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G-BioSport Team
Dear Colleague,
Welcome! Were glad you decided to join our team. Our focus is on the development
and commercialization of the best leading edge sports nutrition and supplements. We
can only achieve our objectives by building an outstanding team, with every member
dedicated, focused and contributing to the success of G-BioSport.
An experience of learning and contributing awaits you as an employee of G-BioSport.
This Employee Handbook is designed to help new employees get acquainted with GBioSport. It explains some of our philosophies and beliefs, and describes, in general
terms some of our employment guidelines. This handbook is intended to serve as an ongoing reference tool for all employees. You should read the handbook carefully as it will
answer many of your questions about working at G-BioSport. If you have a question
that isnt covered in the handbook you are encouraged to go talk with your manager,
departmental vice president, our Chief Ethics Officer or someone in Human Resources.
They can provide additional information.
G-BioSport is firmly committed to conducting business in compliance with the letter and
spirit of the law. So, you are also required to read the Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics which establishes principles and expectations that govern our actions. You will
be accountable to uphold these values and principles.
This handbook contains the employment policies, procedures and programs of the
Company in effect at the time of publication. All previously issued handbooks and any
inconsistent policy statements or memoranda are superseded. No oral statements or
representations can in any way change or alter the provisions of this handbook. To the
extent that any policy may conflict with federal, state or local laws, G-BioSport will
abide by the applicable law.
We wish you the best of luck and success in your position. We hope that your
employment relationship with G-BioSport will be an inspiring and rewarding
experience. Once again, welcome to our team!
Carol Tempest
Vice President, Human Resources
Table of Contents
Our Philosophy and Values
Our Philosophy
Our Values
Our Environment
Compensation Philosophy
Components of Compensation
Payment of Wages
Overtime
Make-up Time
Call-In/Call-Back Pay
Compensatory Time Off
Rest and Meal Periods
Lactation Accommodation
Lunch Break Meetings or Training
Timekeeping Requirements
W-4 Forms
W-2 Forms
Statement of Wage Deductions
Error in Pay
Access to Pay Records
Wage Garnishment
Recognition and Awards
Employee Benefits
Benefit Philosophy
Benefit Programs
Benefit Communication
Eligibility of Benefits
Core Benefits Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D Insurance
Sharing the Cost
COBRA
State Disability (SDI)
Paid Family Leave (PFL)
Long-term Disability (LTD)
Short-term Disability (STD)
Social Security
Workers Compensation Insurance
Unemployment Compensation
Employee Assistant Program (EAP)
401(k) Plan
Flexible Spending Accounts
Time Off
Employment Standard
Job Responsibility and Performance
Job Reassignment
Performance Feedback
Career Development
Tuition Reimbursement
Transfers and Promotions
Seminar and Conferences
Scientific Integrity
Quality
Integrity in Research
Intellectual Policy
Laboratory Notebooks
Material Transfer
Public Presentations
Communication
Our Commitment
Intranet
Confidentiality
Public Disclosure and External Communication
Insider Trading
Open Door Procedure
Grievance Resolution
Compliant Procedure
Operational Considerations
Termination of Employment
This Employee Handbook is not a contract. It does not convey any employment rights nor does
it give any employee or former employee any right to continued employment or benefits.
Employment is at-will. G-BioSport reserves its right to terminate your employment and to
terminate or change any of its practices, policies and benefit plans at any time, with or without
cause.
A good place to start your journey with G-BioSport is to understand our philosophy. We believe
that our philosophy will not only shape our Company but will provide direction to our future.
Below is the Companys philosophy.
Our Philosophy
G-BioSport is a company built upon the resourcefulness, insight and drive of its employees. Our
Company philosophy reflects mutual respect, reliance and trust among patients, customers and
all employees. As members of G-BioSport, all employees share a common commitment to work
toward the Companys goals and to make decisions based on four ethical lenses: Reputation,
Rights & Responsibilities, Relationships and Results. This shared commitment provides the basis
for a productive collaborative effort, promotes personal and professional growth, builds our
Company on a strong ethical foundation and ensures the Companys continued success.
It is the responsibility of all employees of G-BioSport to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Strive for a mutual understanding of job performance expectations with their manager,
and reinforce expectations through regular feedback, performance evaluations and
training when necessary; and
6.
7.
Our Values
Having an agreed upon sense of purpose is important to our success at G-BioSport. Our goal is
to create an engaging and challenging culture that adheres to an appropriate and effective set of
core values during both good and bad times. Our values are divided into the four ethical lenses
that you learned about during your on-boarding.
Reputation Lens
Moral Courage
We encourage our employees to bring to the attention of our leadership any action or
situation that does not model our core values or high ethical standards.
Self Management/Development
We are committed to and actively work to continuously improve ourselves.
We are committed to be relentless and versatile learners.
We enjoy the challenge of unfamiliar tasks.
Results Lens
Customer Focus
We are dedicated in surpassing the expectation and requirements of our customers.
We welcome and use feedback from customers to improve products and services.
We keep our customers in mind during all our actions.
Accountability
We keep our commitments and met our agreed upon deadlines.
We push ourselves and each other for results.
Relationship Lens
Collaboration
We can be counted on to be team player.
We will not become defensive or irritated when times are tough.
Openness
We will allow each other to communicate openly and freely, without fear.
We consider vulnerability strength.
Our Environment
Commitment to Our Environment
At G-BioSport, we succeed by creating a culture that sparks learning, resourcefulness, leadership
and exceptional performance. Our success depends on enabling and challenging each other to
contribute our best in an environment that is open, respectful and fosters teamwork. In pursuit
of this goal, G-BioSport needs your help in making each working day enjoyable and rewarding.
Your first obligation is to know your job and how to do it successfully. Your second obligation is
to cooperate with the management team and your fellow employees to build and maintain a
strong team environment.
Teamwork will require your maximum individual effort. Your interactions with your colleagues
can affect the success of your department, group or project team. In turn, the performance of one
project team, group or department can affect the entire Company. To operate as one team each
employee has to respect the contributions of each member of the G-BioSport team and remember
that together we add more value, which is critical to our success.
At G-BioSport, you are encouraged to seize opportunities for personal development offered to
you. Develop yourself get a little better every day and develop those around you, too. This
Employee Handbook will offer insights on how you can perform positively to the best of your
ability and be successful within our Company.
We believe in an environment that is open and inclusive to strengthen our ability to attract and
retain a diverse workforce. We are committed to create an environment that:
In return we hope that all of our employees will share a passion for winning. We count on our
employees to drive change and strive for constant improvement. We welcome and encourage
you to voice your opinions and contribute suggestions on how to improve the quality of GBioSport. We expect you to have a positive, can-do attitude and not accept anything less in
yourself or others. By all of us working together to create an enjoyable and safe environment, we
will be able to build on the past, focus on our future and compete in the highly competitive
market. Together we are unstoppable!
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10
Employment At-Will
G-BioSport has a policy of maintaining an employment relationship that is at the will of both GBioSport and the employee. This means that either you or G-BioSport may terminate your
employment at any time, with or without cause, and with or without advance notice.
G-BioSport also retains the right to demote, transfer, change job duties, change compensation, or
make any other change in an employees terms and conditions of employment at any time in its
sole discretion with or without cause, and with or without advance notice. In deciding to work
for G-BioSport, or continuing to work for G-BioSport, you understand and accept these terms of
employment.
No one other than the Chief Executive Officer can commit the Company to an agreement for
employment for a specified period of time, or make any agreement or representations contrary to
this policy of at-will employment. Further, any such agreement must be in writing, approved by
the CEO and signed by you and an approved designee of G-BioSport. Absent such an agreement,
employment at G-BioSport is for no specific length or term.
The Code of Conduct and Ethics
Integrity and ethics are considered core values at G-BioSport. Therefore, our commitment to do
business honestly, fairly and legally is important today and tomorrow. As we grow, our
Company will be facing many changes. Through all changes, the responsibility and commitment
that must remain unbroken is to act with integrity and the highest ethical standard. You are
required to read, sign and understand The Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Your commitment
and compliance with the Code is a condition of your employment. The unyielding moral
principles of every individual associated with G-BioSport will help us be successful in everything
we do.
Standard of Business Conduct
As a G-BioSport team member, you have a responsibility to G-BioSport and your fellow
employees to adhere to certain standards of behavior and conduct. We expect your conduct to be
in accordance with the Companys best interests, and expect you to act in a mature and
responsible way at all times. Consequently, we intend to treat and expect our employees to
treat all employees with a high level of personal integrity. This not only involves sincere
respect for the rights and feelings of others, but also demands that in your business life you
refrain from any behavior that might be harmful to you, your co-workers, our consultants, and/or
G-BioSport, or that might be viewed unfavorably by current or potential customers or by the
public at large. Some illustrations of inappropriate conduct are listed below:
Violation of any Company policy including but not limited to the Code of Business Conduct
and Ethics, Conflicts of Interest and Safety Policies.
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Falsifying, making a material omission from or destroying any record of the Company
including laboratory notebooks, time sheets, financial records, and regulatory-related
documentation such as GMP or GLP documentation.
Negligence or any careless action that endangers the life or safety of another person.
Giving the Companys products away free of charge or at a discount to any person or in
violation of the Companys policies.
Use or possession of illegal drugs, or being under the influence of illegal drugs on
Company premises and at Company sponsored events.
Violating safety or health rules or practices or engaging in conduct that creates a safety or
health hazard.
Engaging in any conduct that is not in the best interest of the Company.
Of course, these are only examples of unacceptable business conduct; the foregoing does not
constitute a complete list of behavior or conduct prohibited by this policy. Nothing in this list
alters the at-will nature of your employment. Either you or G-BioSport may terminate the
employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, including in the absence of any
employee misconduct.
Any unacceptable conduct or infraction of this policy may lead to disciplinary action, up to and
including termination of employment. If you are ever in doubt about whether certain conduct is
permitted, please consult with your manager or Human Resources.
Harassment and Discrimination
G-BioSport is committed to ensure a work environment that is free of improper discrimination
and harassment for all of its employees, consultants, contractors, vendors, visitors and customers.
In keeping with this policy, G-BioSport strictly prohibits discrimination or harassment on the
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
12
basis of individuals gender, gender identity, race, color, veteran status, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, age, mental or physical disability, medical conditions, national origin, martial status,
or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law, ordinance or
regulations.
Harassment, including sexual harassment, may take many forms, but the most common forms
include:
Verbal harassment such as jokes, epithets, slurs, negative stereotyping, and unwelcome
remarks, including but not limited to comments about an individuals body, color, physical
characteristics or appearance, questions about a persons sexual practices, or gossiping about
sexual relations;
Physical harassment such as physical interference with normal work, impeding or blocking
movement, assault, unwelcome physical contact, leering at a persons body, and threatening,
intimidating or hostile acts that relate to a protected characteristic;
Visual harassment such as offensive or obscene photographs, calendars, posters, cards,
cartoons, e-mails, drawings and gestures, display of sexually suggestive or lewd objects,
unwelcome notes or letters, and any other written or graphic material that denigrates or shows
hostility or aversion toward an individual, because of a protected characteristic, including
materials placed on walls, bulletin boards, or elsewhere on the employers premises or circulated
in the workplace.
Sexual harassment There are two distinct categories of sexual harassment prohibited by this
policy:
1.
2.
Sexual harassment includes harassment of women by men, of men by women, and same sex
gender-based harassment. Sexual harassment is prohibited whether it involves co-worker
harassment, harassment by a supervisor or manager, or by persons doing business with or for the
Company.
