Stokers A5 Handbook Policies FEB24

Your Employee Handbook

Please take note

Most of the information contained in this handbook is not contractual and reflects our current employment rules and guidelines for working together. In other words, these items are discretionary and not a contractual right. Stokers has the flexibility to add, remove or change them as they see best benefiting the business as a whole. Although these rules and guidelines are not contractual, they are still required to be adhered to by employees as part of our working relationship and failure to do so may be considered a disciplinary offence. Some parts of this handbook are contractual and these items will be clearly marked for your information. These form part of your Contract of Employment.

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Congratulations on your new role with us! Welcome to the Stokers family! We are delighted that you have chosen to work for us and become part of a successful team that recognises the value of their people. Your Employee Handbook will help guide you through your journey with us and summarises what we expect from you and what you can expect from us in return. We believe in setting you up for success from the very beginning. The aim of this Handbook is to establish important rules, behaviours and expectations that protect the rights of us as an employer and you as an employee.

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Contents

History and Introduction

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Introduction from the Managing Directors

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Stokers History

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Other Stores’ History

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Company Mission and Values

The Basics

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Pay

Hours of Work Breaks at Work Holiday Entitlement Personal Possessions

What to Wear - The Dress Code

Right to Work

Developing With Stokers

Probationary Period

How will you be Measured?

‘Catch ups’ Appraisals

Owning your Development Continuing your Development

Benefits and Rewards

Healthcare Employee Benefit Scheme

Pension

Life Assurance Staff Discount Family Discount

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) Our Mental Health Commitment Bonuses, Incentives and Commission

Be In The Know

Attendance

Unauthorised Absence (AWOL)

Statutory Sick Pay

Prolonged or Persistent Absence

Absence Monitoring Medical and Dental Visits

Flexible Working

Electronic Communication

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33 33 33 34 35 35 35 36 36 38 38 38 38 39 39 39 41 44 45 46 50 52 54 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 78 81 84 86 87 88 89 90 94 98 99 37 40

Personal Circumstances

Driver Regulations

GDPR - General Data Protection Regulations

Be Safe

Our Responsibilities to You

Your Responsibility as an Employee Southalls – Our Health and Safety Provider

Risk Management

Theft

Communication

Communication Notice Boards IN-FURNITURE Cascade Newsletters Ideas Factory

Meetings

Policies... Policies... and More Policies...

Adoption Leave Policy & Procedure Adverse Weather Policy & Procedure Capability Policy & Procedure Covid 19 Vaccination Policy Dignity At Work Policy & Procedure Disciplinary Policy & Procedure Drugs & Alcohol Policy & Procedure Equal Opportunities Policy & Procedure Anti-Bribery Policy Driving Policy

Expenses Policy

Flexible Working Policy & Procedure

General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) Policy

Grievance Policy & Procedure

Hybrid Worker Policy

IT, Social Media & Devices Policy

Leave Policy

Maternity Leave Policy Menopause Policy

Modern Slavery - Stokers Policy Guidance

Paternity Leave Policy

Personal Relationships At Work Policy

Recruitment Policy

Shared Parental Leave Policy

Sickness Absence Policy & Procedures

Smoking Policy

Staff Discount Policy

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Whistleblowing Policy & Procedure Work Place Stress Guidance & Policy

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A bit about your MDs!

Graham Schofield Graham studied Metallurgy and Mechanical Engineering at Manchester University, before joining British Aerospace as a Metallurgist. After 6 years of work on a Tornado and Typhoon aircraft he joined the family business in January 1988. During his early years at Stokers Graham worked in all aspects of the business. He was running the fitted bedroom store in Preston, the carpet department in Kendal, managed carpet estimation in Paignton before managing the Ormskirk Store for 8 years - not all at once of course! Graham deservedly became a director of the Company in 1997 and has been Joint Managing Director with Jonathan for the last 21 years. Graham’s main focus within Stokers is heading up the Buying Department. Graham is married to Mary and they have two grown up children, Alexandra and James. Graham also plays golf to a standard whereby his enthusiasm is better than his golf.

