ATTENDANCE, PUNCTUALITY & TIMEKEEPING

Core Hours & Flexible Schedule

The Company implements a "Core Hours" policy to ensure effective team collaboration and synchronized operations while supporting work-life balance.

The Operational Window

• Hours of Operation: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.
• Requirement: Employees must complete their 8-hour shift (plus a 1-hour meal break) within this timeframe.

Core Hours (Mandatory Presence)

Regardless of start time, all staff must be physically present or "online/active" during the mandatory Core Hours of 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Shift Option	Start Time	End Time	Includes Core Hours?
Early Start	7:00 AM	4:00 PM	Yes
Late Start	10:00 AM	7:00 PM	Yes

Schedule Restrictions & Compliance

• Lateness Restriction: Arriving or logging in after 10:00 AM without prior management approval is strictly tagged as Tardy. This is enforced to prevent disruptions to morning briefings and team coordination.

• Meeting Priority: Absence from a meeting scheduled within Core Hours because an employee "chose to start later" is not an acceptable excuse. Scheduled meetings take precedence over individual schedule preferences.

• Undertime: Any deficiency in the required 8-hour daily output resulting from a late start will be deducted as Undertime and reflected in the payroll period.

• Revocation of Privilege: Consistent failure to adhere to the 10:00 AM start-time limit or unannounced absences during Core Hours may result in the revocation of flexible schedule privileges for the individual concerned.

Punctuality & Readiness

General Work (Flexible Schedule)

The Company promotes a results-oriented culture. For standard daily operations, tardiness is generally identified if:

• The employee fails to render the required 8 hours of work within the day; or

• The employee arrives after the 10:00 AM Core Sync Time, which may disrupt team coordination and daily stand-ups.

Fixed Assignments & Event Readiness (The Exception)

While we value flexibility, certain roles and assignments require Strict Punctuality to ensure the success of company operations. For the following instances, employees are expected to be "Mission Ready" at the designated start time:

• Marketing Events/Activations: (e.g., If a merchant activation or setup is scheduled for 8:00 AM, the team must be on-site and ready to deploy at exactly 8:00 AM).

• Scheduled Client or Team Meetings: To respect the time of our partners and colleagues, participants should be logged in or present at the exact start time.

• Assigned Support Shifts: Specific shifts designated for "Event Support" require adherence to the agreed-upon schedule to ensure continuous coverage.

Defining Tardiness for Fixed Assignments

For these specific assignments, any arrival or login after the scheduled start time is considered Tardy. We emphasize that for field work and client-facing events, "being on time" means being fully prepared to start the task at the designated hour.

Absence & Emergency Notifications

If an employee cannot report for work due to an emergency or illness:

• Notification: Notify the Supervisor or Admin at least two (2) hours before your expected start time.
• Unexcused Absence: Absence without prior notice or valid reason is "Unexcused."
• Job Abandonment (AWOL): Absence Without Leave (AWOL) for five (5) consecutive working days without communication is considered Job Abandonment and is grounds for termination under the Labor Code.

The NFC System & Official Logging

The NFC (Near-Field Communication) Card System is the sole official record for Daily Time Records (DTR), payroll, and allowance eligibility.

The "No Card, No Log" Rule**

Every employee is issued a personalized NFC Card (Company Property).

• Mandatory Use: It is the employee's absolute responsibility to bring this card daily.
• Forgotten Card: Resulting in an inability to "tap in" may lead to being tagged as Absent/Tardy.

Official Logging Procedures (The Two-Tap Rule)

To comply with DOLE standards, employees record only two primary milestones:

• Time-In: Official tap upon arrival (7:00 AM – 10:00 AM window).
• Time-Out: Final tap upon completion of the 8-hour shift.

The Self-Managed Meal Break (Non-Compensable)

• Automatic Deduction: Every shift includes a mandatory, non-compensable one (1) hour meal break.
• No Tap Required: Employees do not need to tap out for lunch if staying in the pantry or ordering in.
• Work-Free Period: Employees are considered "Off-Duty" and should perform no work tasks during this hour.