The Company prohibits any and all conduct that may reasonably be interpreted as harassment as
defined above whether or not such conduct is pervasive enough or severe enough to meet the
technical legal requirements of harassment.
Resolution of Harassment or Discrimination Claim
Responsibilities of Employees
You must speak out if you feel youve been a victim of harassment or discrimination. If
you become aware of an incident of harassment or discrimination, whether by witnessing
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the incident or being told of it, you must promptly bring the issue to the attention of your
manager, any member of the executive team, or Human Resources.
In addition to reporting the conduct to the Company, you may also consider directly
telling the offending employee to stop the harassment or discrimination. If you need
help on how to approach the person, you can go to your manager, any member of the
executive team, or Human Resources.
G-BioSport has a strict anti-retaliation policy. The Company will not take any adverse action
against any employee who makes a good faith report of a violation under this policy, or who
cooperates in an investigation of a report made under this policy. The Company also will not
tolerate or permit retaliation by management or other employees.
Responsibilities of Managers
In conjunction with Human Resources, take measures to ensure that any employee who
has reported a violation of this policy in good faith is not the victim of retaliation and
does not suffer further harassment or discrimination.
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15
2.
16
Please note that the Companys support for treatment and rehabilitation does not alter the
Company's ability to discipline employees who violate the prohibitions on substance abuse and
related conduct, as described above.
Smoke-Free Environment
To promote a healthy environment, we have made G-BioSport a smoke-free work environment.
Likewise, our landlord has designed the building smoke-free smoking is prohibited in any of
the common areas of the building such as elevators, lobbies, corridors, meeting rooms, restrooms,
stairwells as well as office suites. Tenants, visitors, contractors and vendors may only smoke in
designated smoking areas outside the building where disposal containers are located.
Arbitration
Although G-BioSport hopes that employment disputes with its employees will not occur, GBioSport believes that when these disputes do arise, it is in the mutual interest of all concerned to
handle them promptly and with a minimum of disturbance to the operations of the Companys
business and the lives of its employees.
Accordingly, to provide for more expeditious resolutions of certain employment-related disputes
that may arise between G-BioSport and its employees, G-BioSport has instituted as part of your
employment agreement a mandatory arbitration procedure for any and all controversies, claims,
or disputes with anyone (including the Company and any employee, officer, director,
shareholder or benefit plan of the Company in their capacity as such or otherwise) arising out of,
relating to, or resulting from your employment with G-BioSport or the termination of your
employment. Under this procedure, if appropriate attempts to resolve a covered dispute
internally through G-BioSport management channels are unsuccessful, such dispute must be
submitted to binding arbitration.
Please see your At Will Employment, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment, and Arbitration
Agreement or contact Human Resources for more details.
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committed to full compliance with the federal immigration laws. These laws require that all
individuals pass an employment verification procedure before they are permitted to work. This
procedure has been established by law and requires that every individual provide satisfactory
evidence of their identity and legal authority to work in the United States no later than three
business days after they begin to work. Accordingly, you as a new hire, must go through this
procedure.
Likewise, G-BioSport is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to otherwise
qualified individuals with disabilities, which may include providing reasonable accommodations
unless undue hardship would result. In general, it is your responsibility to notify your manager
of the need for an accommodation. Upon doing so, your manager may ask you for your input or
type of accommodation you believe may be necessary or the functional limitations caused by
your disability. G-BioSport may also propose alternative accommodations. Also, when
appropriate, G-BioSport may request your permission to obtain additional information from your
physician or other medical or rehabilitation professionals. If accommodation is reasonable and
will not impose an undue hardship on the Company, G-BioSport will make the accommodation.
Background Checks
Today employers are faced with news of workplace violence, falsified credentials, embezzlement
and lawsuits that results from bad hiring decisions. To make sure that we make the best hiring
decisions, when a job offer is extended it is contingent upon a clearance of an Investigative
Consumer Report and/or reference checks conducted by a third party. You will be asked to sign
a form giving your consent to these checks. G-BioSport reserves the right to conduct additional
background checks during your employment if we suspect wrongdoing or misconduct. If you so
request, you are generally entitled to receive copies of the information we receive in the course of
your background check. Our employment background checks will comply with the Fair Credit
Reporting Act (FCRA) which is the national standard for employment background checks and
the Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies Act (CCRAA) which is part of the California Civil Code
1785.
Employment Verification
At G-BioSport our policy is to confirm information regarding your job title and dates of
employment in responding to a third partys request. With your written consent, we will confirm
compensation information. No other information will be provided and no Company manager
has authority to provide any additional information. All employment verification requests
should be directed to Human Resources.
New Hire Reporting Program
The New Hire Reporting Program was mandated by federal welfare reform in 1996. It requires
G-BioSport to report certain basic information within 20 calendar days from your first day of
work to a designated state agency. In California, that state agency is the Employment
Development Department (EDD). G-BioSport provides the EDD your name, social security
number, address and start of work date. With that information the EDD sends a quarterly list of
new employees nationwide to child support agencies to ensure the collection and distribution of
child support.
Work for Hire
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
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Any work produced during your employment with this Company is considered work for hire
and the right to such work belongs to the Company. If you should leave the Company and wish
to retain samples of your own work (electronic or otherwise), specific permission must be
obtained from management.
Outside Employment
Many employees at G-BioSport are considered experts in their respective fields. Because of that
expertise, other companies may ask G-BioSport employees to perform consulting or other outside
work on their behalf. G-BioSport strongly discourages employees from taking on such outside
work, because we expect our employees to devote their best efforts to us and because there could
be potential problems associated with such activities.
If you are considering taking on secondary employment or a consulting arrangement, you should
carefully consider whether the outside activities would in any way conflict with your duties and
obligations to G-BioSport. All outside employment and consulting arrangements must be
authorized in advance by G-BioSport. Such arrangements will be deemed permissible, at the
Companys discretion, only if they comply with all of the following criteria:
1.
The outside employment is capable of being fulfilled outside of normal working hours
and is not incompatible with the performance of your duties and responsibilities;
2.
The outside employment does not place you in circumstances that might lead or appear
to others to be likely to lead to improper disclosure of G-BioSport proprietary or
confidential information or to an improper conflict of interest;
3.
The outside employment is not with an entity that regularly conducts business with, or
directly or indirectly competes with, the business interests of G-BioSport;
4.
The outside employment does not impair or have a detrimental effect on your overall
work performance;
5.
The outside employment does not require you to conduct work or related activities on
the Companys premises or to use the office equipment, facilities, computers, telephones,
resources or supplies of G-BioSport.
Even if you believe that a proposed secondary employment or consulting relationship will not in
any way interfere or conflict with your employment at G-BioSport, you must still obtain the
Companys approval before accepting such a position. To do this, notify your manager in
writing with the details of the outside employment. If the outside employment is authorized, the
Company will assume no responsibility for the outside employment. G-BioSport shall not
provide workers' compensation coverage or any other benefit for injuries occurring from or
arising out of outside employment. Authorization to engage in outside employment may be
revoked at any time.
If your outside employment results in a decrease in your G-BioSport job performance, or if you
become frequently absent or tardy at G-BioSport, you may be asked to make a choice between the
two positions.
Employment of Relatives
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
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Positions are classified in compliance with federal, state and local laws. Such laws describe the
criteria for jobs to be classified as exempt or non-exempt. Non-exempt employees will be
paid overtime, in situations required by law. Exempt employees are paid a salary that covers all
hours worked and are not eligible for overtime compensation. The Human Resources
Department utilizes information contained in job descriptions and other relevant information to
make the determination of whether a position should be classified exempt or non-exempt.
Employee Status
Regular full-time employee is an employee who is part of the regular work force at GBioSport, is scheduled to work 40 hours a week on a continuing basis, and is eligible for all
Company sponsored benefits as described in this Employee Handbook and in Your Benefits.
Regular part-time employee is an employee who is part of the regular work force at GBioSport, is scheduled to work less than 40 hours a week but at least 20 hours a week on a
continuing basis. Regular part-time employees are eligible for some, but not all, Company
sponsored benefits. Some benefits (e.g., holiday, sick and vacation accrual) are prorated based on
hours worked.
Temporary employee is an employee who is hired for a temporary period, usually during peak
workloads or for purposes of vacation relief or a project of a specified duration. The job
assignment, work schedule and employment duration will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
An employee does not move from temporary to regular employee status simply by virtue of the
employees temporary work assignment being extended. The status will only change if approved
by a duly authorized officer of the Company and communicated to the employee in writing.
Temporary employees may work full time or part time, but are ineligible for Company sponsored
benefits.
Immigration Law Compliance
Employment at G-BioSport is contingent on verification of your right to work in the United
States. On your first day of employment you will be asked to provide original documents
verifying your right to work and to sign a verification form required by federal law.
Immigration Sponsorship
G-BioSport will petition and pay all typical costs associated with an H-1B filing, as required by
law, for a candidate who has accepted an offer that is contingent upon an approval of work
authorization by the INS. We will consider sponsoring the immigrant visa process for a greencard on a case-by-case basis for employees according to our established Company guidelines. It
is the responsibility of an employee to ensure that they remain in legal status. Failure to provide
proof of authorization prior to the expiration of a visa will result in an immediate suspension
without pay and/or termination of employment. Finally, the INS will be notified of any
withdrawal of an H-1B petition within thirty (30) days of your termination.
Work Week Definition
The workweek begins on Monday and ends the following Sunday and the workday begins at
midnight and ends 24 hours later. However, official business hours for G-BioSport are 8:00 a.m.
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
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to 5:00 p.m. The standard workweek for full-time employees is a minimum of 40 hours, usually
as five eight-hour days, exclusive of the meal period. On Monday through Friday, the workday
normally begins between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., depending on the demands of the specific
position. Flexible work schedules may be made available to some employees on a case-by-case
basis, depending on the nature of the job, the business needs of the Company, and the
employees work performance. You should discuss your work schedule with your manager.
Once your schedule is established, you will need to follow it unless you make other
arrangements with your manager.
Work Schedule
Your time at work should be based on your enthusiasm and commitment to G-BioSport. Various
factors, such as workloads, operational efficiency, and staffing needs may require variations in an
employees starting and quitting times and in the total number of hours worked each day or
week. G-BioSport reserves the right to assign employees to jobs other than their usual
assignments when required. In addition, employees may be required to work overtime or hours
other than those normally scheduled whenever necessary. However, no overtime may be
worked by a non-exempt or hourly employee unless authorized in advance by a supervisor.
Attendance
Dependability is essential. You are expected to be conscientious about punctuality and
attendance. If your absence is foreseeable and planned, as in the case of vacation, leave of
absence or a doctors appointment, leave time must be requested and approved in advance in
accordance with Company policy. If you are going to be late to work or absent because of illness
or for any other reason, you must notify your immediate supervisor as soon as possible either by
phone or e-mail whichever method is the best means to reach your supervisor. Except in
extenuating circumstances, this should be no later than 60 minutes after you are scheduled to
begin work each day. You must report any absence yourself; leaving a message with a co-worker
is not acceptable. If you are absent for more than one (1) consecutive day, you must get in touch
with your supervisor each day of your absence unless other arrangements are made. Ultimately,
attendance is your responsibility and you owe it to your co-workers to fulfill your commitments.
Position Announcement
G-BioSport supports internal promotions and transfers for qualified employees. Many positions
within G-BioSport, up through the managerial level, may be announced internally. Generally, to
be eligible to apply for an open position that is announced internally, it is necessary that you
meet the specified minimum qualifications of the open position, be in your current position for a
minimum of one year, and be in good standing with regards to your performance.
