6. Administrative Policies

6.1 Inclement Weather

As a general policy, Curtis does not close due to inclement weather. Since our employee population lives in such a widespread area, and since our employees start work at such staggered hours, across-the-board delayed openings and other various “company wide” changes to working hours have not proven practical.

Each employee is therefore asked to use good judgment to decide from his/her individual situation whether to attempt coming to work during inclement weather. Employees may use earned paid-time-off to cover pay lost due to inclement weather. Each employee’s absence analysis will reflect weather conditions as the reason for the lateness or absence and, where appropriate, will not impact unfavorably on the employee’s attendance record.

6.2 Safety

Maintaining a safe work environment requires the continuous cooperation of all employees. Curtis will take all reasonable steps to assure a safe environment and compliance with federal, state, and local safety regulations. The Company strongly encourages employees to communicate with fellow employees and their supervisor regarding safety issues. Employees should contact their supervisor, the nearest supervisor, and/or call 911 in the event of an accident or emergency.

If an employee is injured on the job, Curtis provides coverage and protection in accordance with the Worker’s Compensation Law. When an injury is sustained while at work, it must be reported immediately to a supervisor, who in turn will notify Human Resources of the incident for proper documentation. The purpose of the accident report is to correct any safety hazards, comply with insurance requirements, and protect employees from future injury. Failure to report accidents is a serious matter, as it may preclude an employee’s coverage under Worker’s Compensation Insurance and result in disciplinary action. Should you become troubled about the safety of your work environment, discuss your concerns with your supervisor or Human Resources department.

6.3 Use of Curtis Vehicles

Curtis vehicles are available for accomplishing specific tasks associated with Curtis business. Only those employees who possess a valid driver’s license and who have a business need may use Curtis vehicles for business purposes. When using company vehicles, employees are expected to exercise care and follow all operating instructions, safety standards, and law. Payment of traffic and parking fines is the responsibility of the operator.

6.4 Electronic Communications

This policy highlights the Company’s guidelines with regard to the use of the Company’s electronic mail, instant message, text message, voice mail, Internet access and computer systems, as well as Company-issued cellular and camera phones and other electronic devices (“Electronic Communications”). The policy also describes guidelines with regard to personal computers, electronic devices, and cellular and camera phones used at the Company or for Company business. “Electronic communications” include, among other things, messages, images, text data or any other information used in e-mail, instant messages, text messages, voice mail, fax machines, computers, personal digital assistants (including Blackberry, iPhone, iPad or similar devices), pagers, telephones, cellular and mobile phones including those with cameras, Intranet, Internet, back-up storage, information on a memory or flash key or card, jump or zip drive or any other type of internal or external removable storage drives.

All electronic communications on Company systems, including all individual equipment (e.g., stand-alone computer or hand-held device) are covered by this policy. These systems are important assets of the Company and have been installed/provided at substantial expense to facilitate business communications. The Company respects the individual privacy rights of its employees; however, employee privacy does not extend to the employee’s work- related conduct or to the use of Company provided equipment or supplies. The Company operates under this policy for several reasons including: (1) to ensure that these systems are used for business purposes; (2) to follow-up on departing employees’ work-in-progress;(3) to ensure that the confidentiality of its trade secrets is being preserved; (4) to monitor employee performance; (5) to maintain the systems; and (6) to monitor our customer service and relations with outside businesses. You should be aware of how the following guidelines may affect your privacy in the workplace.

• The Electronic Communications systems belong to the Company and the contents are to be accessible at all times by management for any purpose, even if password protected. The systems may be subject to periodic unannounced inspections and should be treated like other shared filing systems. Of course, these systems are intended primarily for business use.
• Do not assume that messages and files are confidential. The Company has the capability to access, review, copy and delete any messages sent, received or stored on the systems. The Company reserves the right to access, review, and copy or delete all such messages for any purpose and to disclose them to any party (inside or outside the Company) it deems appropriate. The Company may utilize or override individual passwords or codes. Back-up copies of electronic messages and computer files may be maintained and referenced.
• Employees are not permitted to access the electronic communications of other employees or third parties unless directed to do so by Company management. The Company reserves the right to access and review files and messages and to monitor the use of electronic (e-mail and internet) communications in its sole discretion as is necessary to ensure that there is no misuse or violation of Company policy or any law. Employees who misuse these communication systems will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.

6.4.1 Prohibited Uses of Electronic Communications

• The Company’s Electronic Communications systems may not be used in any manner that would be discriminatory, harassing or obscene, or for any other purpose, which is illegal. Examples of prohibited uses include, among other things, sexually explicit messages, images, cartoons, or jokes; propositions or love letters; ethnic or racial slurs; or any other message or image that may be in violation of company policies.
• Proprietary business information may not be downloaded, saved, or sent to a personal laptop, personal storage device, or personal email account under any circumstances without advance written approval from a member of management. Proprietary business information means confidential and proprietary information related to the company’s trade secrets, business models, business services, sales agreements, pricing information, drawings, designs, blue prints, manufacturing processes, customer lists, inventions, formulas, vendor agreements, strategic business or marketing plans, expansion plans, contracts, non-public financial performance information and other information that derives economic value by being protected from public consumption or competitors may only be used on company systems. Proprietary business information does not restrict employee rights to discuss their wages, hours or other terms of employment.
• In addition to the terms stated above, every new employee will be provided with, and will be required to sign a copy of the Company’s complete “Internet Policy”, “Corporate Information Security Policy” and “Security Awareness Training and Testing” upon their first day of work. Please contact your Human Resources department if you have any questions or concerns about these policies.

