Staff Policies 2023

This link is the a regularly updated file that can be downloaded anytime.

A. Character

Each employee must have a trustworthy, solid character both personally and professionally. Work within the company is a mutually supportive process amongst all the members of the team. We each gain from each other's workmanship, character, thoughts, and ideas.

B. Work Ethic

1. Staff are expected to work efficiently and with maximum effort each and every day they show up to work.

2. Learn everything you can from your fellow team members and management personnel. There is a great deal of experience and knowledge that can be gained from those that are in a constant mode of learning.

3. Work should be done in a professional manner to the highest standards of landscape management and installation. Work should be done according to the training given by the owners or appropriate crew leader or supervisor.

4. Each staff is held responsible to their quality of work and after a period of training continued errors or poor quality work is grounds for penalty via the point system or immediate termination. See below.

C. Time

  1. Staff must be on time at the start time each morning usually 7am sharp.

  2. Staff are given two 15 minute breaks usually taken during long drive times during jobs

  3. Each staff has a 30 minute lunch break around 12pm.

  4. Personal phone calls, purchasing of food, etc should all be taken care of during these breaks.

  5. Any personal phone calls, additional breaks are to be taken at the discretion and approval of one of the owners, or overseeing supervisor.

D. Clock-in

  1. Every morning each staff is to be clocked in to the LMN app by their crew lead/supervisor. At the end of each work day after all tasks are completed then the crew lead is responsible to clock out each team member and submit the crew's time sheet. Time sheets must be submitted accurately. Time sheets are reviewed by a manager before approval.

E. Sickness/Injury

(Point of contact is Ron for Maintenance. Jon for Project)

  1. You are not to come to work if you have a contagious issue such as the flu. We would prefer you stay home and get better rather than getting others sick. We prefer notice the day before if you feel your are becoming sick to arrange the work schedule.

  2. We require a one hour notice before the start of the work day if you will not be able to make it into work. Each day you need to keep us posted on your expected return.

  3. If you are injured outside of work the same policies apply as above. If you are injured during work you must notify one of the owners immediately so we can take the proper measures.

F. Vacation

(Point of contact is Jon.)

  1. You must provide written notice once month prior to request vacations days off.

G. Appointments

(Point of contact is Jon.)

  1. You must provide verbal notice 2 week in advance of any appointments that you have that may affect your work schedule. You must also send Jon a text so that he can get your appointment on the schedule if approved. Please endeavor to schedule your appointments on Fridays as this will not conflict with the standard work week.

H. Uniforms

  1. You must wear you work uniform each day you come to work to include your normal black T-shirts/sweatshirts. You cannot remove your sweatshirt if you do not have a work tshirt underneath.

  2. You need to wear odin green Wrangler Ripstop pants with thigh guard from Whistle Work Wear in Silverdale. They carry our uniform pants in stock and will give a 10% discount if you use the company name. You must wear general colored work boots in good condition. Your cannot wear clothes with holes in them. Please wear socks that are neutral in color such as white, black, or gray.

I. Lunch

  1. There is a 30 minute non-paid lunch each work day. You can bring your own food or can buy food at a stop location that is approved by one of the owners or supervisors. Lunch stops must be nearby work locations and lengthy drives are prohibited to obtain food.

J. Safety

  1. All safety gear including gloves, earplugs, and safety glasses must be worn at all times of landscape operations. All safety gear will be supplied. You can wear your own gear if you prefer however ear plugs and safety glasses must meet standard requirements. Training must be conducted with each piece of equipment with new staff to ensure they know the proper safe use of the machinery before use.

    You must wear all other prescribed safety gear at all times when performing specific tasks.

    Disposable latex gloves must be worn when handling any chemicals. Appropriate safety gear must be worn at all times in which chemicals are being used. You must adhere to the specific safety label of each product used. Particular products will not be used by an operator without the required State Pesticide License.

    Chain saw chaps, helmet, and safety visor must be worn when using any chainsaw

    Buckets must not be allowed to exceed 50lbs in weight and should safely be loaded into the vehicles. Team lifts can to utilized if the material is heavy or unbalanced to ensure safety.

    Ladders must be supported by a team member if the ground is uneven or unsafe.

    Hedge trimmers and hand pruners must be used very careful to keep blades and cutting action away from the body at all times.

  2. Driving; Drivers must follow all safety laws while driving. Maintain posted speed limits. Allow extra room for passing or merging into lanes that normal. Drivers are not allowed to use or operate their phone during driving. Have a crew member assist with mapping or utilize the cellphone stand in each vehicle.

K. Point System

  1. The point system is established to hold all employees to the same standard of workmanship. It is based on a 10 point system. Once you have accumulated 5 points you are suspended for one work day. At 6 points you are suspended 2 work days. At 8 points you are suspended for three days. At 10 points you will be terminated from work.

  2. You receive one point for being late. Up to 2 points for not showing up to work.

  3. You can receive one point for continuing to fail in an aspect of your work that you have been trained to do and continually helped to correct your error.

