a. Standards of Conduct
Ethical guidelines are necessary in any organization to maintain a standard of conduct for all. The set of guidelines applicable to Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. employees have been carefully written to protect you and your rights against the arbitrary actions of others, to protect Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. property, and to carry out policies for the good of all concerned. We hope that you will make every effort to learn and understand these guidelines. We are convinced that those who conduct themselves in a responsible and professional manner will not find the guidelines bothersome but, in fact, beneficial to them by guaranteeing them a safe, more orderly environment.
b. HIV/AIDS in the Workplace and Learning Environment
The Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. has established guidelines to ensure the rights and privileges of individuals infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are protected. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. will not use a person's HIV status to make employment decisions or determine how service is delivered nor will Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. deny services to HIV infected individuals, except as allowed by the national laws. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. is committed comply with the national Laws, Acts and Provisions protecting all people with disabilities from discrimination in job application procedures, hiring, promotions, discharge, compensation, job training and other terms or conditions of employment.
c. Equal Opportunity
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This means that we will extend equal opportunity to all individuals without regard for race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, handicaps or veterans status. This policy affirms Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.'s commitment to the principles of fair employment and the elimination of all vestiges of discriminatory practices that might exist. We encourage all employees to take advantage of opportunities for promotion as they occur.
d. Personal information
Personnel Records
It is important that the personnel records of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. be accurate at all times. In order to avoid issues or compromising your benefit eligibility, Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. expects that employees will promptly notify appropriate personnel representative of any change in name, home address, telephone number, marital status, number of dependents, or any other pertinent information which may change.
e. Attendance
Employees are expected to arrive at work before they are scheduled to start and be at their work station productively engaged in Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. business by the scheduled start time. All time off must be requested in advance and submitted in writing, as outlined in the appropriate categories; except sick leave. See Sick Leave and other categories for specific details.
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. views attendance as one of the most important facets of your job performance review. All unapproved absences will be noted in the employee's personnel file. Excessive absences, including for Sick Leave, will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
f. Use of Company Property
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. will provide you with the necessary equipment to do your job. None of this equipment should be used for personal use, nor removed from the physical confines of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. - unless it is approved and your job specifically requires use of company equipment outside the physical facility of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd..
Computer equipment, including laptops, may not be used for personal use - this includes word processing and computing functions. It is forbidden to install any other programs to a company computer without the written permission of the department head. These forbidden programs include, but are not limited to, games, online services, screen savers, etc. The copying of programs installed on the company computers is not allowed unless you are specifically directed to do so in writing by your supervisor.
The telephone lines at Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. must remain open for business calls and to service our customers. Employees are requested to discourage any personal calls - incoming and outgoing - with the exception of emergency calls. No long distance calls are to be made on company phones which are not strictly business related.
g. Confidentiality
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. requires all employees to sign a confidentiality agreement as a condition of employment, due to the possibility of being privy to information which is confidential and/or intended for the company use only. All employees are required to maintain such information in strict confidence. This policy benefits you, as an employee, by protecting the interests of The Company in the safeguard of confidential, unique and valuable information from competitors or others.
Should an occasion arise in which you are unsure of your obligations under this policy, it is your responsibility to consult with your reporting manager. Failure to comply with this policy could result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
h. Dress Code
As an employee of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., we expect you to present a clean and professional appearance when you represent us, whether that is in, or outside of, the office. Management, sales personnel and those employees who come in contact with our public, are expected to dress in accepted corporate tradition. A specific list of suggested do's and definite don'ts, including a specific definition of business casual, is available from your personnel representative and will be posted in each work area.
It is just as essential that you act in a professional manner and extend the highest courtesy to co-workers, visitors, customers, vendors and clients.
A cheerful and positive attitude is essential to our commitment to extraordinary customer service and impeccable quality.
i. Computer and Telephone Usage
Introduction
Access to modern information technology is essential to Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.'s mission of providing customer service of highest quality. The pursuit and achievement of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.'s mission requires that the privilege of the use of computing systems and software, internal and external data networks, as well as access to the World Wide Web, Telephone services be made available to employees. The preservation of that privilege for the full community requires that each authorized user comply with institutional and external standards for appropriate use.
