SOP: Days Off/Sick Days and Vacations

SOP: Days Off/Sick Days and Vacations:

Purpose: At Hosteeva, we truly value the well-being of our employees and understand the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance. We believe that a fulfilling professional experience is key to personal and organizational success. This policy outlines our procedures for taking annual vacation and sick days, in line with the Armenian Labor Code and our dedication to employee welfare.

1. Annual Vacation Policy

Entitlement:

·  Our employees are entitled to an annual vacation allowance of 21 working days (equivalent to 1.75 days for each month worked).

·  Vacations can be taken all at once or in segments. For the benefit of the employee to ensure proper rest, it is recommended that one of the segments include a minimum of 10 consecutive working days. However, employees have the flexibility to request fewer days if preferred.

·  The working year is defined from the date you sign your contract to the same date the following year.

Eligibility:

• You can request vacation after completing 6 months of continuous service. However, if you have a pressing need, a vacation might be granted before that with approval from HR committee.
• In subsequent years, vacation can be taken any time following a mutually agreed vacation plan, reviewed quarterly - below.

Procedure:

• Submit a written vacation request to your Team Lead, with a C to the HR Manager with a minimum of 14 days' notice.
• If your Team Lead agrees and signs the request, it is then submitted to the HR department for processing.
• HR will process the request and forward it to the accountant to ensure timely payment. Please, note, you get your vacation pay prior to your vacation and thus the following monthly salary is expected to be less with that amount.
• HR and the Team Lead will update your total vacation eligibility days.
• Email notice must be sent to the Team Lead and the Operations Director, CC-ing the HR manager/agent about the dates of vacation and responsibilities transfer to another employee.
• As soon as all processes are complete, the employee is obliged to have an automated note on the email account, for notification of the dates on vacation and who is substituting for what function.

Special Cases:

• Maternity leave: Vacation days can be added to your maternity leave period before completing 6 months of service.

·         Student employees: Vacation can be scheduled for exams per ·  Our employees are entitled to an annual vacation allowance of 21 working days (equivalent to 1.75 days for each month worked).

·         Vacations can be taken all at once or in segments. For the benefit of the employee to ensure proper rest, it is recommended that one of the segments include a minimum of 10 consecutive working days. However, employees have the flexibility to request fewer days if preferred.

The working year is defined from the date you sign your contract to the same date the following year. ends with a 2-week notice, with the above-mentioned process.

• Unused vacation days can be carried forward to the following year only, according to your written request. It is strongly advised not to carry vacation days to the next year, since after 2 years, those days will be either nulled or used.
• In the event of contract termination, remaining vacation days can be taken or compensated financially.

Vacation Pay:

• Your vacation pay will be disbursed no later than 3 days before your vacation starts.
• The pay rate is based on your average pay rate from the preceding 12 months.

Vacation Calendar and Planning:

• Once every trimester, we update our vacation calendar.
• Each Team Lead is responsible for filling in the calendar for their department.
• HR will control and support the Team Leads in this process. Please, note, that for high seasons, because of high demand in tickets and calls the agents cannot go on vacation in parallel. All vacations need to be pre-approved and planned 3 months ahead.

2. Sick Days Policy

Entitlement:

• If you feel unwell at the office and it is confirmed, you can leave the office, and your pay will be kept.
• In accordance with Armenian legislation, if you want your sick days to be paid, you need to obtain a medical certificate (bulletin) from your policlinic and provide it to us for state compensation at the end of the month.

Sick Days Procedure:

• Notify your Team Lead and HR as soon as possible in written form.
• The Team Lead will adjust the schedule accordingly.
• Submit the medical certificate to HR for processing.

3. Days-Off Policy

• Hosteeva does not have additional days off beyond what is stipulated by Armenian labor law
• Employee might request a non-paid vacation days for the following purposes:
  • For wedding – 3 working days
  • Funeral of immediate relative – non less than 3 working days
  • For an employee with a disability or an employee caring for a sick family member, within the time limits specified by a medical conclusion, but not more than 30 days per year.
  • For the husband of a woman who is on maternity leave or on leave to care for a child under the age of one. The total duration of this leave cannot exceed two months
• Employees must adhere to the vacation and sick days policy for planned and unplanned absences.

4. General Provisions

Notification and Approval:

• All vacation and sick days requests must be submitted via email to your Team Leads and the Operations Director, with a CC to the HR manager.
• After approval by the Team Lead, you must fill in the documented request, sign it, and submit it to the HR department.
• HR handles the vacation schedules approved by Team Leads and the Operations Director within the calendar.

Unused Leave:

• If you do not use your annual leave for two and a half consecutive working years without submitting a leave application (and this is not due to a refusal related to child care vacation leave), we will determine the provision of your annual leave without requiring an application from you.

Adjustments:

• Vacation plans can be adjusted if both you and your manager agree to reschedule.

Termination:

• If you used extra vacation days and did not work enough to cover them, we have the right to withhold the amount from your final calculation or final salary.
• The final calculation is made within 15 days after the termination of the agreement.

Review and Compliance:

• We review this policy annually to ensure compliance with Armenian labor laws and to accommodate any changes in company policy or employee needs.

At Hosteeva, we strongly believe that a comprehensive policy for vacations and sick days is essential for promoting your overall well-being. We are here to support you every step of the way, ensuring a healthy balance between work and personal life.

Feel free to contact our HR team at any time with questions about the SOP points. We're here to assist you and ensure you have all the support and information necessary for your success. Please remember, it's crucial to follow the SOP, as any violations will be regarded as non-compliance with our internal labor regulations.