  4. You can receive a point for blatantly ignoring or failing to do something that an owner or supervisor tells you to do.

  5. You can receive a point for failing to provide proper notice of sickness, appointments, etc.

L. Staff Reviews

  1. Staff reviews are conducted quarterly on an approximate three month basis to review workmanship, progress, expectations, points, etc.

M. Staff Input/Communication

  1. We encourage staff input and communication at all levels of the company. If you have suggestions, comments, etc that are productive and positive please share them with you supervisor or the owners. Each team member has an important part to play and we appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

  2. You are not to discuss your pay or points with any other employee.

N. Payday

  1. Pay periods are on an every two week basis.

  2. Hours worked over 40 per week are considered over time and will be paid at time and a half.

O. Profit Sharing/Bonuses

  1. Staff are integral to the success of this company and we appreciate all of your hard work throughout the year. It is as simple as this; staff help make the company a reasonable amount of profit each year and we stand by the principle that we should give some of this profit back to the staff that may take different forms over time.

  2. Each year the amount of profit we are able to share will vary. There may be periods of difficulty in which we are not able to give out bonuses.

  3. The amount each staff receives is their own personal information and is to be respected as such.

P. Crew Lead Responsibilities;

  1. In addition to separate job position description;

  • Complete and turn in Supervisor Quality Control check task sheets.

  • Check all vehicle and equipment fluids regularly. Vehicle fluids checked at each gas fuel up. For diesel vehicles additive to be added prior to fueling the work truck at every single fuel up.

  • Turn in receipts of purchases from the week each Monday morning into the designated location.

  • Turn in payment checks at the end of each day into the designated location.

  • Ensure extremely accurate LMN Time timesheets and submit at the end of each work day.

  • Work trucks to be kept clean and tidy at the end of each work day including the trailers and more aggressively cleaned at the end of each week.

Q. Drug Free Workplace

Blacklotus landscaping has a longstanding commitment to provide a safe and productive work environment. Alcohol and drug abuse pose a threat to the health and safety of employees and to the security of our equipment, facilities, customers and job sites. For these reasons, Blacklotus Landscaping is committed to the elimination of drug and/or alcohol use and abuse in the workplace. The following rules apply to all employee's.

  1. Whenever employees are working, are operating any company vehicle, are present on company premises, or are conducting work on job-sites, they are prohibited from:

    Using, possessing, buying, selling, manufacturing or dispensing an illegal drug (to include possession of drug paraphernalia).

    Being under the influence of alcohol or an illegal drug as defined in this policy.

  2. The presence of any detectable amount of any illegal drug or illegal controlled substance in an employee’s body while performing company business or while in a company facility is prohibited.

  3. Blacklotus Landscaping will not allow any employee to perform their duties while taking prescribed drugs that are adversely affecting the employee’s ability to safely and effectively perform their job duties. Employees taking a prescribed medication must carry it in the container labeled by a licensed pharmacist or be prepared to produce it if asked.

  4. Any illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia will be turned over to an appropriate law enforcement agency and may result in criminal prosecution.

Required Testing

Blacklotus Landscaping retains the right to require the following tests:

  1. Pre-employment: All applicants must pass a drug test, physical exam, and criminal background check before beginning work or receiving an offer of employment. Refusal to submit to testing will result in disqualification of further employment consideration. There will be a $250 charge for each new employee for pre screening tests, physicals, and uniforms. This charge will be waived after the first 6 months of employment. If you leave before the 6 month period this amount will be deducted from your final paycheck to cover these costs.

  2. Reasonable suspicion: Employees are subject to testing based on observations by a supervisor of apparent workplace use, possession or impairment. Human Resources must be consulted before sending an employee for reasonable suspicion testing.

  3. Post-accident: Employees are subject to testing when they cause or contribute to accidents that seriously damage a company vehicle, machinery, equipment or property and/or result in an injury to themselves or another employee requiring off-site medical attention. In any of these instances, the investigation and subsequent testing must take place within two (2) hours following the accident, if not sooner.

  4. Follow-up: Employees who have tested positive, or otherwise violated this policy, are subject to discipline up to and including discharge. Depending on the circumstances and the employee’s work history/record, Blacklotus Landscaping may offer an employee who violates this policy or tests positive the opportunity to return to work on a last-chance basis pursuant to mutually agreeable terms, which could include follow-up drug testing at times and frequencies for a minimum of one (1) year but not more than two (2) years. If the employee either does not complete his/her rehabilitation program or tests positive after completing the rehabilitation program, he/she will be subject to immediate discharge from employment.

Signature of Contract

By signing this contract I agree to uphold all conditions, rules, and requirements at all times. I am becoming part of the Blacklotus Landscaping Team and as such will conduct myself in a manner that reflects well on my company and fellow team members.

Violation of any of the provisions of this contract will result in appropriate consequences.

Date:

Written Name:

Signature: ____________________________________________________