Jonathan Stoker Jonathan studied Economics at the London School of Economics from 1985-1988. Discovering he was a man for numbers, he trained to be a Chartered Accountant with KPMG in London working with clients such as P&O, major Japanese Banks as well as undertaking work at Buckingham Palace and St James’s Palace – doing the Queen’s account as one does! In 1994 Jonathan joined Stokers as his accountancy career clearly peaked with the Royals. Jonathan’s main focus within Stokers is heading up the Financial, Operational and Support departments of the business. Jonathan is married to Jean and they have two children Edward and Victoria who are also grown up. He enjoys sport, favourites include playing squash and tennis, Wimbledon could have been on the cards but he prefers to watch it.

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Stokers’ History lesson Having heritage doesn’t mean we’re ‘old fashioned’ Stokers Ltd: Established in 1895

In 1895 during the reign of Queen Victoria, Alfred Stoker established a business selling fabric and millinery in the thriving market town of Ormskirk. The business progressed into selling carpets and floor coverings, as its reputation for quality and service grew, so too did Stokers as they extended into furniture. Alfred’s son Albert was next to take charge of the business, Albert continued to work within the business well into his 80’s where his son Paul Stoker and daughter Joy Schofield took the reins. The business is now in the care of Jonathan Stoker (Paul’s son) and Graham Schofield (Joy’s son). So as you can see, family values, commitment and traditions are important to the Stokers Group.

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In 1998 the Southport Stokers Store was opened as the brand and reputation grew in the local area. The Chester Stokers Store was then built from scratch in 2007 in a popular retail park in the heart of Chester. Its vast purpose built showroom shows off the fantastic brands and furniture we have to offer.

Southport

Ormskirk

Chester

Today, Stokers is in the hands of its 4th generation and is moving from strength to strength. Stokers’ extended family actually includes ten stores with the three aforementioned stores, Ormskirk, Southport and Chester, trading under the Stokers name.

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As you can tell, we like to ensure our employees know about where the business came from, so here’s a brief glimpse into the past for each of our spectacular stores!

Doorway To Value Established in 1965 Doorway to Value started life in Seymour Street, Chorley, selling and delivering furniture to the local people.

Doorway to Value’s philosophy was to provide good quality furniture at real value for money prices. This ethos remains true today with the store bringing customers the best brands at the best prices. This successful formula meant the business soon outgrew its early premises and moved to their current site in the mid-1970s.

Over the next 30 years the store grew steadily to meet demand for affordable fine furniture. In the early 2000s the store was extensively refurbished and doubled in size, becoming the largest quality furniture store in Lancashire.

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Russell Dean Established in 1960

Set in the ground floor of a former cotton mill, Russell Dean is situated in the town of Mytholmroyd, just over a mile away from the historic town of Hebden Bridge in the Yorkshire Dales. In these superb countryside surroundings Russell Dean, which was established in 1960, has built a reputation renowned for providing furniture of the highest quality and housing many of the leading brands.

Store re-furbishment 2005

Original store

New store opened 2018

Like many other businesses in the community, the Russell Dean store suffered water damage when the river Calder burst its banks during the floods of 2012. Unfortunately the store was flooded again on Boxing Day 2015, this time the water was even deeper inside the store with the shop floor badly affected. The decision was made to demolish the existing building and completely rebuild a bigger and better store. The new Russell Dean store opened in spring 2018.

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Christopher Pratts Established in 1845

From a single-room miner’s cottage in Gunnerside, Swaledale to the largest and most lavish furniture store in the country at Regent Street, Leeds - Yorkshire, Christopher Pratts has come a long way in over 174 years. At the age of 21, Christopher Pratt became an apprentice to cabinet maker Joseph Nutter, and 5 years later, in 1845, formed his own business.

Store heritage

New store opened 2003

Quickly, the quality and craftsmanship of the furniture produced by Christopher, and eventually his sons, won over many new customers. The sons started selling the work of other craftsmen and soon the business became the north’s leading furniture store. The Company continued to grow rapidly, and in 1925 became one of the few stores in the entire country to offer wirelesses and later gramophones. In 2003 Pratts moved into its current purpose built furniture store on Regent Street, Leeds. In keeping with the beliefs and principles of its founder, Christopher Pratts has created the largest and most comprehensive furniture experience in the country.

