WEATHER & EMERGENCY POLICY

Suspension of Work

• Management Prerogative: The Company may, at its discretion, suspend work to ensure the safety and health of employees during natural calamities, typhoons, or floods.
• Government Declarations: If the National Government (Malacañang) or the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tacloban/your specific city declares a suspension of work in the private sector, the Company will comply immediately.

Location-Specific Calamity

The Company prioritizes the safety of its personnel. Work suspension protocols are governed by the physical location of the employee and the prevailing conditions at their designated workstation.

Office-Based Personnel (On-Site)

• Official Declarations

Work suspension for on-site staff follows the official declarations of the Local Government Unit (LGU) where the office is located, or as mandated by the President/General Manager based on immediate safety risks (e.g., flooding, structural damage, or severe weather).

• Automatic Suspension

If the LGU declares a suspension of work for private offices in the city where the office is located, on-site personnel are excused from reporting.

Localized Work Suspension

Work suspensions due to adverse weather, natural calamities, or government-mandated closures are specific to the affected locality. Employees residing in towns or municipalities not affected by the suspension are expected to report for work or remain available remotely, provided it is safe and they have stable power and internet connectivity.

The Company reserves the right to provide alternative arrangements or instructions to ensure operational continuity while prioritizing employee safety.

Note

Suspension declared for Tacloban or any affected area does not automatically apply to employees located in other towns within the same region.

Self-Reporting Obligation

Remote employees experiencing localized calamities (e.g., signal loss, power outages, or flooding in their specific area) must notify their Supervisor or Lead as soon as safely possible.

Power/Internet Contingency

If a remote employee loses power or internet due to a calamity but is otherwise safe, they must report the downtime. Management may require the employee to "make up" the hours or file a Leave of Absence if the outage is prolonged.

Operational Continuity

In certain instances, even if the physical office is closed, employees who are safe and have stable power/internet at home may be requested to shift to Remote Work to maintain critical services, provided their safety is not compromised.

WORK FROM HOME VS. MANDATORY SUSPENSION

Mild Weather Disturbances (The "Offset & Remote" Rule)

In cases where weather conditions are poor but do not pose a direct threat to life or infrastructure (e.g., moderate rain, minor street flooding, or localized LGU suspensions for schools/offices), the Company encourages Operational Continuity.

• WFH Eligibility: If you are safe and have stable power/internet, you are permitted to work from home to avoid salary deductions.

• Work Restoration (Offset): If you cannot work due to a temporary power outage but are otherwise safe, you may request to "Offset" those hours within the same pay period.

Severe Calamities (The "Safety First" Rule)

In the event of severe calamities (e.g., Signal No. 3+ Typhoons, catastrophic flooding, or government-mandated emergency lockdowns), a Total Work Suspension is implemented.

Universal Prohibition of Work

During a severe calamity suspension, all employees—regardless of rank, role, or department—are strictly prohibited from working.

No WFH: Working from home is not permitted, even if the employee has power and internet.

No Offsetting: The option to "make up" hours is not available for these specific dates.

The "Safety First" Mandate:

• During a severe disaster, your priority must be the safety of your family and property. Attempting to work or "stay online" during a life-threatening event creates coordination "ghosting" and safety risks.

• This rule ensures that no employee feels pressured to remain online or productive when they should be securing their homes and families.

Compulsory Leave:

Because work is not being rendered, employees must apply their available Leave Credits (VL/SL) to remain paid. If no credits are available, the "No Work, No Pay" principle applies.

A Note on Leave Budgeting

Management reminds all employees that Leave Credits are a finite resource.

It is the employee's responsibility to budget their leaves wisely. If you exhaust your leaves on non-emergencies early in the year, you may find yourself facing unpaid days during the typhoon season. Advanced leave is a privilege, not a right, and is granted at Management's sole discretion.

RIGHT OF REFUSAL TO WORK (RA 11058)

In accordance with Republic Act No. 11058 and DOLE Labor Advisory No. 17, Series of 2022, the Company recognizes the employee's right to safety during hazardous conditions.

