HOMES CODE OF CONDUCT
Introduction
This Code of Conduct outlines our expectations regarding employees' behavior towards their colleagues, supervisors, and the overall organization of HOMES Brewery. These expectations also apply to every guest, vendor, and any representatives of HOMES while on company property, on company time, and at company sponsored events.
We aim to foster an environment of inclusivity, diversity, equity, and collaboration by encouraging positive and respectful interactions across the board - employees with each other, with managers, with guests, and even guests interacting with each other. As an organization, HOMES Brewery promotes respectful, open communication and freedom of expression amongst all parts of our community but we do expect all persons to abide by our Code of Conduct.
Values of HOMES Brewery
At HOMES, all employees must personify our four core values: Honest, Helpful, Honed, Happy.
HONEST - We build trust by telling hard truths in every capacity and facet of our organization. At all times we are striving to create a culture of being truthful to yourself and others, which means honest feedback on behaviors, practices, production, policies, and how we can grow and learn as an organization.
HELPFUL - We strive to put in the work for the benefit of each other, “giving with no strings attached.” At no point, regardless of position, do we believe that any job or task is “below your pay grade” or that “someone else will take care of it”. As an organization we seek initiative in our employees and foster an environment for our team to develop leadership skills to apply in and outside of the workplace.
HONED - We believe in making a continuous effort to improve as individuals and an overall organization which means accepting valid constructive criticism from any level and implementing change to improve. We are continually looking to learn from our team and others by asking questions and having honest conversations.
HAPPY - We aspire to provide a positive environment for our employees and guests and ask that everyone do their part in upholding and facilitating that atmosphere. We want our employees to be happy to come into work and enjoy the work that they do; if at any time someone is unhappy with their position or the environment they work in we will pursue every avenue of action to ensure that it is remedied. As an organization, HOMES Brewery highly values the mental health of our employees and will always put their health first.
Expected Behaviors
We are dedicated to providing an experience free of harassment and/or discrimination for everyone regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Every employee, guest, vendor, or any representatives of HOMES while on company property or at company sponsored events are expected to uphold these behaviors:
Treating all interactions with individuals and their property with the highest level of respect, integrity, and professionalism.
Treating all individuals with respect while embracing and celebrating the diversity of our community.
Creating a positive environment for all individuals that is free of harassment, discrimination, or any type of hostile or offensive behavior whether it be physical, verbal, or otherwise.
Taking proactive steps to prevent or stop any unacceptable behavior mentioned within this Code of Conduct. We fully expect all individuals to not only hold themselves accountable, but also hold each other accountable and speak up whenever and wherever any case of unacceptable behaviors are witnessed.
Speak openly and honestly when the actions of others do not meet our values or violate the rights of other individuals or groups. Retaliation against individuals that speak out against any form of harassment will be considered harassment itself and not be tolerated.
Approach any conflicts with a positive and constructive mindset for resolution. Opinions of others should always be respected and heard as long as they are not based upon discrimination, bias, prejudice, or the oppression of other people.
Unacceptable Behaviors
A company’s culture is defined by the worst behavior that leadership is willing to tolerate. We do not tolerate harassment of employees, guests, or vendors in any form. Some examples of unacceptable behaviors that will not be tolerated:
Belittling, or subtle expressions of bias directed towards others.
Threatening abuse, violence, or assault whether it’s verbal, written, or physical towards another person.
Bullying, intimidation, defamation, or victimization of employees, guests, or vendors.
Discrimination or bias based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Inappropriate use, removal, damage, or theft of company-owned or guest-owned property or assets.
Illegal activity such as the possession, distribution, sale, transfer, manufacture, or use of illegal drugs on company property.
Violations of safety or health rules.
Falsification of time keeping records and excessive absenteeism without proper communication.
Failure to comply with company values.
Unauthorized or inappropriate use of company-owned vehicles, telephones, computers, or other equipment.
Any unwelcome or unlawful harassment, whether it’s sexual or based on other prejudice.
Examples of harassment include, but are not limited to:
Offensive comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, mental illness, neuro(a)typicality, physical appearance, body size, age, race, or religion.
Unwelcome comments regarding a person’s lifestyle choices and practices, including those related to food, health, parenting, relationships, and employment.
Deliberate misgendering or use of “dead” or rejected names.
Gratuitous or off-topic sexual images or behavior in spaces where they’re not appropriate.
Physical contact or simulated physical contact (eg, written descriptions of physical contact) without consent or after a request to stop.
Threats of violence.
Incitement of violence towards any individual or group of individuals, including encouraging a person to commit suicide or engage in self harm.
Deliberate intimidation.
Stalking or following.
Harassment through non consensual photography or recording, including logging online activity for harassment purposes.
Sustained disruption of discussion.
Unwelcome sexual attention or contact.
Pattern of inappropriate social contact, such as requesting/assuming inappropriate levels of intimacy with others.
Continued one-on-one communication after requests to stop.
Deliberate “outing” of any aspect of a person’s identity without their consent except as necessary to protect vulnerable people from intentional abuse.