To assist and ensure such compliance, Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. establishes the following policy.
General Principles
1. Authorized use of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. -owned or operated telephones and computing and network resources shall be consistent with the mission of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. and consistent with this policy.
2. Authorized users of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. telephones and computing and network resources include those authorized by management.
3. This policy applies to all Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. telephones and computing and network resources, including host computer systems, Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.-sponsored computers and workstations, software, data sets, and communications networks controlled, administered, or accessed directly or indirectly by Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computer resources or services, employees, or students.
4. The Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. reserves the right, upon reasonable cause for suspicion, to access all aspects of its computing systems and networks, including individual login sessions to determine if a user is violating this policy in accordance with the laws and by-laws in effect in the kingdom of Nepal.
User Responsibilities
Privacy: No user should view, copy, alter or destroy another's personal electronic files without permission (unless authorized or required to do so by law or regulation). Similarly, telephone calls should not be misinformed or taped in any manner whatsoever.
Copyright: Written permission from the copyright holder is required to duplicate any copyrighted material. This includes duplication of audio tapes, videotapes, photographs, Illustrations, computer software, and all other information for any purpose. Most software that resides on Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computing network(s) is owned by Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., or third parties, and is protected by copyright and other laws, together with licenses and other contractual agreements. Users are required to respect and abide by the terms and conditions of software use and redistribution licenses. Such restrictions may include prohibitions against copying programs or data for use on Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computing network(s) or for distribution outside the company; against the resale of data or programs, or the use of them for financial gain; and against public disclosure of information about programs (e.g., source code) without the owner's authorization.
Harassment, Libel and Slander: No user may, under any circumstances, use Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. telephones, computers or networks to libel, slander, or harass any other person.
Access to Computing Resources:
Sharing of access: Computer accounts, passwords, and other types of authorization are assigned to individual users and should not be shared with others. You are responsible for any use of your account. If an account is shared or the password divulged, the holder of the account will lose all account privileges and be held personally responsible for any actions that arise from the misuse of the account.
Permitting unauthorized access: You may not run or otherwise configure software or hardware to intentionally allow access by unauthorized users.
Termination of access: When you cease being a employee of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. or if you are assigned a new position and/or responsibilities, your access authorization must be reviewed. You must not use facilities, accounts, access codes, privileges or information for which you are not authorized in your new circumstances.
Circumventing Security: Users are prohibited from attempting to circumvent or subvert any system's security measures. Users are prohibited from using any computer program or device to intercept or decode passwords or similar access control information.
Breaching Security: Deliberate attempts to degrade the performance of a computer system or network or to deprive authorized personnel of resources or access to any Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computer or network is prohibited. Breach of security includes, but is not limited to, the following: Creating or propagating viruses. Hacking. Password grabbing. Disk scavenging.
Abuse of Computer Resources: Abuse of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computer resources is prohibited and includes, but is not limited to:
Game Playing: Computing and network services are not to be used for recreational game playing.
Chain Letters: The propagation of chain letters is considered an unacceptable practice by Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. and is prohibited.
Unauthorized Monitoring: A user may not use computing resources for unauthorized monitoring of electronic communications.
Flooding: Posting a message to multiple list servers or news groups with the intention of reaching as many users as possible is prohibited.
Private Commercial Purposes: The computing resources of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. shall not be used for personal or private commercial purposes or for financial gain.
Political Advertising or Campaigning: The use of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computers and networks shall not be used for political purposes
Limitations on Users' Rights
1. The issuance of a password or other means of access is to assure appropriate confidentiality of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. files and information and does not guarantee privacy for personal or improper use of company equipment or facilities.
2. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. provides reasonable security against intrusion and damage to files stored on the central facilities. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. also provides some facilities for archiving and retrieving files specified by users and for recovering files after accidental loss of data. However, Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. is not responsible for unauthorized access by other users or for loss due to power failure, fire, floods, etc. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. makes no warranties with respect to Internet services, and it specifically assumes no responsibilities for the content of any advice or information received by a user through the use of company's computer network.
3. Users should be aware that Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computer systems and networks may be subject to unauthorized access or tampering. In addition, computer records, including e-mail, are considered "records" which may be accessible to the public under the law.
Sanctions
Violators of this policy will be subject to the existing employee disciplinary procedures of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.. Sanctions may include the loss of computing privileges. Illegal acts involving Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. computing resources may also subject users to prosecution by the government authorities.
j. Safety and Accident Rules
Safety is a joint venture at Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. provides a clean, hazard free, healthy, safe environment in which to work in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health standards in effect in the country. As an employee, you are expected to take an active part in maintaining this environment. You should observe all posted safety rules, adhere to all safety instructions provided by your supervisor and use safety equipment where required. Your work place should be kept neat, clean and orderly.
It is your responsibility to learn the location of all safety and emergency equipment, as well as the appropriate safety contact phone numbers. A copy of the Emergency Procedures will be kept in each work area on top of the supervisor's desk.
All safety equipment will be provided by Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., and employees will be responsible for the reasonable upkeep of this equipment. Any problems with or defects in, equipment should be reported immediately to management.
As an employee, you have a duty to comply with the safety rules of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., assist in maintaining the hazard free environment, to report any accidents or injuries - including any breaches of safety - and to report any unsafe equipment, working condition, process or procedure, at once to a supervisor.
Employees may report safety violations or injuries anonymously to the Safety Committee, if they are not the injured or violating party. NO EMPLOYEE WILL BE PUNISHED OR REPRIMANDED FOR REPORTING SAFETY VIOLATIONS OR HAZARDS. However, any deliberate or ongoing safety violation, or creation of hazard, by an employee will be dealt with through disciplinary action by Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., up to and including termination.
All work related accidents are covered by Worker's Insurance pursuant to the laws of the kingdom of Nepal.
k. Anti-Substance Abuse
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. takes seriously the problem of drug and alcohol abuse, and is committed to provide a substance abuse free work place for its employees. This policy applies to all employees of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., without exception, including part-time and temporary employees.
No employee is allowed to consume, possess, sell or purchase any alcoholic beverage on any property owned by or leased on behalf of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., or in any vehicle owned or leased on behalf of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.. No employee may use, possess, sell, transfer or purchase any drug or other controlled substance which may alter an individual's mental or physical capacity. The exceptions are aspirin or ibuprofen based products and legal drugs which have been prescribed to that employee, which are being used in the manner prescribed.
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. will not tolerate employees who report for duty while impaired by use of alcoholic beverages or drugs.
All employees should report evidence of alcohol or drug abuse to a supervisor or a personnel representative immediately. In cases where the use of alcohol or drugs poses an imminent threat to the safety of persons or property, an employee must report the violation. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action for the non-reporting employee.
Employees who violate the Anti-Substance Abuse Policy will be subject to disciplinary action, including termination. It is our policy at Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. to assist employees and family members who suffer from drug or alcohol abuse. You may be eligible for a medical leave of absence, and we encourage any employee with a problem to contact your personnel representative for details.
As a part of our policy to ensure a substance abuse free workplace, Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. employees may be asked to submit to a medical examination and/or clinically tested for the presence of alcohol and/or drugs. Within the limits of the laws of the country, we reserve the right, at our discretion, to examine and test for drugs and alcohol. Some such situations may include, but not be limited, to the following:
1. All employees who are offered employment with Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.;
2. Where there are reasonable grounds for believing an employee is under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
3. As part of an investigation of any accident in the workplace in which there are reasonable grounds to suspect alcohol and/or drugs contributed to the accident;
4. As necessary for the safety of employees, customers, clients or the public at large, where allowed by statute; and
5. When an employee returns to duty after an absence other than from accrued time off such as vacation or sick leave.
This is only a summary of Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.'s Anti-Substance Abuse Policy. You have been provided, and are required to read, the full policy. The full policy goes into greater detail and includes such subjects as definitions, testing methods, consequences of testing refusal, confidentiality, rights of employees and the Company, appeal procedures, notice of applicable statutes, voluntary assistance, etc.