Incidental Taps (Restroom/Communal Areas)

• Security Taps: Since restrooms are outside the main office, card taps are required for door access.
• Payroll Treatment: Short durations (5–10 mins) are "Incidental" and not deducted from work time.
• The "Last Tap" Rule: The Admin uses the Last Recorded Tap of the day as the official Time-Out.
• Abuse: Excessive incidental taps (e.g., 30 mins multiple times) will be treated as Unauthorized Undertime or Neglect of Duty.

Dual-Logging System & Hierarchy of Records

The Company uses the Physical NFC Reader and the Online HR Portal.

Work Setting	Primary Record
Office Duty	Physical NFC Card Tap (Mandatory Presence Proof)
Remote / Field Work	Online HR Portal (Requires GPS/Photo validation)

The "Presence Proof" Rule

• Office Duty: When working from the office, the NFC Card Tap is the mandatory and primary record of attendance.
• Remote/Field Duty: The Online HR Portal is the primary record for authorized WFH or Marketing Field Work.

Forgotten NFC Card Protocol

If the employee reports to the office but fails to bring the assigned NFC Card, the following protocol must be strictly observed to validate attendance:

• Online Timestamp: The employee must log in via the Online HR Portal immediately upon arrival to establish a digital timestamp.
• Manual Validation: The employee must submit a DTR Correction Form (digital or paper) to the Admin Staff within the same workday.
• Verification: The Admin Staff shall verify the physical presence of the employee via supervisor confirmation or CCTV review before "Approving" the online log for payroll purposes.
• Consequences of Non-Compliance: Online logs created while in the office without a corresponding NFC tap or an approved DTR Correction Form shall be considered Invalid. In such cases, the employee may be tagged as Absent, and the daily transportation allowance shall be forfeited.

Summary of the Protocol

Step	Action Required	Responsibility
1. Timestamp	Log "In" via the Online HR Portal	The Employee
2. Documentation	Submit a DTR Correction Form	The Employee
3. Audit	Verify presence via CCTV/Supervisor	Admin Staff
4. Approval	Convert "Pending" log to "Valid"	Admin Staff

THE "ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN" RULE FOR NFC CARDS

The NFC Card is the sole official "source of truth" for Daily Time Records (DTR). To maintain system integrity and compensate for the manual labor required to correct records, the following graduated penalties apply when an employee fails to bring the assigned card to the office or worksite.

Graduated Penalties (Per Calendar Month)

Occurrence	Disciplinary Action	Financial/Admin Action
1st & 2nd	Documented Verbal Warning (VW)	Admin performs manual entry upon verification.
3rd	Written Reprimand (WR)	PHP 150.00 Administrative Processing Fee.
4th	Suspension (SUS)	PHP 250.00 Administrative Processing Fee.

Habitual Negligence Clause

Forgetting the NFC card more than four (4) times in a single quarter shall be recorded as "Habitual Disregard of Company Procedures" in the employee’s 201 file and will be reflected as a deduction in their Performance Evaluation (Professionalism/Compliance score).

Logging Restrictions & Prohibited Acts

To ensure data integrity, the following rules are strictly enforced:

Strict Prohibition

• No "In-Transit" Logging It is strictly prohibited to log in via the Online HR Portal while traveling, inside a vehicle, commuting,walking toward the building, at the ground floor or before physically arriving at the designated workplace (Office or Field Site).

• Sequence of Logging For all employees reporting to the office, the first tap of the NFC card at the office entrance serves as the official and only valid "Time-In.

• Validation Any Online Log that is timestamped before the first physical NFC tap of the day will be flagged as Falsification of Time Records. The NFC tap time will be the only one honored for payroll. The Company reserves the right to verify the IP address or GPS location of online logs.

• Disciplinary Action Any attempt to circumvent physical presence requirements through fraudulent online logging is grounds for Immediate Dismissal for Serious Misconduct and Fraud.

