminate employment at will. No implied contract concerning any employment-related decision or term or condition of employment can be established by any statement, conduct, policy or practice.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PRACTICES
The Company is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions based on merit. Company policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on genetic characteristics or information, race, color, creed, sex, gender, gender identity, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, sexual orientation or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws. The Company prohibits unlawful discrimination by any employee of the Company, including supervisors and co-workers.
To comply with applicable laws ensuring equal opportunities to qualified individuals with disabilities, the Company will make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified individual with a disability who is an applicant or an employee unless undue hardship would result.
UNLAWFUL HARASSMENT
The Company will take all reasonable steps to prevent unlawful harassment from occurring. For any basis protected by federal, state or local law, the Company will always comply with the law. The Company’s anti-harassment policy applies to all employees and an independent contractor involved in the operations of the Company and prohibits harassment by any Company employee, including supervisors, co-workers and independent contractors.
The Company’s anti-harassment policy also protects employees from harassment by clients, vendors or others doing business with the Company. If harassment occurs on the job by someone not employed by the Company, the procedures in this policy should be followed as if the harasser were an employee of the Company.
THE COMPANY’S COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
Employees who believe they have been harassed on the job, including by persons doing business with or for the Company, should provide a written complaint to President of the Company immediately. The complaint should include all details of the incident, names of individuals involved and the names of any witnesses.
All incidents of harassment that are reported will be investigated even if the alleged victim expresses a desire that the Company not investigate. If the Company determines that prohibited harassment has occurred, the Company will take immediate remedial action.
ALL EMPLOYEES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS SHOULD NOTE THAT THE FAILURE TO USE THE COMPANY’S COMPLAINT PROCEDURE MAY RESULT IN THE DEFEAT OF ANY CLAIM OF HARASSMENT IF LITIGATED
FALSE CLAIMS OF HARASSMENT
Any employee who makes a false claim of harassment will be disciplined according to Company policy. This could result in suspension with loss of pay or termination.
OPEN DOOR POLICY
Your suggestions for improving the Company’s operations are always welcome. You may occasionally have a complaint, suggestion or question about your job, your working conditions or the treatment you are receiving. Please bring your suggestions, questions and complaints to the President of the Company.
BACKGROUND CHECKS AND INVESTIGATIONS
The Company must maintain a safe and productive workplace with honest, trustworthy, qualified, reliable and non-violent employees who do not present a risk of serious harm to their co-workers or others. To that end, the Company may request that you authorize either the Company or a third party to perform “background checks” or other types of investigations. This could include the use of consumer reporting agencies and gathering information such as credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living, criminal record checks, court record checks, driving records, education history, employment history, etc.
Employees are expected to cooperate fully with this policy. Failure to cooperate or intentional dishonesty or any attempt to interfere with the Company’s implementation of this policy will result in discipline, up to and including termination from employment.
EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS
Non-exempt Employees – eligible to receive overtime pay in accordance with state, federal wage and hour laws, are required to submit a time record for each pay period, approved by the division leader, for the purpose of tracking hours worked and calculating compensation.
Exempt Employees – generally salaried and fall into one or more of the following four classifications: executive, professional, administrative, or sales and are exempt from the applicable provisions for state and federal wage and hour laws.
Full-time Employees – regularly scheduled to work at least 40 hours per week or more and are eligible for standard company benefits.
Part-time Employees – regularly scheduled to work less than 40 hours per week and are not eligible for standard company benefits.
Contract Employees – have a predetermined start date of employment and are not eligible for benefits.
JOB DUTIES
Your supervisor or division leader will explain your job responsibilities and the standards which will be expected. Because flexibility is necessary, your job responsibilities may change at any time during your employment. In addition to your regularly assigned job responsibilities and duties, from time to time, you may be asked to work on special projects or to assist with other work important to the operation of the Company. Your cooperation and assistance in performing additional work is expected. The Company reserves the right, at any time, with or without notice, to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer ob positions, or assign additional job responsibilities.
WORKING HOURS AND LUNCH
Your starting time is 7:30 am, Monday through Friday. You must arrive at the business location with all needed items for the day and be ready to depart by 7:35 am. Your finish time for the day will depend upon the work provided. From time to time your division leader or the President may provide a later start time, but you will be notified in advance. You and the crew you are working with will be provided with a 30 minute unpaid meal period. You are expected to bring your own lunch and beverages with you. Under no circumstances are you or members of the crew you are working with permitted to stop at convenience stores, fast food places, restaurants, etc. during working hours.
OVERTIME
As necessary, employees may be required to work overtime. All overtime work must be previously authorized by the division leader in writing. Non-exempt employees will be paid time and one-half for work time that exceeds 40 hours during the scheduled work week. Exempt employees are not eligible for overtime.
TIMEKEEPING
Upon arrival at the business location, you are required to write down your arrival time on your time card. Upon arriving back to the business location at the end of the work day, you are required to once again write down your end time. No other person or employee is permitted to fill out or amend your time card. Every Friday, upon arriving back at the end of the day, you must turn in your time card to your division leader so they can sign and approve your hours for the week.
PAYMENT OF WAGES
Paydays are on the 15th and 30th day of every month. If regular payday falls on a weekend or holiday, employees will be paid on the preceding workday. The Company, under no circumstances, permits advances against pay checks.
PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS
Your first performance evaluation will be made after you complete 12 months of continuous employment. After the review, you will receive an annual performance on or about the anniversary date of your employment with the Company or as deemed necessary by the Company. The frequency of performance evaluations may vary depending upon such factors as length of service, job position, past performance, changes in job duties or recurring performance problems. Increases in pay, if any, are solely within the discretion of the Company and depend upon many factors in addition to your individual performance.
VOLUNTARY TERMINATIONS
If you decide to leave your employment with the Company, we ask that you give us at least two weeks written notice. All property owned by the Company (vehicle, keys, uniforms, credit cards, etc.) must be returned at the time of termination.
CONDUCT
It is not possible to list all the forms of behavior that are unacceptable in the work place, but the following are some examples of conduct that will not be tolerated and may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment:
- Theft of company property
- Falsification of time keeping records
- Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Possession, distribution, sale, transfer, use or being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs in the work place or during work hours
- Fighting or threatening violence
- Boisterous, disruptive or dangerous behavior
- Negligence that leads to destruction of company property or customer property
- Insubordination or disrespectful behavior
- Violation of safety and health rules of the Company
- Smoking in prohibited areas
- Sexual or other unlawful harassment or discrimination
- Possession of dangerous or unauthorized materials such as explosives or firearms
- Excessive tardiness or absenteeism
- Violation of any state, local or federal laws
This statement of prohibited conduct does not alter the Company’s policy of employment at will.
ZERO TOLERANCE FOR VIOLENCE
Acts or threats of violence, including intimidation, harassment and/or coercion which involve or affect the Company, its employees, vendors or customers will not be tolerated and will result in immediate termination of employment.
OFF DUTY CONDUCT
Employees are expected to conduct their personal affairs in a manner which does not adversely affect the Company’s integrity, reputation or credibility. Illegal off duty conduct on the part of the employee which adversely affects the Company’s business interests or the employee’s ability to perform his or her job will not be tolerated.