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G-BioSport pays employees in ways that rewards contribution, recognizes quality performance,
and encourages growth and development. Principles of our compensation philosophy include:
Offer a compensation package that is competitively valued with packages offered for a
similar job by comparable companies.
Maintain pay structures consistent with internal job values.
Target the merit pool based on industry standard.
Distribute the merit pool based on overall performance.
We do not practice, or tolerate, unlawful discrimination in pay.
G-BioSport retains the right to set employee compensation as it sees fit and to change such
compensation from time to time depending on numerous factors, including the competitive
salary practices of our industry, the corporate goals and objectives and the Companys ability to
pay. Whether to award salary and merit increases and in what amounts is within the sole
discretion of the Company; there is no guarantee that an employee will receive a salary or merit
increase in any given year.
Components of Compensation
Base Pay is the largest component of your total compensation and generally recognizes applied
skills, competencies, demonstrated results and complexity of your work.
Stock Options regular, full-time employees of G-BioSport may have the opportunity to acquire
an equity interest in G-BioSport through our stock option program, permitting each of us to share
in the future success of the Company. Employees may be granted stock options when they join
the Company, and additional stock options may be awarded from time to time at the discretion
of the Board of Directors.
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Payment of Wages
Finance distributes paychecks twice a month, on the 15 th and the last day of the month. If the
payday falls on a weekend day or a Company holiday, paychecks will be distributed the
preceding workday.
Each paycheck is in the amount of your salary (or, for non-exempt employees, your regular
hourly rate) for regular hours worked during the given pay period, less federal and state
withholding taxes, social security, Medicare, state disability and other authorized deductions.
For non-exempt employees, any overtime hours will be reflected one pay period in arrears. You
may have your pay automatically deposited in one or more financial institutions. It can take up
to two pay periods from the date of the initial request before the automatic deposit becomes
effective.
Overtime
Non-exempt employees may be expected to work overtime hours beyond their regular work
schedule. The need for such overtime work sometimes arises with little or no advance notice.
Accordingly, G-BioSport appreciates the willingness of non-exempt employees to maintain
flexibility in order to be available for overtime assignments. Your manager must approve all
overtime in advance.
Overtime will be paid to eligible non-exempt employees in accordance with applicable federal
and state laws. Accordingly:
Hours worked in excess of eight hours in one day, hours worked in excess of 40 hours in
one workweek, and the first eight hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of work
in a given workweek will be compensated at one-and-one-half the regular hourly rate.
Any work in excess of 12 hours in a workday, or in excess of eight hours on the seventh
consecutive day of work, shall be compensated at twice the regular rate of pay.
Employees must actually work eight hours in a day, or forty hours in a week, before
becoming eligible for overtime pay. Time missed from work during the week due to
illness, vacation, early departures or tardiness will not be counted as hours worked
toward overtime.
Make-up Time
If a non-exempt employee would like to make up work time lost due to personal obligations
that would usually be unpaid, the following steps should be followed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Submit a written request for each occasion you wish to make up work time that would be
lost as a result of a personal obligation;
Your supervisor must approve each request;
The make-up time must be performed in the same seven-day workweek in which the
work time was lost; and
Total hours of makeup time may not exceed 11 hours in one day, or 40 hours in one
workweek. Any hours that do exceed the above maximums will be counted towards
overtime, as required by applicable laws.
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Call-In/Call-Back Pay
If a non-exempt employee is required to report to work on a given workday and is either no
longer needed to work or is furnished less than half of that employees usual or scheduled days
work, the employee shall be paid for half of the usual or regular days work, but in no event less
than two hours nor more than four hours of work, at the employees usual rate of pay, except in
limited situations prescribed by law.
If a non-exempt employee is required to report to work for the second time in any one workday
and is furnished less than two hours of work on the second reporting, the employee shall be paid
for two hours of work at the employees usual rate of pay, except in limited situations prescribed
by law.
No Compensatory Time Off
Exempt employees are paid a fixed salary that is intended to cover all of the base salary
compensation to which they are entitled. Because they are exempt, such employees are not
entitled to additional compensation for extra hours of work or time off in lieu of additional
compensation. G-BioSport does not maintain any compensatory time off plan or arrangement.
Accordingly, neither extra compensation nor compensatory time off for additional hours worked
will under any circumstances be owed or payable to any exempt employee.
Non-exempt employees are entitled to overtime pay. G-BioSport does not permit those
employees to take time off in lieu of receiving overtime pay.
Rest and Meal Time
If you are a non-exempt employee, you must take periodic meal and rest breaks during the
workday as required by law.
Non-exempt employees must take one paid net 10-minute rest period for every four hours of
work, or major fraction thereof. (A major fraction of 4 hours is anything over 2 hours.) Thus, for
example, if you work an eight-hour shift you will be provided two net 10-minute rest periods,
one in each four-hour period. Because rest periods are paid, your supervisor may require you to
take scheduled breaks. You may not combine rest breaks or add them to meal breaks. Nor may
you come in 10 minutes late or leave 10 minutes early in lieu of taking a break.
Non-exempt employees who work more than five hours in one work day must take one unpaid
30-minute meal period during their shift, except that if the employees total work hours do not
exceed 6 hours, the meal period may be waived by the mutual consent of the Company and the
employee. A second 30-minute meal period is required if the employee works more than ten
hours in one workday, except that if the employees total work hours do not exceed 12 hours and
the first meal period was not waived, the second meal period may be waived by mutual consent
of the Company and employee.
Meal breaks should be scheduled with your immediate supervisor to assure uninterrupted
coverage of the department. Non-exempt employees must also record the beginning and end of
each meal period on their time sheets.
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Rest and meal periods are intended to provide you an opportunity for rest and relaxation.
Accordingly, they should be enjoyed away from your work areas and you are free to leave the
premises.
Exempt employees are also encouraged to take time to eat a healthy mid-day meal if they expect
to be productive all day.
Lactation Accommodation
G-BioSport will provide a private place and a reasonable amount of break time for new mothers
to express breast milk. For non-exempt employees who require a reasonable amount of
additional time beyond the normal paid rest break, they may choose to use their lunch break or
use other unpaid time during the day.
Lunch Break Meetings or Training
There are times when you may have to attend a meeting or training during your lunch break.
Even if a meal is provided by us, it is still considered working time. Therefore, non-exempt
employees will be allowed an off-duty meal break of at least 30 minutes before or after the
meeting. Any on-duty meal period (including working through lunch) is only permissible in
limited circumstances and must be approved in advance daily by your supervisor.
Timekeeping Requirements
Non-exempt employees are required to keep a time sheet indicating daily hours worked as well
as meal breaks. The time sheet must be approved by your supervisor and submitted to Payroll at
the end of each pay period. Time sheets are considered a legal document. All corrections must
be approved by your supervisor and initialed by you. Employees failing to complete and submit
time sheets according to our established timelines may be subject to disciplinary action up to an
including termination of employment. Likewise, falsifying your time sheet or the time sheet of a
fellow employee may lead to immediate termination of employment.
All employees are required to request schedule time off (vacation/floating holiday/jury
duty/unpaid time off) in advance by submitting a Request for Approved Time Off Form. Once the
managers approval is obtained, the form or e-mail is then submitted to the Finance department
for processing.
W-4 Form
All new hires are required to complete a W-4 form. The number of exemptions and martial status
as indicated on the W-4 determines the amount of federal income tax deducted on your
paycheck. In addition, along with your W-4 we require that we have proof of your social security
number and name as reflected on your social security card to ensure your taxes are reported
correctly. If you have any questions about the number of exemptions or martial status that you
should indicate on your W-4, contact the IRS office or your tax advisor. If the finance department
does not receive a W-4 form from you, your martial status and number of exemptions will default
to single and zero exemptions (S-0). Unless you complete the State Withholding Form your state
income tax will be at the same marital status and number of exemptions as noted on the W-4
form.
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If you need to change your exemptions or status, you can obtain another W-4 form from the
Human Resources Department or the Finance Department. The change will be reflected on a
subsequent paycheck. Name changes require a new W-4 and proof of your new social security
card with the name change reflected.
W-2 Forms
Your annual W-2 reflects your taxable earnings, taxes deducted, and other benefit requirements
for the calendar year. The W-2 will be mailed to your home address by the required post mark
date of January 31st following the end of the calendar tax year. This form is required to file your
federal and state income tax return each year.
The social security administration requires that the W-2 reflect your correct social security
number and legal name as registered with the social security administration. Make sure to keep
your personal information up-to-date with the Human Resources Department to avoid
information delays in receiving your W-2.
Statement of Wage Deductions
At the time wages are paid, you will receive an itemized statement that contains your gross and
net wages earned, the inclusive dates for which you were paid and all deductions, including
taxes, disability insurance, health and welfare payments and other deductions as authorized by
you for certain employee benefits such as dependent coverage for health plans or 401(k)
contributions. Every effort is made to avoid errors in your paycheck. We advise you to check
your itemized statement to ensure that it reflects the proper number of withholdings.
Error in Pay
Every effort is made to avoid errors in your paycheck. You are encouraged to review your
paycheck every pay period. If you believe an error has been made, contact Finance immediately
so that the necessary steps to research the problem and any necessary correction can be made
promptly.
Access to Pay Records
G-BioSport provides all current or former employees access to inspect or copy their payroll
records within twenty-one (21) calendar days from the date of the employees request. If you
want to review your payroll records you should contact Human Resources or the Finance
Department.
Wage Garnishments
If court-ordered wage garnishments or deductions are to be taken from your paycheck, you will
be notified. G-BioSport acts in accordance with the Federal Consumer Credit Protection Act,
which places restrictions on the total amount that may be garnished from your paycheck.
Recognition and Awards
Spot awards are intended to recognize special achievement by an individual or group for
achievement of outstanding results either in their own work or as a result of a team effort. An
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employee below the vice president level is eligible for this award. Nominations may be sent to
your supervisor or someone in Human Resources. All nominations will be reviewed and
approved by the CFO and CEO.
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Employee Benefits
Benefit Philosophy
We know that benefits are a critical part of our employees lives. We recognize that employees
have varying needs in terms of benefits, so we have developed a program full of options to allow
you to choose what is right for you. We believe at G-BioSport that a healthy workforce will
contribute to the accomplishments of our Companys mission. We expect you to be informed
about your benefits, to make benefits choices wisely, and to understand and accept the
implications of your choices.
Principles of our benefit philosophy include the following:
Offering flexible options for employees to choose the benefits that best meet their needs
and preferences and are responsive to their own life events.
Providing a comprehensive package that protects the employees health and financial
security.
Maintaining benefits that are competitive with benefits offered within our industry.
Sharing the costs in a way that supports mutual fiscal responsibility.
Maximizing benefit programs that enable employees to take advantage of tax-related
savings.
Providing easy-to-understand information about our benefits.
Conducting training to help employees make educated choices about their benefits.
Benefit Programs
The offered benefit programs at G-BioSport are an essential component of the total compensation
program. All programs are reviewed annually to ensure that they meet our business objectives
and financial resources. We also review them to make sure that the particular provisions chosen
for inclusion under our Company-sponsored plans are those felt to be of greatest value to our
employees and their dependents.
This Employee Handbook contains a very general description of the benefits to which you may be
entitled as an employee of G-BioSport. Please understand that this general explanation is not
intended to, and does not provide you with all the details of these benefits. Therefore, this
Employee Handbook does not change or otherwise interpret the terms of the official plan
documents. Your rights can be determined only by referring to the full text of the official plan
documents which are available for your examination in the Human Resources Department. To
the extent that any information contained in this Employee Handbook is inconsistent with the
official plan documents, the provisions of the official documents will govern in all cases.