"Log First, Move Later" Policy (External Errands)

This policy ensures that field-based tasks are tracked accurately while maintaining the office as our central operational hub.

Scope of Application

The "Log First, Move Later" protocol applies strictly to the following employee categories:

• On-Site Dependent Employees: Roles that require 100% physical presence at the office or project site.

• Office-Dependent Employees: Roles that rely on office infrastructure, physical files, or face-to-face administrative coordination.

• Partially Office-Dependent (Hybrid) Employees: Roles that alternate between remote and office work, specifically on their designated in-office days.

Standard Morning Protocol

• If an employee in the categories above has a scheduled external task (e.g., bank transactions, government filings, or merchant visits) at the start of the day, the default requirement is to report to the office and log in via the NFC reader first to establish their official “Time-In.”

• Deployment: Immediately after the NFC tap, the employee must notify their Supervisor of their departure for the external site to ensure team coordination.

Exceptions: "Direct-to-Site" Authorization

The Company recognizes that reporting to the office first may sometimes be counterproductive due to distance or urgent project timelines. In such cases, the following applies:

• Pre-Approved Direct Reporting: Employees may go directly to an external site without passing through the office provided they have secured written or verbal approval from their Manager or Immediate Supervisor at least one (1) day prior, or by 8:00 AM on the day of the task.

• Digital Attendance Validation: For pre-approved "Direct-to-Site" assignments, the employee must log their "Time-In" via the Official Company Group Chat with a photo or location pin at the site. This serves as the validated attendance record in lieu of the NFC tap.

• Emergency or Urgent Requests: If a client or supervisor requests an immediate site visit while the employee is en route to the office, the employee must notify HR or their Supervisor immediately to adjust their attendance record.

Attendance Integrity and Policy Compliance

• Unauthorized Absence from Post Maintaining team synchronization is vital to our workflow.

• Protocol: Tapping "In" at the office establishes your presence for work. Any departure immediately after tapping in—for personal errands, unauthorized bank visits, or other non-work activities—without the explicit notification and approval of a Supervisor is classified as Abandonment of Post during working hours.

• Consequence: Such actions are considered a breach of the trust-based flexible system and may be subject to disciplinary review.

Management of NFC Identification Cards

To maintain accurate physical security and attendance records, all employees are responsible for their issued NFC cards.

• Standard: While the Online HR Portal exists as a backup, the NFC card remains the primary tool for In-Office attendance.

• Frequency Rule: Forgetting the NFC card three (3) times within a single calendar month—regardless of whether an online log was made—will be flagged as Neglect of Duty. This warrants a Written Warning to encourage better management of company-issued equipment.

Integrity of Attendance Records

The Company relies on honest reporting to manage payroll and project timelines.

• Prohibited Act: Utilizing the Online HR Portal to log "In-Office" status while the employee is actually at home, in transit, or otherwise not at the designated workstation is strictly prohibited.

• Classification: Such acts are classified as Falsification of Official Records. This is a serious violation of the Company’s Code of Conduct and may lead to severe disciplinary action, up to and including termination, in accordance with the Labor Code.

TIME OFFSETTING POLICY

The Company allows for "Time Offsetting" to help employees manage personal appointments or emergencies without deducting from their leave credits. However, this is a professional privilege subject to operational requirements.

General Rules (Applicable to All)

Definition:

Offsetting occurs when an employee works extra hours on a specific day to compensate for hours missed on another day within the same work week or payroll cut-off.

• Same Cut-off Rule: Offsetting must be completed within the same payroll period. Hours missed in one cut-off cannot be offset in the next.

• No "Advance" Offsetting: Employees cannot "store" extra hours today to justify an unapproved absence or tardiness next week.

• No OT Premium: Offset hours are a restoration of regular time and do not qualify for Overtime pay.

• Max Daily Limit: To ensure safety and work quality, an employee cannot work more than eight (8) hours in a single day.