It is your responsibility to obtain a copy from your personnel representative if one has not been provided to you. You will be required to sign a consent form agreeing to Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd.'s Anti-Substance Abuse Policy in full.
It is a condition of your continued employment with Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. that you comply with the Anti-Substance Abuse Policy. NOTHING IN THE ANTI-SUBSTANCE ABUSE POLICY SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO ALTER OR AMEND.
l. Sexual Harassment
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. Corporation will not, under any circumstances, condone or tolerate conduct which may constitute sexual harassment on the part of its management, supervisors or non-management personnel. It is our policy that all employees have the right to work in an environment free from any type of illegal discrimination, including sexual harassment. Any employee found to have engaged in such conduct will be subject to immediate disciplinary action up to and including discharge.
Any employee found to be engaged in the conduct of sexual harassment will be subject to immediate disciplinary action up to and including discharge. Sexual harassment is defined as:
1. Making submission to unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors a term or condition for employment;
2. Basing an employment decision on submission or rejection by an employee of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature;
3. Creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment or atmosphere either by
a) verbal actions, including calling employees by terms of endearment; using vulgar, kidding or demeaning language; or
b) Physical conduct which interferes with an employee's work performance.
We, at Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd., do encourage healthy fraternization among its employees; however, employees, especially management and supervisory employees, must be sensitive to acts of conduct which may be considered offensive by fellow employees and must refrain from engaging in such conduct.
It is, also, expressly prohibited for an employee to retaliate against employees who bring sexual harassment charges or assist in investigating charges. Retaliation is a violation of this policy and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination. No employee will be discriminated against, or discharged, because of bringing or assisting in the investigation of a complaint of sexual harassment.
m. Smoking
Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. endeavors to provide a healthy environment, therefore prohibits any form of tobacco consumed in company buildings. Additionally, no smoking is allowed within ten (10) feet of exterior entranceways.
n. Performance Reviews
Job Objectives, Performance Reviews, Salary Reviews
Within two weeks of employment, job change or promotion, every employee will be given job objectives which detail the requirements and expectations of the position for which the employee was hired. Palm InfoTech Pvt. Ltd. will measure your job performance against these objectives. After every evaluation, job objectives will be redated and reviewed, if no changes are made; or rewritten as appropriate. In either case, the reporting supervisor review and discuss the objectives with the employee and the employee will sign a statement indicating agreement with, and understanding of, these objectives.
Performance reviews are normally conducted every six (6) months from the date of hire, with the exception of a three month review at the end of your probationary period. All performance reviews are based on merit, achievement, job description fulfillment and performance at your position.
Wage increases will be based upon this review, as well as past performance improvement; dependability; attitude; cooperation; any necessary disciplinary action; adherence to all employment policies; and your position in your salary range. Your reporting supervisor will review and discuss your salary range and your position within that range during your performance reviews. When you are promoted to a higher level position, you are automatically eligible for an increase as dictated by the salary range of that position.
o. Employment Categories
Permanent Full-Time is an employee who has a termination date of one year or more and who is regularly scheduled to work 37.75 to 40 hours per week.
Permanent Part-Time is an employee whose position has termination date of one year or more and who is scheduled to work 20 or more hours, but less than 37.75 hours per week.
Temporary Full-Time is an employee who is hired or promoted for certain length of time and who is scheduled to work 37.75 to 40 hours per week.
Temporary Part-Time is an employee who is hired or promoted for a certain length of time and who is scheduled to work 20 hour or more, but less than 37.75 hours per week.