6.5 Telephone

Company phone lines are for Curtis business use. Employees should limit personal calls.

6.6 Social Media

“Social media” includes all means of communicating or posting information or content of any sort on the Internet, including to your own or someone else’s web log or blog, journal or diary, personal web site, social networking or affinity web site, web bulletin board or a chat room, whether or not associated or affiliated with the company.

The company recognizes that social media provides opportunities to participate in interactive discussions and share information on particular topics. Employees’ use of social media, however, can pose risks to the company’s confidential information, can expose the company to discrimination and harassment claims, can appear to endorse or promote a competitor of the company and can jeopardize the company’s compliance with business rules and laws.

Through this policy, the company seeks to minimize these business and legal risks and to ensure that all IT resources and communications systems are used appropriately, as explained below. The company therefore expects its employees to adhere to the following guidelines regarding use of social media, whether via company-owned accounts or personal accounts.

6.6.1 General Guidelines for Social Media

Social media should never be used in a way that violates any of the Company’s policies or any other obligations that you may have to the company or third parties. For example:

A. Policies Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment and Violence

Employees may not use social media to engage in harassing or discriminatory conduct in violation of the Company’s policies or to threaten violence. Do not post or send anything through social media that includes racial, sexist or ethnic slurs or any other discriminatory comments or threats of violence. Small missteps in social media can create big problems for the Company.

B. Intellectual Property Laws

Employees must obtain appropriate permission to use a third party’s copyrights, trademarks, service marks, or other intellectual property. Remember, just because you may have found a photo or an article on the Internet, it does not mean that that material is in the public domain and available for use without permission.

C. Treat Confidential Information Confidentially

Do not disclose any of the Confidential Information (defined above in the Agreement to Maintain Company Information Confidential) of the company or its vendors and customers.

D. Use Good Judgment

Social media posts can often be created and posted quickly. You should treat social media posts seriously and ensure that you do not say anything in social media that you would not be happy to see in any of the company’s other communications. Whether in or outside of the workplace, remember that you are responsible for all content that you post or send.

E. The Company’s Social Media Sites

Employees may not create an official company presence on any social media site or create a company-sponsored site, unless you receive approval from the company. Please be aware that the company retains the absolute right (but not the obligation) to delete or modify any content on its social media accounts that it deems inappropriate at its sole discretion. Further, the company has the right to require any employee involved in posting any such content to stop posting immediately.

F. Personal Social Media Sites

As noted above, if you discuss, endorse, or praise the company’s products on a private social media account, please be sure to disclose your relationship with the company, particularly when your connection with the company would not otherwise be clear to your audience. Such disclosure may be made in plain language within the text of your post or be in the form of an acceptable hashtag: #employee. Transparency is key.

Personal social media accounts must not be used for internal business-related communications between fellow employees or company-contracted influencers engaged to post on the Company’s behalf.

G. Employee Rights

Nothing in this policy is intended to preclude or dissuade employees from: (a) reporting possible or suspected violations of law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity, cooperating with any such agency in an investigation, or making other legally protected disclosures; or (b) engaging in any other activity protected by federal, state or local law.

If you have questions or need further guidance about the Company’s social media policy, please contact Human Resources.

6.7 Protection of Social Security Numbers and Other Personal Information

In compliance with state law, no employee may: (1) publicly post or display an employee’s social security number; (2) visibly print a social security number on any identification badge or card, including any time card; (3) place a social security number in files with unrestricted access; or (4) communicate an employee’s “personally identifying information” to the general public.For purposes of this policy, “personally identifying information” means an employee’s social security number, home address or telephone number, personal electronic mail address, internet identification name or password, parent’s surname prior to marriage, or drivers’ license number.

6.8 Travel & Expense Policy Statement

If you travel on official Curtis business and your expenses are authorized, you will be reimbursed for expenses in accordance with the Travel & Expense policy. This policy outlines the policies, procedures, and responsibilities related to Curtis travel. Travel costs are generally allowable when they are directly attributed to specific work on a Company event or project. Employees should exercise the same care in expending Curtis funds, as they would exercise with their own money.

For additional information on the Travel & Expense policy, please contact Human Resources.

6.9 Resignation

A voluntary separation from Curtis is generally considered a resignation and is initiated by the employee. When an employee decides to leave for any reason, his/her supervisor and the Human Resources Department would like the opportunity to discuss the resignation before final action is taken. The Company requests that you provide two weeks advanced written notice of your resignation. If as sometimes happens, the employee’s supervisor may wish for the employee to leave prior to the end of the employee’s two-week notice.

6.10 Exit Interview

Human Resources is responsible for scheduling an exit interview with a terminating employee by the employee’s last day of employment and for arranging the return of Company property including:

• Company keys.
• Company issued credit cards.
• Company manuals.
• System Passwords.
• Any additional Company-owned or issued property.

Human Resources will provide departing employees with information concerning their benefits.

6.10.1 Final Paycheck

An employee’s final paycheck will be in the form of direct deposit processed in the next normal pay period.