REMOTE WORK, WORK-FROM-HOME and PRESENCE RULE

The Remote Work and WFH Integrity

The Work-From-Home (WFH) arrangement is a tool for operational continuity and is not a substitute for personal leave or flexible personal time. To maintain professional standards, the following restrictions apply:

Not a Substitute for Leave

WFH cannot be used as a replacement for:

• Sick Leave: If an employee is suffering from a serious illness or medical condition that prevents them from performing their duties at 100% capacity, they must file for Sick Leave (SL) and prioritize their recovery.

• Personal Leave: WFH may not be utilized to cover time spent on personal errands, domestic travel, or external appointments.

Dedicated Work Hours

A WFH status implies that the employee is fully active, reachable, and dedicated to company tasks during their shift.

• Active Standby: Employees working remotely are expected to be available via official communication channels (Messenger/Slack) as if they were physically in the office.

• Errands & Flexible Time: Handling personal errands or household matters during a WFH shift is considered a violation of attendance policies. If an employee needs time for personal matters, they must file for Vacation Leave (VL) or Under-time.

Accountability

Management reserves the right to request proof of work output or "check-in" status during WFH hours. Failure to remain productive or reachable during a remote shift may result in the day being tagged as Unpaid or lead to the revocation of WFH privileges.

Acceptable reasons for WFH include, but are not limited to:

• Temporary health-related conditions that do not prevent work but require staying at home (e.g., mild illness, recovery from minor injury)
• Situations requiring remote work due to Company directives, emergency operational needs, or official WFH schedules
• Any other reason pre-approved in writing by the employee’s supervisor or management

Unauthorized Field Presence (Abandonment of Post)

Employees discovered performing personal errands, traveling, or attending non-work-related activities during an active WFH shift—without prior written approval for schedule adjustment—shall be classified as Abandonment of Post.

Automatic Consequences

• Salary Deduction The day shall be automatically tagged as Unpaid, regardless of task submission, as the requirement for “active presence” was breached.

• Disciplinary Action Such incidents shall be documented as Gross Misrepresentation and Willful Breach of Trust.

Consequences may include:

• Permanent revocation of WFH privileges
• Termination of employment

WFH means you are 'at work.'

If the company is paying for your time, that time belongs to the company. If you need to go to the bank or a mall, file a Leave of Absence. Being seen outside while 'on the clock' is a form of payroll fraud.

WORK-FROM-HOME (WFH) ROLE CATEGORIZATION & LIMITS

The Company classifies roles into four (4) categories based on the necessity of physical presence for daily operations. WFH is a privilege granted based on these classifications:

Category	Eligible Roles	WFH Limit	Approval Requirement
Category 1: On-Site & Site-Essential Roles	Maintenance, Utilities, Liaison Officer, Rider, Logistics	NONE (Not Eligible)	N/A
Category 2: Office-Dependent	Admin, HR, Accounting	Max 1 day per cut-off	Mandatory: 24 hours in advance
Category 3: Partially Office-Dependent	Graphic Designers, Marketing Staff	Max 1 day per week	Mandatory: 24 hours in advance
Category 4: Least Office-Dependent	Programmers (Probationary & Regular)	Max 3 days per week	Not Required (Notification only)

Category 1: On-Site & Site-Essential Roles (No WFH)

Roles in this category are defined by physical labor, logistics, or facility management that requires 100% physical presence or specialized on-site movement.

WFH Ineligibility

Due to the nature of these functions, Work-From-Home (WFH) and Offsetting are not available options. These roles depend on physical access to office facilities, company vehicles, or external government/banking institutions.

Field Work vs. WFH (The Distinction)

• Authorized Field Work: For the Liaison Officer and Rider, time spent outside the office for official company errands (e.g., Banking, Post Office, LGU filings, or deliveries) is considered active duty, provided it is done during operational hours and under safe conditions.