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Lucas Established in 1898

Established in the beautiful Buckinghamshire countryside of Aylesbury in 1898, Lucas Furniture is a family run store conveniently located just off the A41 Bicester Road. This family store has built a reputation renowned for providing

high quality furniture for great value and housing many of the leading brands.

Serving families for over 120 years, Lucas is a well-known and trusted business in the area with a proud heritage which ensures a commitment to continuing a quality service offering expert advice and exceptional choice of truly fine furniture. The new Lucas store opened in August 2020 and is the largest purpose built furniture store in South East England.

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Annetts Established in 1924

Annetts Fine Furniture has been proudly serving the families of Hereford for over 95 years, established in the town in 1924 the store has built a reputation renowned for providing furniture of the highest quality and housing many of the leading brands. Family owned and family run, the store has grown over the years and is now the largest purpose built furniture store in the region and attracts visitors from all over Herefordshire.

In 2014 the store was given a £250,000 refurbishment as part of the Company’s commitment to its customers to continue providing a compelling destination to visit and receive the best shopping experience.

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Fredmans Established in 1945

Established in 1945 in the seaside town of Paignton on the Devon coast, Fredmans Furnishers has built a reputation renowned for providing furniture of the highest quality and housing many of the leading brands.

Fredmans through the years

The store was originally set up by two brothers and has always been a family owned and run business. Fredmans has developed into the best quality furniture store in the area, proudly serving the families of Paignton for over 74 years.

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Nettletons Established in 1919

W & T Nettleton is situated in the thriving village of Horbury in West Yorkshire. Trading from the same site for over 100 years, the family run store has built a reputation renowned for providing furniture of the highest quality and housing many of the leading brands. The store was established in 1919 by brothers Walter and Tom Nettleton. After serving in the First World War, the brothers returned home and decided to set up in business, selling furniture to the local people using a horse and cart for deliveries.

Nettletons furniture studios

By 1958 W & T Nettleton had also acquired the old former chapel across the road. The business continued to grow as they manufactured and re-covered suites, French polished furniture, employed apprentices and built made-to-measure wardrobes. The old chapel now houses a large bed and bedroom studio, whilst the original premises are where customers can browse for living and dining suites.

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Our Company Mission and Values Written for and by our staff! Sometimes these things can be very business led, but not at Stokers, our staff wrote and agreed their values and mission statement.

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No matter what job you have with us you have an impact on how successful the business is, and in effect, how successful you are at work. Throughout your time with us at Stokers, you will see these values pop up and be referred to during your employment journey. We try to integrate them into everything we do, from our training courses to our appraisals.

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The Basics

So by this point you’ve aced your interview, met your boss and located the kettle with your new team mates… What’s next? This is where your Employee Handbook comes in! It’s been written by people who have been where you are, and we’ve designed it to hopefully make your first few months here (and long after!) as easy as possible. Let’s gets started…

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Pay You will have already agreed your salary or rate of pay, this will be detailed in your contract of employment and offer letter. Our payroll periods run from 1st of the month till the last day of the month and we are paid on the third Friday of that month for the whole of that month. If you start part way through the month and you miss the payroll, any days worked outside the pay period will be adjusted and added on to your first wage. As part of your role, you may be eligible to receive commissions or bonuses, all these details will have been confirmed in interview, however if you have any questions please chat with your line manager. Hours Of Work Like your salary, you will have already agreed your working hours with us prior to you starting and they will be confirmed in your contract of employment. Whether you work full or part time, we understand that sometimes you might do that little bit extra to make sure that the job is done right or that a customer gets the best experience. However, if you are working an excessive amount of overtime for extended periods, this may suggest that we’ve got an issue with resource planning or communication, and may be a sign that something needs to be re-evaluated and corrected. We want to ensure that we can all have a good balance between home life and work life so if you find you’re struggling to get this balance, please chat with your line manager. Remember that you must arrive at work in plenty of time to actually begin work at your agreed start time. Breaks At Work Everyone needs a break to take a bit of time out when working hard either in our stores, offices or warehouses. So when you are working over 6 hours during a working day, you’ll be entitled to an unpaid break, in line with the current statutory requirements. If you are unsure on your break entitlements, touch base with your line manager for details. If you’re one of our drivers, please direct your query to our Transport Manager for driver specifics.