The benefit plans are offered by G-BioSport voluntarily and may be amended, modified or
terminated in whole or in part at any time.
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Benefit Communication
Benefit information is updated from time to time as benefits may change and new benefits are
introduced. Updated information is disseminated in the form of summary plan descriptions,
electronic mail, brochures, employee meetings, etc. Additionally, annual open enrollment
meetings are held to allow you to change your benefit elections and stay current on our benefit
programs. It is important to review your benefit information to fully understand the programs
that are available to you.
Eligibility of Benefits
If you are a regular full-time, active employee who normally works 40 hours a week you and
your dependents are eligible to participate in all of our health benefits. You also qualify for
holiday, sick and vacation benefits. If you are a regular, part-time employee and are normally
scheduled to work more than 20 hours a week, but less than 40, you will be eligible for pro-rata
vacation, sick and holiday benefits. To be eligible for medical benefits you must be working 30 or
more hours a week. Temporary employees are not eligible for any Company-sponsored benefits
except to the extent mandated by federal and state law.
Core Benefits
For eligible employees, health benefits begin on the first day of the month following date of hire.
Our current core health benefits are as follows:
Medical our medical program gives you the opportunity to select a health plan that best serves
your and your familys needs. Both the HMO and PPO plans provide comprehensive coverage
including physician office visits, hospitalization, laboratory and x-ray services, outpatient
services, physical exams plus more.
Dental you do not have to be in our medical program to participate in our dental program. We
currently have a DPO program so you are encouraged to go to a dentist within the network.
Based on usual and customary charges within the DPO program, our plan covers 100% of
covered diagnostic preventive services; 80% of covered expenses for basic services; and 50%
coverage for major services such as crowns, jackets, inlays, on-lays, cast restoration and
prosthodontic benefits. The calendar year maximum is $2,500. We also provide orthodontia to
dependent children up to a maximum life-time benefit of $2,000.
Note: If you waive dental coverage when you are initially eligible to enroll, unlike our other
benefits, you will not be able to enroll during open enrollment only if there is a qualifying event.
Vision like the dental program, you do not have to be in the medical program to participate in
our vision program through Vision Service Plan. Under the current program you may have an
eye examination once every 12 months; receive new lenses or contacts every 12 months; and
receive new frames every 24 months. There is a minimum co-payment with this program. Laser
Vision Correction Surgery is also available under our current program.
Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) gives you insurance that
is equivalent to two times your annual salary to a maximum of $400,000 with a guaranteed issue
of $300,000.
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To bond with a new child in connection with adoption or foster care placement.
Eligibility for PFL benefits does not create a right to a leave of absence nor does it provide
protection or return rights. If you are entitled to leave under the federal Family Medical Leave
Act (FMLA), the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), and/or the Pregnancy Disability Leave
you must apply for PFL benefits concurrently with leaves taken under those acts.
There is a seven-day waiting period before benefits are paid and to qualify you must also meet
certain requirements as defined by the EDD. Employees must notify G-BioSport if they are
requesting a leave. If you qualify for the state funded PFL G-BioSport also requires that you use
2 weeks of accrued vacation before you become eligible to receive PFL benefits. The first week of
vacation will run concurrently with the seven-day waiting period.
You are responsible for filing your claim and other forms promptly and accurately with the
Employment Development Department. You can obtain a claim form at any EDD office or by
going on line at www.edd.ca.gov. Also at that website you can obtain additional information
about this program.
Long-Term Disability (LTD)
You may qualify for long-term disability benefits on the 91st day of disability. This benefit is an
employer-paid plan that insures you with income protection of 66.67% of your basic monthly
earnings to a maximum benefit of $10,000 per month.
Short-Term Disability (STD)
You may qualify for short-term disability benefits on the 8th day of disability. This benefit is an
employer-funded plan that insures you with income protection up to 66.67% of your basic
monthly salary up to a maximum of $2,310 per week. This benefit is coordinated with other
eligible benefits like State Disability Insurance.
Social Security
Social Security is a plan to replace lost income, under certain circumstances, if you become
disabled or retire. You and G-BioSport contribute an equal amount to your Social Security taxes.
Workers Compensation Insurance
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In the event of a qualifying work-related accident or illness, you are covered by the Companys
workers compensation insurance. First aid boxes are located throughout our building, and you
should know where to find the one nearest to your work area. If more than first aid is needed,
you will be taken to a hospital.
Since Workers Compensation is regulated by state law, the claims are not processed in the same
way as your group health insurance. All injuries or illnesses arising within the scope of your
employment must be reported to your supervisor, the Safety Officer, or to the Human Resources
Department immediately, but no later than 24 hours following the incident. Prompt reporting is
the key to prompt benefits. While benefits are automatic, nothing can happen until G-BioSport
knows about the injury.
If you cannot work due to a qualifying job-related injury or illness, Workers Compensation
insurance will pay all your medical expenses and provide you with a portion of your income
(tax-free) until you can return to work. For more information you should refer to your Health
and Safety Manual.
Neither G-BioSport nor its workers compensation insurance carrier will be liable for the payment
of workers compensation benefits for injuries that occur during an employees voluntary
participation in any off-duty recreational, social, or athletic activity, even if sponsored by the
Company.
Unemployment Insurance
G-BioSport contributes each year to the cost of unemployment insurance. Depending on your
circumstances, you may be eligible for unemployment compensation upon termination of
employment with G-BioSport. If you meet certain qualification requirements, the funds provide
for partial financial protection. Eligibility for unemployment compensation is determined by the
Employment Development Department (EDD).
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Our Company-paid Employee Assistance Program offers benefit-eligible employees and their
eligible dependents up to three in-person counseling sessions per problem per contract year, free
of charge. Under this program there is also a 24-hour member advocate line which will provide
you consultation or referral to specialists for legal, financial, work-life and/or clinical issues.
401(k) Plan
On a pre-tax basis, you can defer to the 401(k) plan either a percentage or fixed dollar amount of
your salary, not to exceed the maximum contribution per year. (For 2009, the maximum is
$16,500 or $22,000 for employees 50 years or older.) The maximum contribution is indexed for
inflation each year by the IRS. Contributions into the plan are made only through payroll
deductions. You can decide the investment funds in which to invest your contributions. There
are other components in this program such as loans, early withdrawals and rollovers. For details
you should refer to the 401(k) information you were given during your orientation. If you do not
enroll or opt-out of the plan, within 30 days from your date of hire, you will be automatically
enrolled contributing 5% of your earnings.
Flexible Spending Accounts
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The Flexible Benefits Plan is authorized by Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code. There are
three components to the plan which are the premium contribution account, medical spending
account and dependent care spending account.
Premium Contribution Account is an automatic election, under Section 123. All employees
premium contributions will be on a pre-tax basis for the duration of employment unless a request
for post-tax treatment is made by a participant in writing during the annual open enrollment
period.
Medical Spending Account allows up to $3,000 of salary to be set aside on a pre-tax basis to be
used to reimburse you for health care expenses that are not reimbursed by health care plan(s).
You must carefully estimate your upcoming medical expenses because the IRS regulations
mandate that any money left in the account at the end of the calendar year will be forfeited.
Dependent Care Spending Account allows up to $5,000 of your salary to be set aside on a pretax basis for reimbursement for covering qualified dependent care expenses. Again, you must be
conservative when deciding the amount because like the Medical Spending Account it has a use
it or lose it provision.
Participation in the medical and/or dependent care spending account(s) must be elected within 30
days of date of hire. Enrollment is subject to IRS regulations. Therefore, once a plan election is
made, changes may only be made during our annual Open Enrollment or within 30 days of you
experiencing a qualifying event.
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Time Off
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holiday and will not be charged with a vacation day. Otherwise, you must work the scheduled
workday before and the scheduled workday after the holiday to be eligible for holiday pay.
If you are non-exempt and are required to work on an observed holiday, you will be paid for the
holiday plus you will be paid for all hours actually worked on the holiday at 1.5 times your
normal hourly rate (or at such other higher rate as may be required by federal or state overtime
laws).
Vacation
Regular, full-time employees are entitled to vacation pay. Full-time employees accrue 5 hours of
vacation per pay period equaling 15 days (120 hours) per calendar year. Part-time employees
accrue vacation leave on a pro-rata basis. Employees who work between 26 to 39 hours per week
will receive 75% of this schedule, and those working between 20 to 25 hours per week will
receive 50% of this schedule. Temporary employees do not qualify for this benefit.
Vacation that is unused will roll over into the next calendar year up to a maximum vacation
accrual cap. The cap is 30 days of vacation (or 240 hours). The caps are pro-rated for part-time
employees.
Though you will begin to accrue vacation immediately, vacations are generally granted after six
months of services. Your supervisor must approve all vacations in advance and a signed Request
for Approved Time Off form should be forwarded to Finance. Approval of vacation is based on the
Companys operational needs and the overall vacation and leave schedules within the
department. To allow for planning and vacation coverage we ask that you notify your supervisor
as soon as possible, preferably 30 days in advance of your desired time off. We also ask that you
inform your department executive assistant and any other relevant co-workers of the dates you
will not be at G-BioSport. You should update the Companys travel calendar and also change
your voicemail and e-mail message to let people know you will be away.
Borrowing against vacation future accrued vacation is generally not permissible. However, GBioSport knows at times an advancement of accrued vacation may be needed. With the CFO
approval, you may be granted to take up to one week of vacation as an advance before it has
accrued. However, in the event you leave G-BioSport before accruing the entire amount of
vacation advanced, you must repay G-BioSport the difference. G-BioSport encourages you to
schedule and take your earned vacation to rest and relax, so we do not cash out or pay you for
unused vacation while you are employed. At the conclusion of your employment with GBioSport however, we will pay you for all accrued, unused vacation up to the applicable cap.
Available Leaves
G-BioSport recognizes that employees may occasionally need time away from work to fulfill
certain civic obligations, because of employees medical conditions, to provide family care or due
to compelling personal reason. The following types of leaves are available to eligible employees:
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It is important to recognize that the eligibility requirements, benefits and reinstatement rights
differ from one type of leave to another. It is important to work with your supervisor and
Human Resources when you are planning to take a leave.
Compensation During a Leave
With few exceptions, leaves of absence are unpaid, although employees may request to use
accrued vacation [or sick leave] during a leave period. Employees away from work on an
unpaid leave(s) of more than 30 days in a year may be eligible for that years merit and Company
bonus only on a prorated basis.
Prior to Beginning a Leave
Any employee desiring to take a leave of absence must complete a Request for Approved Time Off
form, available from the Human Resources Department. Except as otherwise noted, failure to
complete this form and get approval will mean the absence is unauthorized. This could subject
the employee to disciplinary action up to and including immediate termination of employment.
Unauthorized absence from work for three consecutive days may result in the termination of the
employees employment.
Whenever possible, an employee must complete a Request for Approved Time Off form and obtain
approval for a leave prior to the commencement of the leave. The earlier notice is given, even
absent all of the specifics, the better management will be able to prepare for the employees
possible absence. If advance notice is not feasible, the employee should notify the Company and
complete and submit a Request for Approved Time Off form as soon as possible, generally, within
three days.
Where the employee is able to provide G-BioSport with advance notice of the need for a leave of
absence anticipated to last 30 days or more, the employee must meet with a human resource
representative before the leave begins. Unless otherwise indicated by management, the
employees key will be deactivated and access to e-mail and voicemail will be suspended for the
duration of any leave.