• Explicit Documentation: Employees must clearly label extra hours in the DTR/Online Log as "OFFSET" to avoid payroll confusion.

Category-Specific Guidelines

Admin and Office-Dependent Roles

• Prior Approval Required: For these roles, offsetting is not automatic. Employees must secure approval from their Immediate Supervisor or Manager at least 24 hours in advance (except for emergencies).

• Operational Window: Offsetting must be performed within the Company’s operational window (e.g., 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM).

Programmers and Output-Based Roles

For roles measured by technical deliverables rather than "seat time," the following exceptions apply:

• Automatic Offsetting: Offsetting is considered automatic and does not require prior management approval. The Company trusts the professional judgment of its developers to manage their time effectively.

• Output-Based Evaluation: Performance is measured through progress on assigned tasks, timeliness of outputs, and code quality rather than a direct comparison of hours rendered.

• Accountability: This privilege is conditional. Programmers must ensure that offsetting does not delay delivery of expected outputs or result in a "Blocked" status for other team members.

• Core Hours Availability: Despite the automatic offset privilege, programmers must remain available during designated Core Sync Hours (e.g., planning and team coordination) to ensure team alignment.

Marketing and Field-Based Roles

For roles that involve merchant routing, event activations, and field deployments, the Company recognizes that work often extends beyond the standard 8-hour shift.

Non-OT Framework: As a standard rule for Marketing and Field roles, extra hours rendered during routing or merchant visits are not compensated with Overtime (OT) Pay. Instead, these hours are addressed through the Extended Offset Privilege.

The "Event Recovery" Offset: When an employee accumulates significant excess hours due to weekend events, late-night activations, or intensive merchant routing, they may be eligible for a full or partial day off in the following week without deducting from their leave credits.

Not Automatic: Unlike that of the programmer roles, Marketing offsets are not automatic. All requests to "not work" or "take a day off" to balance previous excess hours must be:

• Justified: Supported by a summary of the extra hours rendered (e.g., event duration or routing logs).

• Validated: Confirmed by the Immediate Supervisor.

• Approved: Formally cleared by Management at least 48 hours prior to the intended day off.

Operational Priority

Offsetting must not conflict with scheduled marketing activations or critical merchant meetings. Management reserves the right to move the offset date to a less busy period to ensure continuous field operations.

Probationary Staff (Work Restoration)

Since probationary employees (Months 1–6) have not yet earned access to the 30-Day Safety Net Leave Pool, the Company provides a "Work Restoration" option. This allows new team members to maintain their full monthly salary during government-mandated work suspensions or authorized personal emergencies.

Nature of the Offset

If a probationary employee is unable to work due to a calamity or an approved personal emergency, they may request a Work Restoration. This allows the employee to "make up" the missed 8 hours of work on another day (usually a Saturday or by extending hours on weekdays) to avoid a deduction in their monthly pay.

Compliance with General Rules: All Work Restorations must strictly adhere to the General Rules of Offsetting:

• Same Cut-off Rule: The missed hours must be restored within the same payroll period. If the work is not restored before the cut-off, the "No Work, No Pay" rule will apply, and the deduction will proceed.

• Max Daily Limit: An employee cannot work more than eight (8) hours in a single day, even when attempting to restore missed time.

• No OT/Holiday Premium: Work performed as an "Offset" is a restoration of regular time. It does not qualify for Overtime pay or Holiday premiums, as the goal is to reach the required 40-hour work week.

Mandatory Approval (Not Automatic):

• Request: The employee must submit a digital request for "Offsetting" to their Supervisor within twenty-four (24) hours of the absence.

• Validation: Approval is subject to Management Prerogative. It will only be granted if there is a clear business need and available supervision for the employee on the proposed "makeup" date.

• Explicit Documentation: When logging restored hours, the employee must clearly label the entry as "OFFSET / WORK RESTORATION" in the DTR/Online Log to ensure payroll accuracy.