• Calamity Restriction: Once an official work suspension is declared due to weather or disaster, Field Work must cease immediately for the safety of the personnel.

• No Remote Equivalent: Since these tasks cannot be performed via a computer or from a residence, these employees cannot "shift to WFH" during a suspension.

Compensation During Suspensions

When work is suspended for Category 1 roles:

• Status: The "No Work, No Pay" principle applies.

• Action Required: Employees must utilize their Leave Credits (VL/SL) to remain compensated. If no credits are available, the period will be considered an unpaid excused absence.

Category 2: Office-Dependent (Admin/Accounting/HR) Roles

Roles in this category require access to physical files, local network security, and face-to-face coordination. While these roles are primarily office-based, a limited WFH arrangement is permitted to support work-life balance.

WFH Frequency & Limits

• Strict Limit: WFH is restricted to a maximum of one (1) day per cut-off period. This day cannot be "carried over" to the next cut-off if unused.

• Non-Cumulative: Unused WFH credits do not accumulate and cannot be used in bulk.

The "24-Hour" Advance Notice Rule

• Prior Approval: All WFH requests must be submitted to the Department Head at least 24 hours in advance.

• Automatic Denial: Same-day or "on-the-spot" WFH requests are automatically denied. If an employee cannot report to the office and did not secure prior WFH approval, they must file for Vacation Leave (VL) or Sick Leave (SL).

Operational Blackout Periods

Management reserves the right to suspend Category 2 WFH privileges during "Critical Windows," such as:

• Payroll Processing Days (Accounting/HR)

• Monthly/Quarterly Tax Filings

• Company-wide Audits or Physical Inventory Counts

• Scheduled In-Person Strategy Meetings

Category 3: Partially Office-Dependent Roles

This category includes roles—such as Graphic Designers—that allow for digital production but require in-person collaboration for design reviews, physical brainstorming, and event execution.

WFH Frequency & Limitation

• Cap: Eligible employees may be granted a maximum of one (1) WFH day per week.

• Not Mandatory: This is a maximum limit, not a requirement. Employees are not obligated to use it, and Management is not obligated to grant it if operational needs require in-person presence.

Validation & Pre-Planning Requirement

Unlike other roles, WFH for Creatives must be justified by a Planned Work Output.

• Submission of Work Plan: Together with the 24-hour advance request, the employee must submit a brief outline of deliverables to be completed during the WFH day (e.g., specific layout drafts, branding assets, or batch editing).

• Validation: Approval is subject to the Supervisor’s validation of the workload. If the pending tasks require high-level collaboration or access to studio hardware, the request may be denied.

Mandatory On-Site Presence

Regardless of the WFH schedule, physical presence is compulsory for the following:

• Scheduled marketing events or merchant launches.

• Photo or video shoots requiring art direction.

• Physical brainstorming sessions or final design presentations.

• Technical troubleshooting of specialized creative hardware.

Deliverable Review

At the end of the WFH shift, the employee must present the outputs listed in their pre-submitted work plan. Failure to produce the planned deliverables or remaining unreachable during the shift will result in the revocation of future WFH privileges and the day being tagged as Unpaid.

Category 4: Least Office-Dependent (Programmers/Developers)

This category is designed for technical roles that work on software. Because their tasks are managed via cloud-based repositories and project management tools, they have the highest degree of remote flexibility.

WFH Allowance & Notification

• Flexible Schedule: Employees in this category may work remotely for up to three (3) days per week.

• Implicit Approval: Unlike other categories, prior formal approval is not required, provided the employee has a Satisfactory performance rating and is meeting all sprint deadlines.

Mandatory Office Presence

• The 2-Day Rule: To ensure high-bandwidth technical collaboration and team culture, employees are required to be physically present in the office for at least two (2) days per week.

• Management may designate specific days (e.g., for planning or progress reports) as "Mandatory Office Days" regardless of the employee's preferred WFH schedule.