Before Returning from a Leave
Employees who are on a leave of absence that lasts 30 days or more must notify Human
Resources in writing of their intent to return to work at least one week prior to the anticipated
return date. If the employee has not notified Human Resources of their intent to return or need
for an extension of the leave at least two business days prior to the expiration of the leave:
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An overnight letter will be sent to the employees last known address giving the employee
three business days to contact Human Resources; and
Employment may be considered voluntarily terminated if at the end of the third business day
following the sending of the overnight letter the employee has not contacted Human
Resources and provided the appropriate documentation.
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Have worked at least 1250 hours during the previous 12 months; and
Are employed at a work-site where the Company within seventy-five (75) miles of that worksite employs fifty (50) or more employees.
Eligible employees may request family or medical leave under the following circumstances:
for the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;
in order to care for an immediate family member (spouse/partner, child or parent) if such
immediate family member has a serious health condition;
due to a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of
his or her position;
for any qualifying exigency (as determine by regulation of the federal Department of Labor)
arising out of the fact that the employees spouse, son, daughter or parent is on active duty in
the federal Armed Forces (or such individual has been notified of an impending call or order
to active duty) in support of a contingency operation (as defined in federal law). Leave taken
for this purpose shall be referred to as Exigency Military Leave; or
in order to care for an employees spouse, child, parent, or next of kin (defined under the
FMLA as the service members nearest blood relative) who is a member of the federal Armed
Forces (including the National Guard or Reserves) who has a serious injury or illness (which
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was incurred in the line of duty while on active duty in the Armed Forces, and which has
rendered the service member medically unfit to perform the duties of the service members
office, grade, rank or rating) and is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy,
or is otherwise in outpatient status or on the temporary disability retired list. Leave taken for
this purpose shall be referred to as Family Military Leave.
For the purpose of this policy:
Child means a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, child of a
domestic partner, or a child of a person standing in the place of a parent. The child must
either be under 18 years of age, or if age 18 or older, incapable of self-care because of mental
or physical disability.
Parent means a biological parent or an individual who stands or stood in the place of a
parent when he or she was a child. Parent does not include a parent-in-law.
If the leave is to care for a newborn or a newly adopted or foster child, the leave must be taken
within the 12 months following the birth, adoption or placement of the child. Leave taken for the
birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child does not have to be taken in one continuous
period of time. The basic minimum duration of leave taken for reason of the birth, adoption or
foster care placement of a child shall be two weeks. However, G-BioSport shall grant a request of
at least one day but less than two weeks duration on any two occasions.
The maximum duration of a family care or medical leave, or any combination of both, for any of
the circumstances listed above other than Family Military Leave, is 12 weeks in any 12-month
period. The maximum duration of family care leave for Family Military Leave is 26 weeks in any
12-month period. In addition, during the single 12-month period in which an eligible employee
takes Family Military Leave, the employees total combined leave entitlement for any qualifying
circumstance under this policy is limited to a maximum of 26 weeks of leave. The amount of
leave available to any employee will be measured backward from the date an employee wishes to
use any family care or medical leave. Thus, if an employee who desires to take a leave starting
on July 1 has already used more than 12 weeks (or, in the case of Family Military Leave, more
than 26 weeks) of leave since July 1 of the preceding year, then they will not have any leave
available, unless otherwise provided by law.
Leave may be taken on an intermittent or reduced leave schedule if medically necessary due to
the serious health condition of the employee, spouse, child, or parent (e.g. for recurring medical
treatments certified by a health care provider) or for Exigency Military Leave. If an employee
wishes to take intermittent leave, G-BioSport may require him/her to temporarily transfer to an
alternative position with equivalent pay and benefits which better accommodates the intermittent
or recurring leave schedule.
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G-BioSport reserves the right to deny any request for a family care or medical leave under
circumstances where such leave may be denied under the FMLA and any state law relating to
family or medical leave.
Where the employee has advance notice of the need for leave under this policy, the employee
should submit a complete Leave of Absence Request form to Human Resources as early as possible,
which is typically 30 days before the leave is anticipated to start.
If the employee cannot provide 30 days notice, the employee is required to submit the completed
Leave of Absence Request form to Human Resources as soon as is practicable under the
circumstances. Under most circumstances, the employee or someone on behalf of the employee
should notify G-BioSport of the need for family care or medical leave within 2 business days after
the need becomes known. Then, the employee should complete a Leave of Absence Request form
and submit it to Human Resources as soon as practicable thereafter. Normally, this is within
three business days after the need for the leave becomes known.
Where the need for the leave is entirely unforeseeable (i.e., because it results from a medical
emergency, or sudden availability of a child for placement or adoption), the employee or
someone on behalf of the employee should notify G-BioSport of the need for family care or
medical leave within a reasonable amount of time (normally, this is within 2 business days after
the need becomes known). Then, the employee should submit a completed Leave of Absence
Request form to Human Resources within a reasonable time (typically, no later than ten (10)
business days after the employees absence from work begins). If more time is required, please
contact Human Resources to discuss your individual situation.
A leave under this policy for an employees own serious health condition or the serious health
condition of the employees child, spouse or parent must be certified by a licensed health care
provider. A completed Certification of Health Care Provider must be submitted with the completed
Leave of Absence Request form or as soon as practicable under the circumstances. Employees
seeking Exigency Military Leave will be asked to provide certification as prescribed by regulation
of the federal Department of Labor.
The certification indicating employee disability should contain:
A statement that, due to the serious health condition, the employee is unable to work at
all or is unable to perform any one or more of the essential functions of their position.
An estimate of the amount of time the health care provider believes the employee needs
to care for the child, parent, or spouse; and
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A statement that the serious health condition warrants the participation of the employee
to provide care during a period of treatment or supervision of the child, parent, or
spouse.
G-BioSport may require re-certification as permitted under applicable law. Failure to provide GBioSport with adequate certification or re-certification within a timely manner may result in
denial or delay of requested leave.
The Company reserves the right to require a second opinion from a medical provider if you are
taking a family leave for your own serious health condition. G-BioSport will incur all expenses
related to obtaining a second opinion. If any second opinion differs from the original
certification, G-BioSport may require, at its expense, that certification be obtained from a third
health care provider jointly approved by the employee and by G-BioSport. The third opinion
shall be final and binding. Any medical information received will remain confidential.
During family and medical leave, an employee will not earn compensation or accrue vacation or
other time off. However, employees may request to use accrued vacation to continue receiving
compensation to cover any waiting period not paid by an applicable state-mandated or group
disability insurance plan or workers compensation, or to supplement any disability insurance
payments received. Employees on medical leave may be eligible for workers compensation
insurance pay if the illness/injury is work-related.
If the illness or injury is not work-related, employees may be eligible to apply for state disability
benefits or they are eligible to apply for long-term disability benefits after 90 days of disability.
In cases where state disability or long-term disability is applicable, the employee is responsible
for completing the appropriate claim form. Long-term disability forms are available in the
Human Resources Department.
Health insurance benefits ordinarily provided by the Company, and for which the employee is
otherwise eligible, will be continued during the period of family and medical leave. The
employee must continue to pay the share of the health benefit costs that they paid before the
beginning of the leave if they wish such coverage to continue during the leave. Other than health
insurance benefits, the employee will not continue to participate in any other employee benefit
programs and plans during a family care or medical leave. This means, for example, that the
employee will not accrue vacation benefits or be eligible for holiday benefits.
Employees returning to work from family and medical leave will be reinstated to their former
position, unless either the job ceased to exist because of legitimate business reasons or each
means of preserving the job would substantially undermine the ability to operate G-BioSport
safely and efficiently. An employee has no greater right to reinstatement to the same position or
to other benefits and conditions of employment than if the employee had been continuously
employed in this position during the family or medical leave. If the same position is not
available, the employee will be offered a comparable position in terms of such issues as pay,
location, job content and promotional opportunities, provided that a comparable position is
available and that offering the employee a comparable position does not substantially undermine
the Companys ability to operate the business safely and efficiently. An employee has no greater
right to reinstatement to a comparable position or to other benefits in condition of employment
then an employee who has been continuously employed in another position that is being
eliminated.
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Upon return to work from a leave for an employees own medical condition, an employee must
submit to Human Resources a medical certification from a licensed health care provider that the
employee is medically released to return to regular job duties or is returned with medical
restrictions. The Company at its own expense may require the employee to be examined by a
doctor that it designates.
Jury/Witness Duty Leave
All employees are eligible for jury duty leave or witness duty leave to serve on a state or federal
jury, or to provide testimony in a deposition, court or other legal proceeding. Employees
desiring jury or witness duty leave must give advance notice and submit the jury summons,
subpoena or other legal document requiring the employees attendance to his/her supervisor.
Employees who are excused from jury duty or from providing testimony for any reason during
their regular workday or scheduled work shift must return to work unless they are explicitly
excused from doing so by their manager.
During jury duty leave, employees will receive their regular straight-time rate of pay for up to a
maximum of 14 days and may keep the fee received from jury services. If a non-exempt
employee is required to serve on a jury longer than 14 days the time will be unpaid unless they
request to use accrued vacation. An exempt employee will continue to receive their salary, but
only if they have performed work during the workweek.
During witness duty leave, employees will receive their regular straight-time rate of pay for up to
a maximum of three days in any year. Any additional time off will be on an unpaid basis unless
the employee requests to use vacation time.
Military Leave
Employees who enter active military service or go on reserve duty will be granted unpaid leave
in conformity with applicable federal and state law. Employees are allowed up to five years of
cumulative absence from employment due to military service. An employee requesting such
leave must promptly submit to Human Resources a copy of the employees induction papers or
orders in addition to a completed Request for Time Off form, unless prevented from doing so by
military necessity or if providing notice would be impossible or unreasonable. Additionally, an
employee must provide G-BioSport with a notice of intent to return to work after serving in the
military.
Employees returning from military leave within five years and under honorable conditions will
be placed in the position they would have attained had they remained continuously employed, or
a comparable position, if available, depending upon the length of military service and whether
the employee is qualified for the position with or without reasonable accommodation. Such
returning employees will be treated as though they were continuously employed for purposes of
determining benefits based on length of service.
Military Family Leave
Employees who work an average of 20 hours or more per week and have a spouse or registered
domestic partner active in the United States Forces, National Guard, or Army Reserve who is
deployed during a period of military conflict may request up to 10 days of leave. This leave is
unpaid unless the employee elects to use any available sick leave or accrued vacation.
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44
Additionally, an employee must provide an official notice that their spouse or registered
domestic partner will be on leave from deployment prior to having the leave approved.
Personal Leave
An employee is eligible to apply for a personal leave of absence if the employee:
Has worked at least 1250 hours during the previous 12 months; and
G-BioSport has complete discretion to deny a request for a personal leave of absence in any
circumstance. All requests for personal leave will be evaluated on an individual basis by
management and Human Resources and will include consideration of the following:
During a personal leave, the employee will earn no compensation, vacation or sick time.
However, the employee may request, but is not required, to use accrued vacation.
During a personal leave, the employee may continue to participate in the Companys group
health plans under COBRA by paying the entire cost of the COBRA payment. However,
participation in any and all other employee benefit plans and programs will cease.
If an employee does not return from personal leave as scheduled and has failed to make
appropriate arrangements to extend the leave of absence, that failure to return to work may be
construed as a voluntary termination.
An employee taking a personal leave of absence is not guaranteed reemployment. G-BioSport
will have complete discretion to fill that position. Only the CEO has authority to commit GBioSport to any arrangement contrary to this and can only do so in writing.
Pregnancy Disability Leave
G-BioSport provides pregnancy disability leave of absence without pay to eligible employees
who are temporarily unable to work due to a disability related to pregnancy, childbirth or related
medical conditions.