The Right to Refuse Hazardous Work

An employee has the right to refuse to work—whether on-site or in the field—if they perceive an imminent danger in their immediate area due to a natural calamity or weather disturbance.

Definition of Imminent Danger:

A condition that could reasonably be expected to cause death or serious physical harm, such as severe flooding, landslides, or structural instability at the workstation or along the travel route.

Protection Against Disciplinary Action

No administrative or disciplinary sanctions shall be imposed on an employee who fails or refuses to report for work due to a valid fear of imminent danger.

Notification Requirement: To avail of this protection, the employee must notify their Immediate Supervisor or the Official Company Group Chat as soon as safely possible, preferably at least two (2) hours before their shift, to allow for operational adjustments.

Compensation Principle

While the refusal to work is protected from disciplinary action, it is governed by the “No Work, No Pay” principle:

Unpaid Absence: The period of absence shall be considered unpaid unless the employee chooses to utilize their accrued Vacation or Sick Leave (VL/SL) credits.

Leave Budgeting: As with all calamity-related absences, employees are reminded to budget their leave credits to ensure they remain covered during such events.

Mid-Day Suspension and Proportionate Pay

In the event that work is suspended by Management due to weather disturbances, calamities, or other operational exigencies after the workday has already commenced, compensation shall be determined as follows:

The Six-Hour Rule

• Employees who have rendered at least six (6) hours of actual work prior to the suspension shall be entitled to their full regular daily pay for that day, in recognition of their effort to report and perform work.

Proportionate Pay

Employees who have rendered less than six (6) hours of actual work shall be compensated on a proportionate basis, corresponding to the actual hours worked.

Alternatively, the employee may opt to apply available leave credits to cover the remaining hours, subject to Company leave policies and approval procedures.

PROBATIONARY STAFF CALAMITY PROTOCOL

The Company recognizes that government-mandated work suspensions (due to typhoons, calamities, or public emergencies) can impact the take-home pay of employees who have not yet accrued leave credits. The following rules apply:

• Unpaid Status: In accordance with the "No Work, No Pay" principle, any day or hour where work is not performed due to a calamity or suspension shall be considered Unpaid for probationary staff.

• The Work Restoration (Offset) Option: To allow probationary staff the opportunity to maintain a full salary, the Company permits a Work Restoration (Offset) Arrangement.

• The Rule: Subject to the approval of the Department Head or Lead, a probationary employee may "make up" the missed hours within the same or the immediately following pay period to restore their salary.

• Limitation: These restoration hours are strictly to replace the unpaid time lost during the suspension and are not eligible for Overtime (OT) premiums or Holiday pay.

• Deadline: The intent to offset must be communicated to the Admin and your Immediate Supervisor within twenty-four (24) hours of resuming operations. If the employee does not offset the time within the allowed window, the missed hours will remain unpaid.

⚠️ PROCEDURAL NOTE

For specific rules on daily limits, documentation, and approval workflows, please refer to: Employment Policies >> Attendance and Timekeeping >> Time Offsetting Policy.

CALAMITY PROTOCOLS: FIELD MARKETING & SALES

Due to the mobile nature of Field Marketing and Sales operations, work status is governed by the "Safety of the Site" principle. Personnel deployed to specific territories or venues must adhere to the conditions of their assigned location rather than the status of the Main Office.

• Territorial Operational Autonomy

In the event that a work suspension is declared at the Main Office (Tacloban) due to a localized calamity, all field personnel deployed to unaffected regions (e.g., Cebu, Ormoc, Manila) are required to fulfill their scheduled assignments.

• Mandatory Field Presence

If the local venue, merchant, or event site remains operational and no local government suspension has been declared in that specific territory, work must proceed as scheduled.

• Communication Continuity

Field personnel are expected to maintain high accessibility via official digital channels, as they serve as the Company’s primary active representatives during headquarters downtime.

Site-Specific Suspension & Asset Preservation

If the Local Government Unit (LGU) of the deployment site declares a work suspension, or if the specific venue (e.g., Mall, Convention Center) closes due to a force majeure:

• Asset Security Protocol Personnel must immediately secure all Company property—including marketing collateral, promotional kits, hardware, and sensitive documents—before retreating to a safe location.