Operational Continuity & Performance

• Availability: Remote status does not mean "offline." Developers must be reachable via official channels and ready for ad-hoc calls or emergency debugging during shift hours.

• Performance-Based Privilege: The 3-day WFH allowance is a privilege of the role. If an employee falls behind on tickets, misses daily stand-ups, or fails to commit code regularly, Management reserves the right to revert the employee to a 100% on-site schedule until performance stabilizes.

Rationale for the 3-Day Remote / 2-Day In-Office Model (Programmers & Developers)

Company adopts a three (3) days remote, two (2) days in-office work arrangement to balance flexibility with effective collaboration.

Remote work is recognized as real and productive work. The Company intentionally keeps the majority of the workweek open for focused, individual execution such as coding, writing, debugging, and independent problem-solving—tasks that are often performed most efficiently in a remote setting.

At the same time, software development is not limited to task completion. It also requires shared understanding, decision alignment, knowledge transfer, mentorship, and early resolution of ambiguity. These collaborative activities are often faster and more effective when team members are physically present together. Accordingly, the required two (2) in-office days are designated for high-leverage collaborative work, including but not limited to:

• Design and architecture discussions
• Code reviews and technical alignment
• Sprint planning and retrospectives
• Onboarding and mentorship
• Cross-team coordination and problem resolution
• Face-to-face collaboration with assigned project “buddies”

This structure helps reduce miscommunication, prevent rework, strengthen team cohesion, and build trust—particularly as projects grow in complexity and teams expand.

By limiting in-office work to two days per week, the Company avoids unnecessary commuting and presenteeism while still maintaining a strong engineering culture and effective collaboration.

In summary, remote days optimize focus and productivity, while office days optimize alignment and collaboration. This policy is not intended for control or supervision, but to ensure that each work mode is used for its strengths, enabling teams to work efficiently, collaborate effectively, and deliver high-quality software.

THE RULE OF REDUCED PRESENCE (Proration)

To maintain a fair balance of flexibility, the mandatory 2-day office presence is adjusted based on the number of Available Workdays in a week (total days minus Public Holidays or Approved Leaves).

• The 4-Day Work Week: If a holiday or approved leave reduces the work week to 4 days, you are only required to report to the office for one (1) day.
• The 3-Day (or less) Work Week: If the week is reduced to 3 days or fewer, the mandatory office requirement is waived.

Important: Holiday Pay Eligibility (The "Day-Before" Rule)

While proration gives you flexibility, you must manage your schedule carefully to ensure you are paid for Regular Holidays.

• The Eligibility Requirement: Under Philippine Labor Law, to be entitled to 100% pay for an unworked Regular Holiday, you must be present (at the office or logged in via WFH) or on an approved paid leave on the workday immediately preceding the holiday.
• Consequence of Absence: If you are on an unauthorized absence or Leave Without Pay (LWOP) on the day before a holiday, you will forfeit your holiday pay.

Management Priority Override:

Regardless of the proration schedule, Management-designated Mandatory Office Days (e.g., Sprint Planning, Strategy Meetings, or General Assemblies) take absolute precedence. If a mandatory on-site day falls on an available workday, the employee is required to be physically present in the office, superseding any remote work flexibility.

Note

Always double-check your schedule. If Friday is a holiday, ensure you have a valid time log or an approved leave for Thursday. Manage your time and WFH shifts wisely to protect your benefits.

WFH CORE HOURS SYNC

Regardless of the flexibility offered by a Work-From-Home arrangement, all employees—including Programmers—must adhere to the Company Core Hours.

Requirement	Standard
Core Collaboration Window	10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Mandatory Availability	Employees must be active, online, and reachable during this window.
Meeting Attendance	All virtual meetings, "Stand-ups," or sync-calls scheduled during these hours are mandatory.