Employees should make requests for pregnancy disability leave to their supervisor at least 30
days in advance if the need for leave is foreseeable and as soon as possible for unforeseeable
events.
A health care providers statement must be submitted verifying the need for such leave and the
beginning and expected ending dates of the leave. Any changes in this information should be
45
promptly reported to G-BioSport. Employees returning from pregnancy disability leave must
submit a health care providers verification of their fitness to return to work.
G-BioSport will attempt to reasonably accommodate any request to transfer to a different
position where that request is based on the certification of a health care provider that such a
transfer is medically advisable. When an employees physician finds it is medically advisable for
an employee to take intermittent leave or leave on a reduced work schedule and such leave is
foreseeable based on planned medical treatment because of pregnancy, G-BioSport may require
the employee to transfer temporarily to an available alternative position. This alternative
position will have the equivalent rate of pay and benefits and must better accommodate recurring
periods of leave than the employees regular job.
Employees are normally granted unpaid leave for the reasonable period of disability, up to a
maximum of four months per pregnancy for full-time employees and on a pro-rata basis for parttime employees. Employees may substitute any accrued paid leave time for unpaid leave as part
of the pregnancy disability leave period.
An employee who requires leave under this policy should apply for California State Disability
Insurance (SDI) benefits, as soon as she becomes disabled. SDI forms are generally available
from health care providers. Any SDI the employee is eligible to receive will be integrated with
any accrued vacation time the employee elects to use so that the employee does not receive over
100% of her regular pay.
Leave taken under this policy runs concurrently with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act
(FMLA) leave and thus, qualifying leave will be considered as part of the 12 week entitlement in
a 12-month period. The 12-month period is measured forward from the date the employees first
qualifying FMLA leave begins. Successive 12-month periods commence on the date of an
employees first use of such leave after the preceding 12-month period. There is no carryover of
unused leave from one 12-month period to the next 12-month period.
An employee who has physically recovered from childbirth and would otherwise be released to
return to work is entitled to up to 12 weeks of further leave under the California Family Rights
Act (CFRA) in order to care for her baby. While CFRA leave need not be taken immediately, or
in a single block of time, it must be completed by an employees childs first birthday. Any
remaining FMLA leave runs concurrently with CFRA leave. Therefore, when an employee
requests leave for both disability associated with pregnancy and for infant care, she may be
entitled to up to a maximum combined leave of 7 months.
Health insurance benefits ordinarily provided by the Company, and for which the employee is
otherwise eligible, will be continued during the period of pregnancy disability leave. The
employee must continue to pay the share of the health benefit costs that they paid before the
beginning of the leave if they wish such coverage to continue during the leave. Other than health
insurance benefits, the employee will not continue to participate in any other employee benefit
programs and plans during a pregnancy disability leave. This means, for example, that the
employee will not accrue vacation benefits or be eligible for holiday benefits.
So that an employees return to work can be properly scheduled, an employee on pregnancy
disability leave is requested to provide G-BioSport with at least two weeks advance notice of the
date she intends to return to work. Upon return to work from a leave for a pregnancy-related
disability, an employee must submit to Human Resources a medical certification from a licensed
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46
health care provider that the employee is medically released to return to regular job duties or is
returned with medical restrictions. The Company at its own expense may require the
employee to be examined by a doctor that it designates.
When such a leave ends, the employee will be reinstated to the same position, unless either the
job ceased to exist because of legitimate business reasons or each means of preserving the job
would substantially undermine the ability to operate G-BioSport safely and efficiently. An
employee has no greater right to reinstatement to the same position or to other benefits and
conditions of employment than if the employee had been continuously employed in this position
during the pregnancy disability leave or transfer. If the same position is not available, the
employee will be offered a comparable position in terms of such issues as pay, location, job
content and promotional opportunities, provided that a comparable position is available and that
offering the employee a comparable position does not substantially undermine the Companys
ability to operate the business safely and efficiently. An employee has no greater right to
reinstatement to a comparable position or to other benefits in condition of employment then an
employee who has been continuously employed in another position that is being eliminated.
Paternity leave is offered to employees who are new fathers. Two days of paid leave are given.
Please see Human Resources for more information.
School Participation Leave
Any employee who is the parent, guardian or grandparent in custody of a child enrolled in
grades K-12 may take a brief leave of absence to appear in school when a child has been
suspended.
Additionally, an employee who is the parent, guardian or grandparent in custody of a child
enrolled in grades K-12 or a licensed day care facility may be eligible to take up to 8 hours off
from work in any calendar month, but no more than 40 hours off from work per year, in order to
participate in activities of the childs school or licensed day care facility. Employees are
encouraged to speak to a supervisor or Human Resources regarding this leave.
Time off under this policy may be covered by accrued vacation; otherwise the time will be
unpaid. Exempt employees will not be docked a partial days salary for such absence.
Advance notice is required unless it is not feasible. In addition, G-BioSport may require written
verification from the school or day care facility.
Voting Time Leave
G-BioSport encourages its employees to fulfill their civic responsibilities by participating in
elections. Generally, employees are encouraged to take advantage of absentee voting, extended
voting hours, and the Companys flex hour schedule. However, if it is impossible for the
employee to vote during non-working hours, a maximum of two hours of time off without loss of
pay will be granted. You must notify your supervisor at least two working days in advance to
arrange a voting time. Time off to be an election official on an election day will be granted as an
unpaid day.
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A health care provider certifies that the employee is released to resume their former or
modified duties;
A health care provider certifies that the employees condition is permanent and
stationary and that the employee is unable to resume their former duties; or
The employee resigns or otherwise indicates that they are not interested in returning to
their former job.
Upon return to work from a work-related injury or illness, an employee must submit to Human
Resources a medical certification from a licensed health care provider that the employee is
medically released to return to regular job duties or is returned with medical restrictions. The
Company at its own expense may require the employee to be examined by a doctor that it
designates.
Any leave taken under this provision, which also qualifies as leave under FMLA, will be counted
towards the employees 12 week entitlement. An employee disabled from working due to a
work-related illness or injury is eligible to apply for workers compensation insurance benefits.
The employee must complete the appropriate claim forms available in the Human Resources
Department.
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We strive for a formal annual written review which is integrated in our pay for performance
philosophy. This will provide managers and employees the opportunity to discuss job
performance, identify developmental needs, encourage and recognize your strengths, and review
the extent to which goals for the performance year were met, as well as establish goals for the
forthcoming period.
Career Development
G-BioSport knows that continuous learning is important to your career growth. We also believe
our employees are our single greatest asset therefore we are committed to investing in your
career growth and personal development for the mutual benefit of you and G-BioSport. You are
encouraged to make your career advancement desires known to your manager and to work with
your manager to develop a personal development plan each year.
Tuition Reimbursement
G-BioSport will reimburse you for education courses directly related to your job if these courses
are taken at an accredited college, university, or institution. This includes courses that develop
skills necessary to, or are useful, in your current position. General education courses that are
required to complete job related degrees are included. To receive tuition reimbursement, an
employee must receive approval from the Company in advance of taking a particular course.
The maximum amount of reimbursement for tuition is $4,000.00 per employee, per calendar year.
Transfers and Promotions
Transfers and promotions can be an important part of professional growth and personal reward.
You should share your career aspirations with your manager to ensure you understand what
standards you must meet to be eligible for consideration for a promotion. Likewise, you should
express your interest in specific job opportunities as they become available. Generally,
promotions and transfers will not be considered in the first year of employment.
Transfers: A transfer is a lateral move to a new position in the same salary grade. In general, a
transfer is not accompanied by a salary increase. However, by broadening your understanding
of our business and opening new opportunities to you, a transfer may play an important role in
your career development.
Promotions: A promotion typically involves both a significant change in duties and increased
responsibilities. Promotions to positions of higher responsibility are based on factors such as an
individuals ability to perform the job. In determining ability, consideration will be given to past
performance and conduct, training, education, skills and related experience.
Seminar and Conferences
With the prior approval of your supervisor and the vice president of your department, you may
participate in job-related external seminar and conferences. You must obtain approval from the
vice president of your department and the CEO for any disclosures (e.g. oral presentation or
posters) presented at conferences.
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Scientific Integrity
Quality
Successful research, development and commercialization of G-BioSport products require that all
aspects of our operations be managed and executed with the utmost attention to quality. GBioSport is therefore committed to the execution of our projects per good scientific practices. GBioSport is further committed to compliance with Good Laboratory, Clinical and/or
Manufacturing Practices in all relevant aspects of its business.
G-BioSport has and will
implement practices that support the highest quality of research and ensure compliance with
regulatory requirements during product development and commercialization. G-BioSport will
ensure that employees, vendors and contractors routinely follow these practices.
G-BioSport strives to be a successful innovator in the field of pharmaceutics that impact patients
quality of life. Therefore, quality is the responsibility of every employee. The management at GBioSport recognizes and supports the concept that research objectives and the development of
safe and efficacious products can only be achieved through a focused commitment to quality. GBioSport is committed to establishing an integrated quality system to support the development
and production of therapeutics. We accomplish this commitment by promoting an environment
of good science and continuous improvement, and ensuring the products produced for and
distributed by G-BioSport comply with relevant governmental regulations and widely
acknowledged ethics. G-BioSport has established a program to assure the quality and integrity of
the data; to assure the presence of well-documented and complete study records; to act as a
source of information, expertise and training for QA activities and regulatory compliance; to
employ best-of-class practices in the acquisition of goods and services; and to work with all of the
employees in establishing and maintaining quality systems at G-BioSport.
Integrity in Research
At G-BioSport we place a high value on science and the pursuit of scientific truth. The
foundations of this process are: objective and accurate reporting of data developed in the course
of experimentation; and verification of research findings to assure that conclusions are valid. We
also believe that following generally observed standards of research conduct, ethics, and
propriety will maintain the integrity of the scientific profession and enhance public support for,
and lend credibility to, science itself.
G-BioSport will investigate allegations of fraud in research, and we will responsibly resolve
questions regarding the integrity of our research. The focus will be on the substance of the issue.
Personal conflicts between colleagues will not be allowed to obscure the facts. Scientific
misconduct includes, but is not limited to, fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, deception, or
other similar practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the
scientific community for proposing, conducting or reporting research. Scientific misconduct also
includes a material failure to comply with federal requirements that uniquely relate to the
conduct of research.
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Intellectual Property
It is G-BioSports policy to encourage the innovation and creativity of all Company employees
and collaborators, protecting the resulting "Intellectual Property" to best support the Company's
needs. Intellectual Property is confidential information and includes patents, trademarks,
copyrights, and proprietary information (or trade secrets), which can be any information that is
not generally known, which gives G-BioSport an advantage over its competitors. It can include
research results, clinical trial plans and status, business plans, supplier and customer lists, and
many other kinds of information.
In the course of your work, you may have access to confidential information regarding GBioSport, its affiliates, suppliers, customers and fellow employees. To protect such information,
employees may not disclose any intellectual property or confidential information at work except
as necessary to perform their duties. You must not under any circumstances reveal this
information outside G-BioSport without prior Management approval. Such information can be
used only to perform your G-BioSport job duties. Your obligations under this policy remain in
effect after the employment relationship ends.
The Company's agreements (e.g., with employees, consultants, and collaborators) are designed to
maximize G-BioSports Intellectual Property protection and ownership to the maximum extent
consistent with federal, California and other applicable laws. All employees are required to sign
a Proprietary Information and Invention Agreement as a condition of employment. This Agreement
defines your obligations in greater detail.