Publication of any private communication without explicit consent.
While not all situations may arise to the full definition of harassment, any interaction that makes a person feel uncomfortable personally or at work will be addressed with the same level of seriousness and practicality. Anyone who witnesses a violation of the code of conduct should follow the reporting process outlined in the “Reporting Violations of the Code of Conduct” section of this document.
Policy Elements
COMPLIANCE WITH LAW
All employees must protect our company's legality. They should comply with all environmental, safety and fair dealing laws. We expect employees to be ethical and responsible when dealing with our company's finances, products, partnerships and public image.
RESPECT IN THE WORKPLACE
All employees should respect their colleagues. We won't allow any kind of discriminatory behavior, harassment or victimization. Employees should conform with our equal opportunity policy in all aspects of their work, from recruitment and performance evaluation to interpersonal relations. Employees are expected to show kindness and patience towards each other. Respect for each other’s perspectives encourages better constructive criticism which in turn leads to better collaboration and growth.
As an organization we expect our guests and vendors to show the same level of respect to our employees. Any discriminatory behavior, harassment or victimization of employees by guests or vendors will not be tolerated.
PROFESSIONALISM
All employees must show integrity and professionalism in the workplace:
All employees must follow our dress code and personal appearance guidelines, especially when it concerns job safety.
We discourage employees from accepting gifts from clients or partners. We prohibit bribery for the benefit of any external or internal party.
Employees should focus on communication and team oriented problem solving skills in all aspects of their work.
All employees should show accountability for their own actions and strive to improve on personal and professional levels.
We encourage employees to show consideration towards their fellow co-workers in and outside of the workplace.
All employees are asked to approach work with initiative and humility.
We discourage any personal favoritism in the workplace.
JOB DUTIES AND AUTHORITY
All employees should fulfill their job duties with integrity and respect toward customers, stakeholders, and the community. Supervisors and managers mustn't abuse their authority. We expect them to delegate duties to their team members taking into account their competences and workload. Likewise, we expect team members to follow team leaders' instructions and complete their duties with skill and in a timely manner. We encourage mentoring throughout our company and will do our best to teach employees skills in any department of the company that they are interested in pursuing.
COLLABORATION
Employees should be friendly and collaborative. They should try not to disrupt the workplace or present obstacles to their colleagues' work. Following our core value of “Helpful” it is expected that all employees do their best to work towards improving the quality of work done at the company, as well as uplifting their colleagues and the environment of HOMES Brewery as a whole.
COMMUNICATION
All employees must be open to communication with their colleagues, supervisors or team members. We greatly encourage open dialogue, honest feedback, and constructive criticism between all members of the company. Employees should respect and implement any constructive criticism given to them, and be willing to do the same for others. In the event that an employee feels uncomfortable communicating with a particular colleague, or the manner of communication is deemed disrespectful, alternate forms of communication will be sought out and the issue will be addressed by leadership and/or an HR representative.
ABSENTEEISM AND TARDINESS
Employees should follow their schedules. We can make exceptions for occasions that prevent employees from following standard working hours or days and will do our best to accommodate that as long as proper communication has been made by the employee to their supervisor and/or manager. In all other cases employees are expected to be punctual when coming to and leaving from work.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
We expect employees to avoid any personal, financial or other interests that might hinder their capability or willingness to perform their job duties. This includes but is not limited to, forming personal romantic relationships, personal conflicts, competitive betting, excessive recreational drinking, illegal drug use, or other illegal activities.
BENEFITS
We expect employees to not abuse their employment benefits. This can refer to time off, insurance, facilities, subscriptions or other benefits our company offers. Employees seeking better benefits or wages with HOMES Brewery will go through an employee review and/or evaluation process. This policy is not meant to restrict an employee’s right to discuss, or act together to improve, wages, benefits, and working conditions with co-workers or in any way restrict employees’ rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
COMPANY PROPERTY
All employees should treat our company's property, whether material or intangible, with respect and care.
Employees:
Shouldn't misuse company equipment or use it frivolously.
Shouldn’t sell or trade company property for personal gain.
Should respect all kinds of incorporeal property. This includes trademarks, copyright and other property (information, reports etc.) Employees should use them only to complete their job duties.
Should protect company facilities and other material property (e.g. company cars) from damage and vandalism, whenever possible.
RELATIONSHIPS/POWER DYNAMICS
No personal favoritism
It’s unrealistic to expect that people will not develop relationships at work, sometimes even intimate relationships. But these can also create specific issues at work. It is important for employees to have the ability to distinguish between work and personal relationships and in so, we encourage employees to respect one another's personal boundaries, emotions, and mental health when forming said personal and work related relationships.
Power dynamics, especially in boss/subordinate relationships, can have significant impacts on the work environment. An intimate relationship with power dynamics blurs the lines of consensual behaviors. We highly discourage the formation of intimate relationships to develop amongst leadership and team members.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
HOMES Brewery is committed to providing a clean, safe, and healthful work environment for its employees. Maintaining a safe work environment, however, requires the continuous cooperation of all employees. HOMES Brewery and all employees must comply with all occupational safety and health standards and regulations established by the Occupational Safety and Health Act and state and local regulations. In addition, all employees are expected to obey safety rules and exercise caution and common sense in all work activities.