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Holiday Entitlement We think it’s really important to take your holidays as it’s your time to relax, catch up or go on that much needed break so please make sure that you plan your holidays across the year. So that we don’t cause any disappointment, please gain authorisation from your line manager before you book your holidays, flights or accommodation. As we are a retail business, some areas of the business will have holiday restrictions at our peak trading times, so please check these before requesting your holidays. Holidays should be booked 2 months in advance. Any holidays over 10 days must be authorised by a director.

Personal Possessions If you bring it in, make sure you look after it. We of course want everyone’s possessions to remain safe whilst in the workplace but please remember in many cases you may work in sight of the general public. Stokers cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage sustained to personal possessions whilst on Company premises.

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Whilst at work, cash and other valuables should not be left unattended except when locked in a secure cupboard or drawer and in any event should not be left overnight.

What To Wear – The Dress Code Smart attire is necessary to maintain an image which reflects our professionalism and fantastic standards. So it’s important that the way you dress is appropriate for our environment. Any employee who is customer facing should adhere to a smart dress code at all times. Trainers, jeans or other casual clothing are not considered to be smart. If further guidance regarding our dress code is required make sure you talk with your line manager. If you’re provided with a uniform, this should be worn at all times. The uniform is your responsibility. The Company will replace uniform items that have been subject to reasonable wear and tear but if we consider that you require excessive replacements, the cost of replacement may be deducted from your wages. If you need to wear Health and Safety PPE equipment, this will be supplied by the Company and must be worn at all times in line with the Health and Safety measures in that Department. Right To Work We are obliged to make certain checks on all employees at Stokers to make sure they are eligible to work in the UK. Therefore please make sure you have provided the documents requested to your line manager so we can continue with the employment relationship.

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Developing With Stokers

Our success is down to the passion and performance of all of our employees, that’s why it’s important that everyone, regardless of their role, performs to the best of their ability. As a business, we rely on recommendations, so it’s all about delivering the best experience for both internal and external customers. We have an open and honest culture, where we collectively set clear objectives, let you know what behaviours we expect and provide you with honest feedback.

We’ve got a few ways to let you know how you are getting on, all designed to help and support you.

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Probationary Period Everyone who joins the Stokers Group goes through a 6 month probationary period; which is your introduction into the Company. During your probation, you’ll have catch ups and reviews with your line manager to check how you are settling in, if you need any more support or training and to provide you with guidance on areas for development. How Will You Be Measured? We measure our employees commonly on these three areas: • Company values (how we expect you to behave). • Your job role (how you perform in your role). • Your role’s individual measures (KPIs / NPS measures etc).* Your line manager will provide these clear expectations and go through them with you. *may not be applicable to all roles. ‘Catch Ups’ Your Line Manager is there to motivate and support you so they will hold one to ones or catch ups with you. These are a great opportunity to check how you’re getting on in your role. Appraisals Our reviews are a great way of recognising and praising achievements, as well as identifying areas for growth and setting expectations for your role over the next 12 months. Every 3/6 months (role dependant) you’ll meet with your line manager and have a two way discussion in order to:

• Review your performance. • Plan for the next period. • Review any areas of concern. • Look at your achievements.

• Identify your development needs. • Set objectives for the next period. Your review is a useful tool to help you manage and measure your own performance.

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Owning Your Development Owning and pushing your own personal development will also help you to grow in your role and map your career for the future. That’s why you will be asked to contribute to setting your objectives. These objectives are yours to own and achieve, of course your line manager will provide the support and training where required. Continuing Your Development No one is ever too trained, everyone needs a refresher now and again. We have a thought provoking Customer Experience Training Model called REACH, this is trained internally and is a core strength for any Sales Person. We also have a fantastic range of products in-store, so if you’re a Sales Person you need to keep on top of any changes to the ranges you sell. Similarly, if you work in one of our warehouses, can you complete every task in the warehouse? You have the fantastic opportunity where ‘the more you learn, the more you earn!’ with the Stokers Group, speak to your line manager about the scheme.

If you are interested in completing additional training to enhance your skills and career opportunities, please make sure you speak with your line manager to see what’s available.

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Benefits and Rewards This section tells you about the varied range of benefits you can expect to receive at Stokers. We believe in rewarding our teams in different ways to ensure everyone’s priorities are catered for.