G-BioSports intellectual property protection entails a series of policies and procedures designed
to provide education, maintain good records, secure protection under patent, trademark and
related laws, and generally to protect against losses before they happen. Some of these policies
and procedures include publication clearance, maintenance of laboratory notebooks, invention
disclosures, confidentiality, materials transfer and other agreements, outside idea submissions,
and the like and are located on the Companys Intranet. If you have any questions about this,
please contact your manager or the CFO.
Laboratory Notebooks
At the time of orientation an employee who conducts laboratory research will be required to read
our policy on Issuance and Maintenance of Laboratory Notebooks. This policy was designed to
protect our intellectual property by providing scientific employees with clear and easy-tounderstand instructions on maintaining detailed and complete records of all ideas, experiments,
results, and conclusions. The policy also helps employees plan, execute, and when appropriate,
publish the highest quality scientific research. You should review this policy carefully and make
sure to record, in ink, your experiments, data, results, discussions, and other information
pertinent to G-BioSport research in your notebook. All information within laboratory notebooks
is considered confidential and the exclusive property of the Company. Therefore, you should not
disclose any information within them without written authorization from a G-BioSport corporate
officer.
Material Transfer
All Research personnel are required to be familiar with the Companys Material Transfer Policy.
The purpose of this policy is to establish uniform procedures for the transfers of sensitive
materials into and out of G-BioSport. The Material Transfer Policy is intended to protect the
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proprietary information of G-BioSport and to maintain and enhance the ability of scientists to
work on the latest scientific and technological tools without impinging on the intellectually
property rights of others.
Public Presentations
If you are planning to publicly disseminate materials covering the Companys technology,
programs or research results you must complete an Approval of External Communication form
(found on the Company Intranet) and submit it for approval at least three weeks prior to any such
presentation. The careful monitoring of the public release of G-BioSport proprietary information
enables us to protect and keep confidential our technology, programs and research results and,
when appropriate, to strategically inform the world of our accomplishments.
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Communication
Our Commitment
G-BioSport believes that the most effective way of continually improving performance for both
the Company and the individual employee is through open channels of communication at all
levels of the organization. In the spirit of willingness to effectively communicate, the
management team has committed to several methods to share information within the Company.
G-BioSport is also committed to maintaining a work environment, which supports free and open
exchange of information and discussion of problems and complaints.
Company Intranet
G-BioSport uses a Company Intranet to communicate important business information such as
policies and procedures, safety rules, meeting minutes and company-wide and departmental
projects and initiatives. Each employee has the responsibility to read the information that is
posted.
Confidentiality
The protection of confidential, sensitive, and proprietary information is of critical importance to
G-BioSport. During work, valuable information is acquired or generated which the Company
may choose to protect either by way of patents or by keeping it secret. To protect and preserve
its rights in such information, G-BioSport requires all employees, as a condition of their
employment to sign the At Will, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment and Arbitration
Agreement.
Our success ultimately depends on our competitive edge and efforts to safeguard sensitive and
confidential information. Therefore, we consider it your responsibility to safeguard confidential
information regarding the Company, its suppliers, its contractors, its licensees, its licensors, its
investors, its corporate partners, its board members, its advisors, its customers or perhaps even
fellow employees obtained in connection with your employment. We consider it to be one of
your most important responsibilities not to reveal or divulge any such information unless it is
necessary for you to do so in the performance of your duties. You should remember that access
to confidential information should be on a need-to-know basis and must be authorized by your
manager. Any breach of this guideline will not be tolerated and legal action may be taken by the
Company. Consult the At Will, Confidential Information, Invention Assignment and Arbitration
Agreement for further details about your confidentiality obligations.
Public Disclosure and External Communication
The goal of G-BioSport is to adopt best practices for public disclosure of sensitive non-public
information to interested third parties. Keeping material non-public information confidential
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
54
until broad public disclosure is essential for both legal and practical reasons. You have a duty to
protect and secure confidential information when entrusted with such information. You also
have a responsibility to inform management in the unlikely event that a breach of confidentiality
is witnessed or can be reasonably determined to have occurred (or be likely to occur).
At times you may receive an external call requesting information about the Company. All
incoming telephone calls from the financial community, media and government officials should
be initially routed to the Chief Financial Officer. If the CFO is unavailable, external calls and
contacts should be forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer.
Insider Trading
Preventing insider trading is necessary to comply with securities laws and to preserve the
reputation and integrity of G-BioSport as well as that of all persons affiliated with the Company.
As an employee you are considered an insider and have an independent fiduciary duty to GBioSport and our stockholders not to purchase or sell any type of security while in possession of
material, non-public information relating to the Company nor tip such information to others. All
employees are required to read, understand and agree to abide by the Insider Trading Policy.
Open Door Procedure
Suggestions for improving G-BioSport are always welcomed. Therefore, G-BioSport provides an
open door for all employees through each level of management. We encourage you to bring
questions, suggestions and complaints about your job, your working conditions or the treatment
you are receiving (except for complaints of discrimination or harassment which should be
reported per the Companys anti-discrimination and harassment policy). We will carefully
consider your good-faith complaints, questions and suggestions in our continuing effort to
improve the way we do business.
Differences of opinion occasionally arise between individuals and an organization. It is
important and in the best interests of all concerned that such differences be resolved satisfactorily
and as early as possible. If you feel you have a difference of opinion, job-related concerns or
complaints (except for complaints of discrimination or harassment which should be reported per
the Companys anti-discrimination and harassment policy), we encourage you to take the
following steps:
1.
Within a week of the events that cause the concern, bring the situation to the attention of
your immediate supervisor (or to any other member of management) so that it can be
settled by examination and discussion of the facts. Your supervisor should be able to
satisfactorily resolve most matters. However, you are not required to bring a concern or
complaint first to your supervisor if they are the individual with whom you have a
problem.
2.
If a discussion with your supervisor did not resolve your problem to your satisfaction, or
if you do not feel comfortable approaching your supervisor, request a meeting with the
next level of management. They will review the issues and meet with you to discuss
possible solutions. However, as stated earlier, all levels of management have an open
door to help resolve your concerns.
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3.
If the problem is not resolved, you may present the problem in writing to the CFO or
Human Resources who will attempt to facilitate resolution.
4.
If the problem is not resolved, you may present the problem in writing to the CEO who
will attempt to reach a final resolution.
While we believe this procedure is important for both you and the Company, it may not result in
every problem being resolved to your satisfaction. The Human Resources Department is
available at any time to provide assistance if you feel your concerns are not being addressed.
Your suggestions and comments on any subject are important and we encourage you to take
every opportunity to discuss them with us. Your job will not be adversely affected in any way
because you choose to use this procedure.
Grievance Resolution
G-BioSport is sincerely interested in your personal welfare and makes a great effort to be
considerate. When a number of people work together, however, it is inevitable that some
misunderstanding or disagreements will arise.
Resolution of misunderstandings or disagreements is primarily the joint responsibility of an
employee and their manager. If a satisfactory resolution consistent with the Companys
guidelines cannot be reached arbitration shall be the sole, exclusive and final remedy for any
dispute between you and the Company.
Complaint Procedure
We are committed to the highest possible standards of ethical, moral and legal business conduct.
In line with this commitment and our commitment to open communication we have established a
complaint procedure that applies to all of our employees, including part-time, temporary and
independent contractors. The above policy aims to provide an avenue for employees to raise
concerns and reassurance that they will be protected from improper reprisal or victimization for
good faith complaints.
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Operations Consideration
Promoting and implementing various safety programs, policies, SOPs and methods to
ensure a safe working environment.
Preventative health and well-being education.
Making and collecting suggestions for safety improvements.
Conducting and reviewing periodic safety inspections.
Reviewing all investigations of accidents, injuries, safety incidents and exposures along
with recommending measures for future prevention.
Creating and posting minutes of the Safety Committee meetings.
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You must report an injury to your manager, preferably in writing, as soon as reasonably possible
and in all events within 24 hours of the accident or injury. Human Resources will obtain all the
necessary information for workers compensation and OSHA records. Additional information
can be found in your Health and Safety Manual.
Emergency Notification Procedure
In the event of an emergency, you should follow these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
FIRE
EARTHQUAKE
POWER OUTAGE
6.
7.
8.
9.
Workplace Safety
You are responsible for helping the Company promote safety and to prevent accidents to
yourself, as well as to co-employees, vendors, and visitors. We are committed to ensuring that all
safety and health policies and procedures involving workplace security are clearly
communicated, understood and followed by all employees. We ask in return that you be
responsible for using safe work practices, for following all directives, policies and procedures and
for assisting in maintaining a safe and secure workplace. These include but are not limited to:
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
No weapons are to be brought into the workplace. Weapons are defined as firearms,
knifes with blades of 2 inches in length or more, explosive, chemical agents or other
such devices that may be used as a weapon.
No employee shall threaten mental or physical harm to others.
All employees are required to report any and all threats and/or acts of violence to their
manager, Human Resources or the Safety Chair immediately.
All employees are responsible for cooperating in the investigation of threats and/or acts
of violence in our workplace.
All employees are responsible for reporting any breach of security in our workplace, and
making recommendation for improved security.
All employees are responsible for reporting all unsafe or potentially hazardous
conditions to their manager, Human Resources or a member of the Safety Committee.
All employees are responsible for knowing the location of safety and first aid equipment
and reporting all injuries immediately.
All emergency escape routes are to be maintained free of encumbrances.
Laboratory Safety
Employees who work in the laboratory should be familiar with all of our safety policies and
procedures. Basic laboratory safety includes:
Dress:
Wear protective safety glasses with side shields, clothing and waterproof gloves when
working with chemicals.
Confine long hair while in the laboratory.
Wear closed toe shoes, laboratory coat and other protective attire.
Dont store or consume food or beverages in the area where they may be contaminated
by toxic materials.
Keep all food and beverages completed enclosed while in the laboratory.
Never place food or beverages on or near lab benches or equipment.
Never place food or beverage trash in with the laboratory waste containers.
Security
We are committed to provide a secure workplace and ensure the protection of corporate assets
and Company proprietary information. Security is an integral part of your job responsibility.
You should use common sense to safeguard yourself and your personal belongings:
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Report any missing items, including keys, security passes or identification badges, to
someone in Operations or your manager at once.
Report security related issues to your manager or someone in Operations.
Never loan your security pass to another person.
Visitors
Visitors are welcome. A visitor is any individual who is not currently an employee of our
Company. All visitors must check in at the front lobby. The employee hosting a visitor is
responsible for assuring that the visitor does not wander through the building. This includes all
visitors at any time regular business hours, nights and weekends.
We welcome occasional and brief visits from family and friends. From both a professional and
business liability perspective, however, it is inappropriate for employees to have family members
or friends in the building for more than brief periods of time during work hours.
You should not be in the building during off hours unless it is for business reasons. If you bring
visitors with you during non-regular hours, they must stay with you at all times.
Solicitation
In the interest of efficiency and safety, the following rules shall apply to solicitations, distribution
of non-business material and posting of literature on Company property.
Outsiders: Persons who are not employed by G-BioSport may not solicit, distribute or post
literature on Company property at any time for any purpose.
Employees: During work time, employees of G-BioSport may not solicit (whether in person, by
e-mail or by voice-mail) for any purpose, and may not distribute literature. With prior approval
of Human Resources, employees may post appropriate materials on the internal designated
bulletin board. Human Resources reserves the right to monitor all postings and may remove
inappropriate materials at its discretion.
Work time includes the working time of both the employee doing the soliciting or distributing
and the employee to whom the soliciting or distributing is being directed. Work time does not
include break periods, meal periods, or any other specified periods during the workday when
employees are not engaged in performing their work tasks.