Any violations of workplace safety should be reported immediately to management, and if not handled properly by management, reported to the necessary local or state authorities.
Reporting Violations of the Code of Conduct
It is the policy of HOMES Brewery to maintain a harmonious workplace environment. HOMES Brewery encourages its employees to express concerns about work-related issues, including workplace communication, interpersonal conflict and other working conditions as soon as the concern arises. Employees are encouraged to raise concerns with their supervisors. If not resolved at this level, an employee may submit, in writing, a signed grievance to the HOMES management team.
After receiving a written grievance, HOMES brewery may hold a meeting with the employee, the immediate supervisor and any other individuals who may assist in the investigation or resolution of the issue. All discussions related to the grievance will be limited to those involved with, and who can assist with, resolving the issue. Complaints involving alleged discriminatory practices shall be processed in accordance with HOMES Brewery’s sexual and other unlawful harassment policy. HOMES Brewery assures that all employees filing a grievance or complaint can do so without fear of retaliation or reprisal.
Any complaints by an employee in regards to a guest, vendor, or other representative of HOMES Brewery should be immediately reported to the acting supervisor, manager, and company leadership to be dealt with properly. Any violations of the code of conduct enacted by a guest, vendor, or other representative of HOMES Brewery will be dealt with the same seriousness as a violation enacted by an employee.
If the employee does not feel comfortable reporting their concern directly to a supervisor or any of the leadership on the management team, they may reach out directly to any of the following sources with their grievances to be resolved-
Tommy Kennedy, tommy@homesbrewery.com
Melissa Kennedy, meliskennedy@gmail.com
Bisi Adewunmi, bisi@homesbrewery.com
DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS
Our company may have to take disciplinary action against employees who repeatedly or intentionally fail to follow our code of conduct. Disciplinary actions will vary depending on the violation.
Possible consequences include:
Demotion.
Reprimand.
Detraction of benefits for a definite or indefinite time.
We may take legal action in cases of corruption, theft, embezzlement or other unlawful behavior by employees of HOMES Brewery.
If you are approached as having (consciously or otherwise) acted in a way that might
make your teammates feel unwelcome or uncomfortable, listen with an open mind and avoid becoming defensive. Remember that if someone offers you feedback, it likely took a great deal of courage for them to do so. The best way to respect that courage is to acknowledge your mistake, apologize, and move on — with a renewed commitment to do better. That said, repeated or severe violations of this code can and will be addressed by our leadership, and can lead to disciplinary actions, including termination.
In regards to violations of the Code of Conduct by guests, vendors, or other representatives of HOMES Brewery, our company may take the following actions:
Any guest found to intentionally or repeatedly violate our Code of Conduct will be asked to rectify their behavior on the spot. If the guest does not comply, they will be asked to immediately leave company property, and in serious cases, banned indefinitely.
Our company will end patronage of any vendor found to intentionally or repeatedly violate our Code of Conduct.
Any representatives of HOMES Brewery are subject to the same disciplinary actions as any employee, and if not applicable, they will be treated similarly to any guest who violates our Code of Conduct.
ANTI-RETALIATION AND WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY
This policy is designed to protect employees and address HOMES Brewery’s commitment to integrity and ethical behavior. In accordance with anti-retaliation and whistleblower protection regulations, HOMES Brewery will not tolerate any retaliation against an employee who:
Makes a good faith complaint, or threatens to make a good faith complaint, regarding the suspected Company’s or employee’s violations of the law, including discriminatory or other unfair employment practices;
Makes a good faith complaint, or threatens to make a good faith complaint, regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters that may lead to incorrect, or misrepresentations in, financial accounting;
Makes a good faith report, or threatens to make a good faith report, of a violation that endangers the health or safety of an employee, patient, client or customer, environment or general public;
Objects to or refuses to participate in, any activity or practice, which the employee reasonably believes is a violation of the law;
Provides information to assist in an investigation regarding violations of the law; or
Files, testifies, participates or assists in a proceeding, action or hearing in relation to alleged violations of the law.
Retaliation is defined as any adverse employment action taken against an employee including but not limited to, refusal to hire, failure to promote, demotion, suspension, harassment, denial of training opportunites, termination, or discrimination in any manner in the terms and conditions of employment.
Anyone found to have engaged in retaliation in violation of the law, policy or practice will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination of employment. Employees who knowingly make a false report of a violation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination.
Employees who wish to report a violation should contact their supervisor or Tommy Kennedy directly. Employees should also review their state and local requirements for any additional reporting guidelines.
HOMES Brewery will promptly and thoroughly investigate and, if necessary, address any reported violation.
Employees who have any questions or concerns regarding this policy and related reporting requirements should contact their supervisor, the HOMES management team or any state or local agency responsible for investigating alleged violations.