RULE

Starting your shift late (e.g., at 11:00 AM) even if you plan to work until 8:00 PM is a violation of the Core Hours policy unless specifically approved by the Management. Everyone must be 'Present' by 10:00 AM.

WFH MEAL PERIODS & BREAK

Working from home does not exempt an employee from the standard break schedule defined in the Labor Code.

• The 1-Hour Rule All WFH shifts must include a mandatory, one (1) hour unpaid meal break. This time is not compensable and does not count toward the 8-hour work requirement.

• Standard Window To maintain team synchronization, the lunch break should ideally be taken between 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM, unless otherwise coordinated with the Management.

• "Away" Status Employees must set their status to "Away" or "On Lunch" in the company chat (Slack) during this hour so colleagues know not to expect an immediate response.

• No "Shift-Shortening" Employees cannot skip their lunch break to end their shift an hour early. An 8-hour workday must span at least 9 hours (e.g., 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM).

Note

Use your 1-hour lunch to step away from your screen. This ensures that when you return for the afternoon session of the Core Hours, your productivity remains high.

WFH CORE HOURS & SHIFT SPAN

WFH is not a "freelance" arrangement. You are still working a full company shift. To ensure the team remains synchronized, all WFH employees must follow these scheduling rules:

The "10:00 AM Deadline" (Fixed Start Window)

• Earliest Start: 7:00 AM
• Latest Start: 10:00 AM
• Strict Rule: Starting your shift at 11:00 AM or later—even if you intend to work until 8:00 PM—is strictly prohibited. Every employee must be logged in and active no later than 10:00 AM to respect the Core Collaboration Hours.

Core Hours vs. Total Shift

The Core Hours (10:00 AM – 3:00 PM) are for mandatory meetings and team availability. However, this is not the end of the workday.

• The 8-Hour Requirement: You must still complete a full 8-hour shift plus a 1-hour lunch break (9-hour total span).
• No "Mid-Day" or "Post-3PM" Errands: WFH is for dedicated work. Personal errands, appointments, or household tasks should be scheduled outside of your 9-hour work span, not just outside of core hours.
• Example: If you start at 10:00 AM, your shift ends at 7:00 PM. You are expected to be at your workstation until 7:00 PM.
• Continuous Work: Once you "Time-In," you are expected to stay active and reachable until you "Time-Out," with the exception of the 1-hour lunch break.
• Missing In Action (MIA) Status: Being unreachable for personal errands after 3:00 PM while still "on the clock" will be treated as Abandonment of Post and will result in a pay deduction.
• Late Log-in & The "10:00 AM Hard Cut-Off" To ensure team synchronization, 10:00 AM is the latest permissible "Time-In" for any shift.

DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES FOR ATTENDANCE & WFH ABUSE

The following table outlines the corrective actions for violations of the Attendance and WFH policies. The Company follows a "Progressive Discipline" approach, but reserves the right to skip levels for cases involving Dishonesty or Fraud.

Frequent violations of the 10:00 AM cut-off will result in the following:

Frequency (Within 1 Month)	Disciplinary Action	Impact on Privileges
1st - 3rd Instance	Verbal Reminder	None (Salary deduction for late minutes still applies).
4th Instance	First Written Warning-Tardiness	Formal Review of WFH Eligibility.
5th Instance	Final Written Warning-Habitual Tardiness	Suspension of WFH Privileges for two (2) cut-off periods.
Chronic / Repeat	Notice to Explain (NTE)	Permanent Return to Fixed 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Office Schedule.

OFFICE CONTINUITY & SKELETON STAFFING SHEET

To ensure that the Company remains operational and responsive to walk-in clients, government agencies, and emergency situations, the following "Minimum Presence" rule is strictly enforced for the Administrative and Accounting departments:

Requirement	Standard Operating Procedure
Mandatory Presence	At least one (1) authorized staff member from Admin/Accounting must be physically present at all times.
The "Buddy System"	Employees with overlapping duties (e.g., Petty Cash, Payroll) cannot be on WFH on the same day.
Self-Coordination	Staff must coordinate with their department "buddy" before submitting a WFH request.
Approval Priority	If two "buddies" apply for the same WFH day, the one who submitted earlier or has a more urgent need is prioritized.