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Healthcare Employee Benefit Scheme We believe looking after your health is the most important thing you can do to achieve your full potential and feel your best both at home and in work. That’s why we have invested in a Health Plan with Medicash to help you cover the costs of your day to day healthcare and support you and your families in leading a healthy lifestyle. With the plan you are able to receive cash back on a wide variety of healthcare treatments including: • Optical, dental and physiotherapy • Access to a wide range of great offers and discounts through Medicash Extras, your exclusive online discount portal. • Specialist consultations and diagnostic tests. • Access to a wide range of complementary and alternative therapies. • Chiropody treatments. • Discounted gym membership. • Grocery shopping discounts, among others. • Telephone helplines and up to 8 face-to-face counselling sessions. You’re entitled to this benefit as soon as you start with us.

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Pension Stokers commit to comply with our obligation to auto enrolment under the Pensions Act of 2008. Alternatively, we have a company pension scheme with Scottish Widows which is a great way to start saving for the future. We offer a fabulous matched contribution for all eligible employees. Your contribution percentage will be confirmed in your contract of employment. We’ll send you more details following your first pay date. Life Assurance If you choose to take on the Company Pension Scheme (not the default auto enrolment scheme) you will automatically be enrolled into our generous Life Assurance Scheme, which is a Company-paid benefit. In the unfortunate event of an employee’s death whilst in service, the Life Assurance pays out a sum to a nominated loved one of your choice on completion of an Expression of Wish form, which will be sent to you from Scottish Widows directly after your first pay. Staff Discount We offer a very generous Staff Discount Scheme, to ensure you have the best furniture in your homes too! After successful completion of the probationary period (6 months), all employees are entitled to a discount on goods bought for their own use. The items are provided to you at cost price +10% and VAT. There may be restrictions on some types of stock so make sure you liaise with your line manager before you fall in love with the furniture. Our scheme applies to all employees and scheme details can be found in the Staff Discount Policy. We reserve the right to amend the savings amount at any time. Family Discount We also want to attract your family to shop with us too, so they can also access a Stokers Family Discount which provides your family with savings. Please note family members will not be eligible to the ‘Staff Discount’. Discounts vary on the product ranges, please liaise with your line manager for details.

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Our Mental Health Commitment Stokers believe that talking about mental health is vital to change the way that an afflicted person feels. If you think you may be suffering with a mental illness, such as stress, please make sure you speak with your line manager or HR so we can help Employee Assistant Programme (EAP) We also provide access to a free service which provides you with unlimited access to advice, information, coaching and counselling on anything you may struggle with. Whether it be coping with depression, loss, financial issues, divorce, benefits, retirement or even your mortgage this helpline is there for our employees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service is here to help you manage all of life’s events and support you through the challenges. You have access to expert advisers who are here to help, whenever you need them. Support can be either on the telephone, online or face to face.

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you through it by thinking of adjustments or solutions. If you don’t feel comfortable speaking with anyone at work initially, the EAP is a fantastic support. Tackling it quickly is so important and we have no stigmas at Stokers, so please feel at ease talking to your support network. Bonus, Incentives and Commission At Stokers we aim to reward our employees for excellent results and from time to time offer bonuses or incentives schemes. These schemes are designed to reward you for your contribution to our success, whilst helping us to achieve excellent results. Commission and bonus schemes are discretionary, which means they are not a contractual right and can be withdrawn or amended at any time. Stokers reserves the right to withhold bonus payment to an employee who has a current disciplinary warning, is under poor performance management, has received poor appraisal rating, has an unacceptable sickness record or is under notice of termination of employment.

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Be In The Know

This section tells you about the things you may not need every day, but you need to know them!

