Policies & Knowledge Base

Travel and Reimbursement Policy

Business travel is approved in advance by your manager and HR. Reimbursable expenses: - Flight/train: economy class only. Book through approved vendors where possible. - Hotel: up to ₹3,000 per night in metros, ₹2,000 in Tier-2 cities. - Meals: ₹500 per day, itemized receipts required. - Local transport: auto/cab receipts required. Advance: For trips exceeding 2 days, request travel advance 5 days ahead. Unsettled advances block future travel approval. Reimbursement: Submit claims with original receipts within 7 days of travel end. Claims older than 30 days are rejected unless escalated by manager. Non-compliance (e.g., premium class bookings, missing receipts) results in claim rejection and potential disciplinary action.

Working Hours and Remote Work

Daily schedule for desk staff (SHIFT_STRICT profile): - Check-in: 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM. See the Late Coming Policy for the on-time/late/cut-off split. - Lunch: no fixed start time — leave whenever suits you. You have 35 minutes before it costs a penalty (90 minutes deducted) and 60 minutes total before the day is not credited at all. What is timed is the gap between when you actually left and when you actually came back, not the clock — the 14:00–14:15 window is only a reference point, not a requirement. - Evening break: the same rule, with 17:30–17:45 as the reference point — 35 minutes free, up to 60 minutes with a 90-minute penalty, beyond 60 minutes the day is not credited. - Check-out: 7:45 PM – 8:00 PM (19:45–20:00) is the normal window. - Early check-out with manager approval: from 6:00 PM (18:00) onward. - Friday game night: check-out from 6:45 PM (18:45) is allowed. - Leaving earlier than your applicable check-out time without approval costs 90 minutes; leaving more than an hour early costs 180 minutes. Remote work: One day per week (Friday) may be remote at manager discretion. Remote days must be approved in advance. Attendance is marked based on completion of agreed deliverables and availability for calls. Overtime: Salaried staff work hours as needed to meet project deadlines. Compensatory off may be granted by manager in lieu of overtime pay. Hourly staff are paid at 1.5x rate for hours exceeding 48 per week. Support staff on the PRESENCE_SPAN profile (maid, gardener, office support) are not scored against this schedule — their day is measured as total time on site, with no check-in/lunch/break timing penalties.

Late Coming Policy

Check-in window: 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM IST. - 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM: on-time check-in, no penalty. - 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM: late check-in. This is a penalty check-in — 90 minutes are deducted from the day's credited time. - After 1:00 PM: check-in is not accepted for the day and the day is not credited, unless you notified your manager in advance. For employees on the SHIFT_STRICT profile, repeated late arrivals (3+ in a month) may result in a formal warning. Emergency situations: notify your manager immediately and submit a regularization request within 2 hours of arrival.

Probation and Confirmation

New employees begin on 3-month probation during which both the employee and company assess fit. No notice period applies during probation; either party may end employment with 1 week's written notice. At the end of 3 months: - Performance review conducted by manager and HR. - If satisfactory, employee is confirmed and notified in writing. Confirmation marks the start of statutory notice period (30 days). - If performance is below standard, probation may be extended by up to 2 additional months. - If still unsatisfactory, employment may be terminated without severance. Probation end date reminder is sent 7 days before the deadline so the review can be scheduled in time.

Leave Policy

Annual leave entitlement: 12 days paid leave per financial year (April-March). Leave accrues monthly (1 day per month). Unused leave can be carried forward up to 5 days into the next year; balance over 5 is forfeited. Casual Leave: 4 days per year, non-accrual, cannot be carried forward. Used for urgent personal matters. Sick Leave: 6 days per year. Certificate may be required for absences exceeding 2 consecutive days. Leave approval: Submit requests at least 3 days in advance to your manager. Requests during peak project periods may be deferred. Leave during company holidays is auto-rejected. Maternity/Paternity leave, sabbatical, and other exceptional leaves are handled on case-by-case basis by HR.

Code of Conduct

All employees are expected to: - Treat colleagues with respect and maintain a harassment-free workplace. - Use company resources (email, devices, network) for business purposes only. - Maintain confidentiality of company and client information. - Avoid conflicts of interest; disclose any outside work or financial interests. - Follow this handbook and applicable laws. Violations: Investigation and discipline up to and including dismissal may follow violations. Minor infractions may result in verbal warning; serious breaches (theft, gross misconduct, repeated violations) may result in immediate dismissal without notice. Grievance: Report concerns to your manager, HR, or use the confidential ethics hotline.

Understanding Your Payslip

Your monthly payslip breaks down: Earnings: - Basic: Fixed monthly base salary. - HRA: House Rent Allowance, typically 40-50% of basic. - DA: Dearness Allowance, cost-of-living adjustment. - Conveyance, Mobile, Other Allowances: As per your contract. Deductions: - Provident Fund (PF): 12% of basic (matched by company, not shown as company cost). - Professional Tax (PT): State tax, if applicable. - Income Tax (TDS): Withheld based on your annual income estimate. - Loss of Pay (LOP): Unpaid leave or attendance shortage. Net payable: Gross earnings minus all deductions. This is the amount transferred to your bank account. Questions: Contact HR with your payslip and we will explain any discrepancy. Payslips are posted the last working day of the month and are final 5 days after posting—no adjustments accepted thereafter unless they are errors.

How to Apply for Leave

1. Log in to the HR portal (coming soon). 2. Click "Apply for Leave" and select the leave type. 3. Choose start and end dates. Half-day is available for single-day leaves. 4. Add a reason (optional but helpful for approval). 5. Click "Submit". Your manager receives a notification immediately. 6. Wait for approval. Approved leave shows in your calendar and attendance is updated automatically. Tips: Apply as early as possible, especially around peak project times. Check your balance before applying—you cannot apply for more than your available balance. Urgent leave (same-day): Call your manager first, then submit the request. Approval is needed before absence is sanctioned.

Claiming Travel Reimbursement

1. Collect original receipts for all expenses (no photocopies). 2. Log in to the expense portal (coming soon). 3. Create a new claim, select "Travel". 4. For each receipt, enter category, date, amount, and description. 5. Upload the receipt image (JPG or PDF). 6. Add trip purpose and dates. 7. Submit for manager approval. 8. Once approved by manager, HR processes payment within 7 days. Common rejections: Missing receipt, amount exceeds limit, unclear description, no trip purpose, claim older than 30 days. Note: Requests without original receipts are rejected. Do not lend personal money for company expenses—always request advance.