STRICT OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

• Automatic Denial Any WFH application that leaves a department with Zero (0) physical presence in the office will be automatically denied, regardless of the 24-hour notice.

• Supervisor Rotation The Manager reserves the right to "Rotate" or "Swap" WFH schedules to ensure that the office is never left unattended.

• Emergency Recalls In the event of an unannounced audit, government inspection, or system emergency, a WFH employee may be recalled to the office immediately, even if their WFH was previously approved.

SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY & PENALTIES

The continuity of office operations is a collective responsibility of the Admin, Accounting, and HR teams. Failure to maintain the "Minimum Presence" rule will result in the following:

• Joint Liability for "Empty Desk" Violations If a department is found unattended during standard business hours because all team members took WFH or Leave without proper coordination, the shift will be automatically tagged as an Unauthorized Absence (No Pay) for all staff involved.

• Disciplinary Action A Written Warning will be issued to all members of the departmental "buddy system" for Neglect of Duty and failure to adhere to the Coordinated Scheduling protocol.

• Revocation of Flexibility Following a violation, the involved department may have all WFH privileges suspended for a minimum of thirty (30) days to ensure the restoration of stable office coverage.

Coordination is mandatory, not optional

Pre-WFH/Leave Handover Requirement

Before any shift in location (WFH) or scheduled Leave, you must provide a Handover Brief to your buddy. This must cover:

• Pending Payables: Any cheques or invoices due for issuance.
• Expected Deliveries: Any visitors, bank couriers, or government representatives expected for any client.
• Critical Deadlines: BIR, SSS, or payroll deadlines occurring within the next 24 hours.

Core Task Category	Required Knowledge for Both Entities
Financials	Petty Cash disbursement, ledger entries, and check issuance.
Logistics	Receiving/stamping deliveries and document routing.
Filing	Accessing and organizing both SciBiz & Paytaca records.
Security	Location of office keys and emergency protocols.

The Three Pillars of Accountability

Approved WFH arrangements are anchored on transparency. To replace the physical "NFC Tap," employees must adhere to the "Bookend" Reporting System:

The AM Goal Setting (9:00 AM)

• Requirement: Post the "Top 3 Priorities" in the team channel.

• Focus: Tasks must be specific and measurable (e.g., "Finish Pag-IBIG remittance" instead of "Work on admin stuff").

The PM Accomplishment Report (5:00 PM – 6:00 PM)

• Requirement: A summary of what was finished and what is "Blocked."

• Outcome: This report serves as the basis for the day’s "Approved" hours. Failure to post the PM report may result in the day being tagged as "Incomplete."

Active Responsiveness (The 30-Minute Rule)

• Requirement: During Core Hours, remote employees must remain reachable via official communication channels.

• Threshold: A delay in response exceeding 30 minutes without prior "AFK" (Away From Keyboard) notice constitutes a breach of the WFH agreement and may lead to a recall to on-site work.

Note

Failure to provide the PM report, especially when there was no communication throughout the day, will result in the shift being tagged as Inactive/Unpaid.

• Revocation Rule: If the agreed-upon output is not submitted by the end of the day without a valid explanation, the WFH credit will be revoked and converted into Vacation Leave (VL) or Unpaid Leave.

• Output-Based Validation: If the supervisor/manager determines that the output produced during the WFH day does not match the 8 hours claimed, the WFH privilege for that employee may be suspended or revoked.

Note:

This requirement applies only to employees in categories 2 and 3 (Office-Dependent and Partially Office-Dependent). Employees under category 4 (e.g., programmers) are exempt, as their productivity and performance are measured via tracked tasks, tickets, deliverables, and code quality.