Attendance Credit for Field Travel

Purpose and Scope

This policy ensures that employees are fairly compensated for time spent in transit while maintaining a consistent and predictable payroll structure. This applies to all Marketing, Field Staff, and project-based personnel traveling to assigned workstations outside of their primary office location.

The 8-Hour Travel Cap

The Company recognizes travel as a work-related requirement. To ensure fairness and prevent inflated attendance hours, the following "Capped Travel Time" rules apply:

• Standard Workday Credit: Time spent traveling to an assigned location is counted as attendance. However, this credit is capped at eight (8) hours per day, regardless of the actual duration of the journey (including delays in flights, boats, or land transit).

• Overnight/Multi-Day Transit: For long-distance travel spanning multiple days, each calendar day spent in transit is credited as a standard 8-hour workday.

• No Unauthorized OT: Travel time exceeding 8 hours in a single day does not qualify for Overtime (OT) pay unless the employee is actively performing pre-approved work tasks (e.g., client calls, report drafting).

• Logging Requirements: Employees must log the actual start and end times of their travel in the HR Portal. HR/Admin will manually adjust the entry to comply with the 8-hour cap.

Field Productivity and Accountability

Productivity is measured by output (e.g., merchant sign-ups, site inspections, leads generated) rather than mere presence.

• Reporting: Employees must provide a "Field Summary" or "Travel Report" upon return, linking their traveled days to specific project milestones.

• Safety First: Employees must prioritize safety over speed. While the 8-hour cap exists for payroll purposes, it is not an incentive to engage in hazardous or exhausted traveling.

Time Log Adjustment Requests

To maintain the integrity of attendance and payroll records, any request to modify or correct time logs shall be governed by the following rules:

Filing Timelines & Deadlines

Accuracy in timekeeping is a daily responsibility. Adjustments must be handled as they occur:

• The 24-Hour Rule: Ideally, all requests for time log corrections must be filed through the official HR system or prescribed form within twenty-four (24) hours from the date of the occurrence.

• The Hard Deadline (48 Hours): In exceptional cases, filing may be extended up to a maximum of forty-eight (48) hours.

• Automatic Forfeiture: Any request submitted after the 48-hour window will be automatically denied. The affected time will be tagged as Absent or Leave Without Pay (LWOP), regardless of whether the work was rendered.

Prohibition of Bulk Edits

• No End-of-Cut-off Filing: The practice of "Bulk Filing" or submitting multiple adjustment requests at the end of the payroll cut-off is strictly prohibited.

• Payroll Integrity: This policy ensures that the Admin and Accounting departments have sufficient time to validate logs. Requests that attempt to "clean up" a full week of missing logs at the last minute will not be processed.

Valid Grounds for Adjustment

Time log adjustments may be considered only in cases of:

• Verified system or device malfunction (e.g., NFC reader error, system downtime)
• Officially approved offsite work, field assignment, or WFH where logging was not technically possible
• Other justifiable reasons supported by objective evidence, subject to Management approval

Approval & Validation

• Documentation: Requests must include a clear explanation and supporting proof (e.g., screenshots, supervisor confirmation, or an official work directive).

• Validation: All adjustments are subject to review by the Immediate Supervisor and final validation by HR/Admin. Unauthorized edits or self-adjustments are strictly prohibited.

Effect on Payroll and Allowances

The accuracy of an employee's compensation is directly dependent on the timeliness of their time log submissions.

• Impact on Discretionary Pay: Approved adjustments will be integrated into the salary computation. However, any delay in filing—even if eventually approved—may result in the adjustment being deferred to the following pay period, subject to strict payroll cut-off schedules.

• Finality of Records: Once the payroll for a specific cut-off is finalized, no further retroactive adjustments for that period will be entertained.

Misrepresentation & Discipline

Repeated or intentional misuse of time log adjustments, including the falsification of work hours or consistent failure to log in/out on time, shall be treated as a disciplinary offense under the Company Code of Discipline.