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Attendance There may be occasions when you are either unexpectedly late or are prevented from coming to work due to sickness or another justifiable reason. On your first day of absence it is essential that you telephone your line manager or, if he or she is not available, the next senior person as soon as possible before your start time and no later than 30 minutes after the normal opening time of your store or department. Sending a text or email is not an acceptable way of notifying absence. Only in exceptional circumstances should you ask someone else to contact your line manager on your behalf. When you call, you’ll need to confirm the following information: • The reason for your absence. • How long you think you will be absent from work. • In the event of illness if you have visited the GP or have scheduled an appointment. • When you will next make contact with your line manager. In the case of prolonged sickness, you should contact your line manager every day until a medical certificate/fit note is provided, to keep him or her informed of your progress. When you return from a period of absence, it is usual practice for your line manager to discuss the reasons for your absence within a return to work meeting and you may be asked to complete a self-certification form. If the absence is related to illness and is likely to exceed, or exceeds 7 consecutive days you must obtain a medical certificate/fit note to cover you from the eighth consecutive day. Please note that you may be required to provide a medical certificate even if your absence does not last this long. Unauthorised Absence (AWOL) Where absence from work is not supported either by a timely and acceptable explanation, pre-booked annual leave or by your line manager’s authorisation, you will be considered as AWOL and may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

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Statutory Sick Pay Statutory Sick Pay will be paid to you through the payroll. It can be paid for a period of up to 28 weeks, as long as your earnings have been high enough to pay National Insurance contributions and subject to the minimum earning requirements set out by the Department for Work & Pensions. Statutory sick pay begins from the 4th day of absence after 3 unpaid working days. Prolonged or Persistant Absence Where an employee is off continually for a period of 4 weeks or more due to illness, it is considered as long term sickness. Your line manager will advise the HR Department of your absence and it will be managed in conjunction with HR and your line manager. This will also apply if an employee is repeatedly off sick with short term absences. Absence Monitoring Whilst the monitoring of absence is a continuous process, Stokers have implemented a trigger level to identify when your absences have reached a level that is deemed unacceptable. For more details on this process please review the Sickness Absence Policy within this Handbook. Medical & Dental Visits Wherever possible, appointments with doctors, dentists or the hospital should be made outside your normal working hours or during usual days off. However, we realise that this may not always be possible, therefore you should agree with your line manager a mutually convenient time for the appointment with the least possible disruption to your working day. Flexible Working A flexible working request can be made if an employee has over 6 months service with Stokers. A request could be to change your hours of work, place of work or patterns of work. Any request must be made in writing and under our Flexible Working Procedure which can be found within this handbook.

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Electronic Communication Stokers reserves the right to retrieve, review, audit, intercept, access and disclose all messages created, received or sent by email for any purpose via work devices or work accounts. The contents of any email message may be disclosed to senior management without your permission.

Such actions will only be taken where there is a reasonable suspicion (supported by the Head of HR) of misconduct. Personal Circumstances

You must tell your line manager of any change to your personal circumstances. If you fail to do so, we will be unable to contact you in case of emergencies. These changes mainly include: Home address, contact numbers, next of kin and change of name. You can update these details yourself on Cascade, our interactive HR database. Driver Regulations It is the responsibility of all drivers to familiarise themselves with the UK Driver Regulations. If you are a Stokers’ Driver, you need to take all steps to ensure your hours are in line with the VOSA regulations by taking the compulsory daily and weekly rest breaks. For more information, please ensure you speak with your line manager or our Transport Manager. GDPR - General Data Protection Regulations Everyone has rights with regard to how their personal information is handled. During the course of its business activities Stokers will collect, store and process personal information about staff members, customers, suppliers and other third parties. Stokers recognises the need to treat this information in an appropriate and lawful manner. For more information regarding how your personal information is used and collected, please see our GDPR Policy.

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Be Safe

The health and safety of our staff is paramount. We are held responsible under Health and Safety Law for your health and safety at work. ‘What You Should Know’ posters are displayed in your place of work, which outline your and the Company’s responsibilities.

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Our Responsibilities To You • Provide and maintain safe work premises, equipment and a safe working environment. • Provide you with the information, training and supervision you need to work safely. • Provide you with our outsourced Health and Safety provider, Southalls and our health and safety representative. Your Responsibility As An Employee Take reasonable care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be effected by what you do. • Co-operate to enable us to comply with Health and Safety laws. • Take note of the Company’s Health and Safety policy and observe its equipment. • Participate in Health and Safety training when required. • Always follow your training and instructions in procedures; safe system of work and of equipment and materials. • Inform your line manager of any condition affecting your ability to work safely or any work situation involving serious or immediate dangers. • Inform your health and safety representative of any dangerous situation not effectively dealt with by your line manager. Southalls – Our Health and Safety Provider We have an online system called Safety Cloud which assists us in all our health and safety and compliance requirements, your line manager will go through this system with you. The system holds information and records like our Manual Handling, DSE and Fire Safety assessments.