Overview of Electronic Communications
The use of the Companys computer systems, e-mail, voice mail, the Internet and other forms of
electronic communications (collectively electronic communications) can enhance productivity
and improve efficiency. The use of electronic communications can present problems, however,
that may put G-BioSport at risk and, in some instances, prove detrimental to an enjoyable
working atmosphere. The following guidelines are intended to foster the appropriate and
beneficial use of the Companys computers and electronic communications equipment.
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Personal Use
The use of the Companys electronic communications equipment is intended to be for business
purposes only. G-BioSport does not prohibit the occasional use of such equipment for personal
reasons. Personal use must be, however, limited to times when you are not expected to be
working on Company matters and must not interfere with your responsibilities and performance.
You should keep in mind that any personal use of the Companys electronic communications
equipment is not private, will be considered Company property and that the Company may
monitor and review such use. Back-up copies of e-mail messages sent and received on Company
systems may be maintained and referenced by the Company routinely for business and legal
reasons. The contents of e-mail and computer data files, may be accessed, reviewed and
disclosed by the Company for its business purposes at any time, with or without notice or
employee consent.
Access to Computer and Network Security
Our Company computer systems contain a large volume of confidential communications,
proprietary information, copyrighted works, as well as extremely sensitive information about the
Companys financial operations. The disclosure of confidential or sensitive information could be
extremely harmful to the Company. Proper authorization prior to using any computer or
electronic communication equipment must be obtained. Likewise, you must not assist in,
encourage, or conceal from the Company any unauthorized use, or attempted unauthorized use
of such equipment.
When G-BioSport provides employees, consultants and contractors the use of the Companys
electronic communications equipment they are given a user ID and password. This user ID and
password is for a single user and is not to be shared with anyone inside or outside the Company.
Also, you will be prompted by the system to change your password. The fact that you may be
issued a user ID or password does not mean you should have an expectation of privacy with
respect to any of your activities on the Companys electronic communications equipment. All
system passwords must be made available to Company management if requested.
Software
Computer software (i.e. programs, manuals and related material, whether on disk, in writing or
in any other tangible form) is protected by the copyright laws of the United States. It is the policy
of G-BioSport to comply with copyright laws and to adhere to the terms of applicable software
licenses. G-BioSport will take steps necessary to prohibit users from duplicating any licensed
software of related documentation for use on the Companys premises unless authorized to do so
by agreement with the licensor.
Accordingly, you may not copy, download from the Internet or computer bulletin board, install
onto a Company computer or otherwise use any software, applications, fonts or pictures in
violation of applicable copyrights and license agreements. This also includes giving or receiving
software from clients, contractors, customers and others.
Given the complex and often unknown interactions between applications, the IT team will be
responsible for software installation, which it will carefully manage to maximize performance,
reliability and compliance. Unless previously approved by an authorized member of the IT team,
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users shall not install computer software on computer systems owned by the Company.
Software includes, but is not limited to, the following:
Screen savers;
Games;
Applications;
Applications upgrades or patches downloaded from the Internet or otherwise obtained;
Add-on software modules, such as macros and system extensions like printer drivers or
display drivers; or
Components of applets from the web, including Java and ActiveX components.
G-BioSport conducts periodic audits of all computers and servers, including laptops, to ensure
compliance with all software licenses. Audits may be conducted using auditing software
products or manual inspection and may be performed without the users knowledge.
Decency in Communication
The use of the Internet and other electronic communications equipment must comply with all
laws and regulations and shall exhibit the highest moral and ethical standards of business
conduct. Illegal, unethical or inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated.
Once you send an e-mail or post something on the Internet, you have no ability to control who
sees it. E-mails sent over the Internet cannot be retrieved. Further, e-mails are often forwarded
to people you did not anticipate would receive them. In short, you should always assume that
everyone in the world can read what you are sending and posting, that permanent copies will be
kept at several sites, and that you will be expected to take full responsibility for everything you
say. Do not e-mail or post anything that you would not want to see quoted in a newspaper. You
are also expected to exercise a great degree of caution in transmitting confidential information
about the Company via the e-mail system. Such information should never be forwarded to any
persons not authorized to receive that information.
The use of Internet or any other form of electronic communications to obtain or disseminate
disparaging, offensive, threatening, harassing, pornographic or sexually explicit messages or
materials is expressly prohibited. Likewise, the use of the Companys computer system and
electronic communications to send, forward or transmit jokes, cartoons, rhymes, humorous
stories or other like materials (humor e-mails) should be treated with caution. Humor e-mails
transmitted by a Company computer will show the e-mail address of the sender. This address
will remain with the humor e-mail as it is sent to other third parties. Humor e-mails that are
harassing or discriminatory on the basis of ethnicity, race, religion, gender, political beliefs, age,
sexual context or any other factor protected by law may not be sent from a Company computer or
through any electronic communications equipment as these are in violation of the Companys
policy against harassment.
Posting about G-BioSport on any message board, chat room, newsgroup, blog, or other publicly
accessible forum is prohibited. This prohibition also applies to your use of any personal Internet
account(s) you may have, including accounts accessed from non-G-BioSport provided computers
or computer related technology.
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Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action, up to and including
termination of employment. Employees may also be held personally liable for any violations of
this policy.
Right to Monitor
To ensure that the use of Internet and electronic communications systems is consistent with the
legitimate business interest of the Company, G-BioSport reserves the right to monitor and/or
intercept the use of such equipment with or without further notice to the employee or in the
employees absence. This includes, but is not limited to, all e-mail messages sent or received, all
web site visits, all chat sessions, all news group activities, and all file transfers into and out of the
Companys internal networks. G-BioSport also reserves the right to retrieve previously deleted
messages from e-mail or voice mail and monitor usage of the Internet including web sites visited
and any information employees have downloaded.
All Internet data and electronic communications that are composed, transmitted, or received via
our computer communications systems are considered to be part of the official records of the
Company and, as such, are subject to disclosure to law enforcement or other third parties.
Consequently, employees should always ensure that the business information contained in
Internet e-mail messages and other transmissions is accurate, appropriate, ethical, and lawful.
You should have no expectation of privacy in your Internet usage or usage of the Companys
electronic communications systems and should not use the Companys systems for information
you wish to keep private. You must also remember that abusing the systems can, at the
discretion of G-BioSport, lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Inspections
G-BioSport reserves the right to inspect all Company property (including, but not limited to, any
employees Company office, desk, file cabinets and/or locker) to insure compliance with its
policies and procedures, without notice to the employee and/or in the employees absence. You
must receive prior authorization before removing any Company property from the premises or
bringing onto Company premises proprietary or confidential information belonging to a third
party. Furthermore, you are prohibited from bringing onto Company premises alcohol,
controlled substances, and firearms or other weapons (Prohibited Materials). An employees
Personal Property including, but not limited to, pockets, purses, wallets, briefcases, backpacks,
or other items of personal property that are being worn or carried by the employee may also be
inspected upon reasonable suspicion of unauthorized possession of Company or third party
property or possession of Prohibited Materials. All employees are encouraged to refrain from
bringing into the workplace any item of Personal Property that they do not wish to reveal to the
Company. In cases involving an inspection an employee's Personal Property, the employee will
be requested to conduct a self-search (i.e., by turning out or emptying pockets, purses, etc.) in the
presence of an observer who will be a person of the same gender. It is the intention of G-BioSport
to perform inspections in the least intrusive manner appropriate for the circumstances. When
conducting inspections and/or investigations, it is the intent of G-BioSport to preserve individual
privacy to the extent possible and in keeping with applicable workplace privacy laws.
The determination to conduct an inspection is at the sole and exclusive discretion of the
Company. Inspections under this policy may be conducted by an independent security service or
by G-BioSport personnel. In instances in which the inspection is conducted because there is
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
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Gift Acceptance
Many of the gifts offered by our vendors will be food or beverage items. These gifts are fine to
accept on behalf of the Company. Sharing them with your co-workers and/or placing them in the
common areas is a clear indication that you have accepted a gift on behalf of the Company. You
must not accept gifts that are significant in value or for personal use. Similarly, gifts of money
should not be accepted unless as reimbursement of expenses, such as speaking honoraria,
connected with participation in professional meetings that benefit the Company. If you have any
questions about what constitutes proper gift acceptance, contact Human Resources.
Travel and Other Reimbursable Expenses
Business travel for training or official business must be approved by your supervisor prior to
making travel arrangements. In certain circumstances, you may use your own car on Company
business, provided you have a valid drivers license, insurance and advance approval from your
manager. You will be reimbursed for mileage in accordance with our Travel, Entertainment and
Expense Policy. To be reimbursed for all authorized expenses, you must submit an expense report
accompanied by receipts. The report must be approved by your manager and comply with the
Travel, Entertainment and Expense Policy of the Company. You must submit your expense reports
or vouchers as soon as practicable following the incurring of the expense so that G-BioSport can
keep accurate and current accounting records.
You should refer to our Travel, Entertainment and Expense Guidelines located on the Companys
Intranet or contact your manager if you have any questions.
Purchasing Practices
G-BioSport has established certain responsibilities and authorization limits for the procurement
and approval of all goods and services. A purchase order form must be approved for the
purchase of any item. Once the purchase order form has been approved and a purchase order
number assigned, the requestor will initiate the purchase directly with the vendor. You should
refer to our policy Purchasing and Contracts located on the Companys Intranet.
Signature Authority
G-BioSport has established authorization limits for non-inventory and non-capital expenditures.
You should become familiar with your authorized limit for spending. Likewise, all contracts
where G-BioSport is one of the parties to the contract must be reviewed and signed by someone
with the authority to bind G-BioSport to the agreement. Please refer to our SOP title Purchasing
and Contracts which also covers authorization and signatory limits.
Dress Code
Our company strives to be known as a place where employees enjoy their work environment
while creating extraordinary results. While our daily environment is business casual, employees
are still expected to present a neat appearance. We trust each employees common sense and
good judgment to always remember to dress in a manner that is normally acceptable in similar
business when meeting with potential customers, vendors, prospects, and the public.
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Parking Lot
You are encouraged to use the parking areas surrounding our building. Remember to lock your
car every day. If you have electronic equipment in your car (e.g., computer, cell phone,
blackberry) you should make sure they are out of sight, preferably in the trunk of your car.
Should you damage another car, immediately report the incident, along with the license number
of both vehicles and any other pertinent information you may have to your manager. G-BioSport
cannot be and is not responsible for any loss, theft or damage to your vehicle or any of its
contents.
Recreational Activities and Programs
Neither G-BioSport nor its insurer will be liable for the payment of workers compensation
benefits for any injury that arises out of your voluntary participation in any off-duty recreational,
social, or athletic activity that is not part of your work-related duties.
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reinstated. Reinstated employees retain their original service date for benefit purposes. Former
employees who are hired after a year of their termination date are considered rehired. Rehires
will not receive credit for any prior service as it affects benefit calculations such as vacation and
length of service.
Release of Information and Employee References
We are concerned about the accuracy of any information provided to individuals outside GBioSport regarding current or former employees. All requests for references and other
information about any current or former employee must be directed to Human Resources. No
employee may provide (either on- or off-the-record) any reference or other information regarding
any current of former employee to any third party without the specific approval from Human
Resources. This includes letters of reference. In response to a request for employment
verification, G-BioSport will release only an individuals dates of employment, position, and
department. Salary information will be disclosed only if the individual authorizes disclosure in
writing.
Address Change
You should notify the Company if your address changes during the calendar year in which
termination occurs so that your tax information can be sent to the proper address.
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Acknowledgement Form
Signature
Date
Print Name:
G-BioSport Employee Handbook
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