• Reporting Requirement

The Field Representative must notify the Marketing Manager and the Admin Department immediately upon the closure of the site to document the suspension.

Per Diem Protection

If a field employee has already deployed to the site when a suspension is declared, they remain entitled to their full Per Diem (Allowance) for that day to cover subsistence costs (food/incidentals).

Leave Filing After Suspension

The application for leave must be submitted to Admin/Accounting within twenty-four (24) hours from the employee’s return to work or upon the resumption of normal operations, whichever comes later.

Failure to file the leave within this period may result in the absence being treated in accordance with Company leave and attendance policies.

CALAMITY PROTOCOLS: STUDIO-BASED & ON-SITE ROLES

Partially Office-Dependent Roles

For roles focused on creative production and non-critical deliverables—specifically Graphic Designers—Work From Home (WFH) or Offsetting is not applicable during weather-related suspensions.

• Leave-Only Status: In the event of a work suspension, personnel in these functions must apply their Leave Credits to remain compensated for the day.

• Urgency Exception: In rare cases where a specific project has an immediate, non-negotiable deadline that precedes the office reopening, Management may explicitly authorize a temporary remote arrangement. Otherwise, the "Safety First" rule applies, and work shall wait.

• Asset Protection: Before a forecasted storm or evacuation, staff members are responsible for ensuring all high-value hardware (monitors, CPUs, tablets) is unplugged and stored in a secure, elevated area to prevent water or electrical damage.

Physical Operations & Logistics Staff

Personnel whose primary duties involve physical maintenance, field transit, or on-site manual tasks are governed by the "Safety of the Person" principle. By the nature of these roles, remote work is not an option.

Prohibition of Work: To prevent accidents and ensure safety, these staff members are strictly prohibited from performing field or maintenance duties once an official suspension is declared.

Compensation: These roles follow the "No Work, No Pay" principle. To avoid salary deductions, employees are encouraged to utilize their accrued Leave Credits.

Vehicle/Asset Security: Those managing company vehicles or logistics must ensure all transportation assets are parked in designated flood-free zones and all transit documents are secured in waterproof containers.

INSUFFICIENT LEAVE CREDITS DURING CALAMITIES

Since Vacation Leave (VL) and Sick Leave (SL) are earned at a rate of 2.5 days per month, the following rules apply if a calamity occurs and the employee has already consumed their current month's limit:

The "Advanced Leave" Privilege (Management Discretion)

If a government suspension is declared and an employee has a zero (0) balance, Management may—at its sole discretion—allow the employee to "advance" leave credits from future accruals.

• Eligibility: This privilege is reserved for employees with satisfactory performance ratings and a clear disciplinary record.
• The "Budgetary Limit" Rule: Employees are expected to manage their leave credits responsibly throughout the year. Advanced Leave is not an automatic entitlement and may not be utilized repeatedly. If an employee demonstrates a pattern of leave exhaustion, Management reserves the right to deny further advances, regardless of the severity of the calamity.
• Recovery: Any advanced credit will be automatically deducted from the employee’s accrual in the subsequent month.

Unpaid Calamity Leave

If a leave advance is not requested, or if Management denies the request due to a history of poor leave budgeting or performance risks:

• Status: The absence will be tagged as Unpaid Calamity Leave.
• The "Offset" Alternative: To avoid a salary deduction, the employee may request to "offset" the missed eight (8) hours by rendering extra time.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENT

All "Offset" arrangements under this section are not automatic and must strictly follow the standards, daily limits, and documentation procedures found in: Employment Policies >> Attendance & Timekeeping >> Time Offsetting Policy.

Final Pay Deduction

Should an employee resign or be terminated while carrying a negative leave balance (due to advanced calamity leaves), the monetary equivalent of the deficit shall be deducted from the employee's Final Pay during the 30-day clearance period.

Emergency Contact

During weather disturbances, all employees must monitor the official Company Group Chat(Messenger/Slack) for announcements. In the event of a total communication blackout, safety is the priority; do not attempt to travel if it is unsafe.