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Risk Management We all have a responsibility to ensure that we prevent, as far as possible, injury, loss or damage to ourselves, customers and Company property. To this end, we all have a part to play in ensuring good housekeeping. This includes keeping your place of work tidy, disposing of waste materials sensibly, adhering to no smoking rules, not obstructing emergency exits or acting in a way that could endanger yourself, others or Company property. Day to day risk management and proactive risk reduction is something we should all do. It is your responsibility to tell your line manager about any changes in procedures, operations, activity or the environment that may increase risk. For example, asking for any PPE that you think you require. Theft In cases of suspected theft of Company property by a customer visiting the premises, you are on no account to apprehend the customer, but should report their actions immediately to the line manager, who will take necessary action. It is Company policy to seek the prosecution of all people suspected of theft. If an employee is involved in any type of theft, it will also result in disciplinary action, which may lead to summary dismissal.

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Communication

This section communicates… how we communicate! We have systems and practices in place to make sure we’re all on the same page, singing from the same hymn sheet, playing the same tune… and so on!

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Communication As a Stokers’ employee, you are expected at all times to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in all that you do including your communication with colleagues, customers and the public. These standards apply to communications that are verbal, written (e.g. memo, letter, report) and electronic (including, but not limited to fax, email, mobile phone text messages, telephone calls, voicemails or internet). Notice Boards

These are often used for displaying important information as well as news about events, store visits, training activities and business wide activities. In-Furniture The IN-FURNITURE Company site is your go-to place for information in regards to customer orders, it’s tailor made for Stokers. Whether you work in-store or our warehouses you will use it regularly and it will help you keep track of customer orders. Cascade We have an interactive HR Data base called Cascade, it helps you book your holidays online directly with your line manager and it’s where we store your payslips to save paper and postage! You can update your personal details yourself via the system, which is very user friendly you don’t need to be an IT Wizard!

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Newsletters Each quarter, the marketing team produce “Team Talk” which is an internal company newsletter communicating up and coming events, news, new starters to the business and anything that’s worth mentioning! Ideas Factory We want you to feel comfortable with forwarding suggestions or light bulb moments to us. Please communicate any ideas or suggestions you think would improve our business processes or practices to the HR Department. HR will then forward any fantastic ideas on to the relevant party to review and address. Meetings At Stokers, we don’t believe in meetings for meeting sake. Your line manager will have weekly team meetings with you to ensure you know what your objectives are for the week.

Communication is key both ways, from your line manager to you and from you to your line manager, so actively take part in the meetings and make sure you know everything you need to!

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Policies... Policies... and More Policies... Within this section you’ll find all of our Company policies and procedures. Some of them you will know and some of the topics will repeat a little from what you’ve already read, but our priority is to make sure you know our business rules and understand them. You can also find all of our policies and procedures on Cascade under ‘Documents’.

Stokers reserve the right to amend and or delete any of the policies or procedures at the sole discretion of the Company. Changes would be effective as of the date of their occurrence.

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ADOPTION LEAVE POLICY & PROCEDURE

INTRODUCTION This policy sets out the arrangements for adoption leave and pay for employees of Stokers who are adopting a child through either a UK or overseas adoption agency. POLICY Managers have a specific responsibility to ensure the fair application of this policy and all employees are responsible for supporting colleagues and ensuring its success. This policy does not apply to agency workers, consultants or self-employed contractors. This is a policy document and therefore does not form part of GENERAL PRINCIPLES The following are terms relevant to, and used throughout, this policy: Expected Placement Date: the date that a child is expected to be placed into the employee’s care with a view to adoption. Intended Start Date: the employee’s intended start date for adoption leave. Relevant Period: the 8 weeks ending with the Qualifying Week. Qualifying Week: the week in which the relevant adoption agency notifies the employee in writing of the match with a child. Employees are entitled to adoption leave if they meet all of the following conditions: • They are adopting a child through a UK or overseas adoption agency. • The adoption agency has given the employee written notice that it has matched them with a child for adoption and confirms the Expected Placement Date to the employee. • The employee has notified the adoption agency that they agree to the child being placed with them on the Expected Placement Date. • The employee has been continuously employed by Stokers for at least 26 weeks ending with the Qualifying Week. • The employee’s spouse or partner will not also be taking adoption leave through their employer. any employee’s contract of employment. Stokers may amend this policy at any time.

Employees are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave, which is divided into: • ordinary adoption leave of 26 weeks (“OAL”); and • additional adoption leave of a further 26 weeks immediately following OAL (“AAL”). OAL and AAL will be available provided employees comply with the notification requirements set out in this policy. After adoption leave, or instead of adoption leave, employees may be entitled to take shared parental leave in accordance with Stokers’ Shared Parental Leave Policy. Not more than seven days after the adoption agency notifies the employee in writing that it has matched them with a child, the employee must give Stokers notice in writing of the Expected Placement Date, and the Intended Start Date. Stokers will then write to the employee within 28 days to inform them of their expected return date assuming the employee takes their full entitlement to adoption leave. Once the employee receives a matching certificate issued by the adoption agency, they must provide Stokers with a copy. Starting Leave OAL may start on a predetermined date no more than 14 days before the Expected Placement Date, or on the date of placement itself, but no later. If an employee wants to change their Intended Start Date they should inform Stokers in writing. Employees should give the business as much notice as reasonably practicable, but wherever possible employees must tell the business at least 28 days before the original Intended Start Date (or the new start date if the employee is bringing the date forward). Stokers will then write to the employee to confirm their new expected return date. Shortly before adoption leave starts Stokers will discuss with the employee the arrangements for covering their work and the opportunities for remaining in contact, should the employee wish to do so, during their adoption leave. Adoption Pay Statutory adoption pay (“SAP”) is payable for up to 39 weeks. It stops being payable if the employee returns to work sooner or if the placement is disrupted. PROCEDURE Notification

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Terms and Conditions All the terms and conditions of employment remain in force during OAL and AAL, except for the terms relating to pay. In particular: • benefits in kind such as life insurance, health insurance and use of a company vehicle if applicable shall continue; • annual leave entitlement under the employee’s contract shall continue to accrue; and • pension benefits shall continue. During adoption leave, holiday entitlement will continue to accrue at the rate provided by the employee’s contract of employment. In some cases a period of adoption leave will last beyond the end of Stokers’ holiday year. Any holiday entitlement for the year that cannot reasonably be taken before starting adoption leave may be carried over to the next holiday year with prior permission from management. Any carried over holiday must be taken by the employee immediately before returning to work after adoption leave, unless the employee’s manager agrees otherwise. Carry over of holiday should be kept to a minimum, and ideally limited to one week’s holiday or less. Employees should discuss their holiday plans with their manager in good time before starting adoption leave. All holiday dates are subject to approval by the employee’s manager. During adoption leave, Stokers shall continue to make any employer contributions that the business usually makes for the employee into any relevant pension scheme. The contributions will be based on what the employee’s earnings would have been if they had not been on adoption leave, provided that the employee continues to make contributions based on (at least) the adoption pay they are receiving. If the employee wishes to increase their pension contributions to make up any shortfall from those based on their normal salary then they must contact the HR department to make the necessary arrangements. Keeping in Touch Stokers may make reasonable contact with the employee from time to time during their adoption leave. Employees may work (including attending training sessions) for up to 10 days during adoption leave without bringing their adoption leave or SAP to an end (“Keeping in Touch Days”). This is not compulsory and must be discussed and agreed in advance with the employee’s manager. Employees will be paid at their normal basic rate of pay for time spent working on Keeping in Touch Days, and

Adoption leave is disrupted if it has started but: • the employee is notified that the placement will not take place; • the child is returned to the adoption agency after placement; or • the child dies after placement. In case of disruption the employee’s entitlement to adoption leave and pay (if applicable) will continue for a further 8 weeks from the end of the week in which disruption occurred, unless the employee’s entitlement to leave or pay would have ended earlier in the normal course of events. Otherwise, employees are entitled to SAP if: • they have been continuously employed for at least 26 weeks at the end of their Qualifying Week and are still employed by Stokers during that week; • their average weekly earnings during the Relevant Period are not less than the lower earnings limit set by the government; and • they have given all of the relevant notifications detailed in this policy. SAP is paid at a prescribed rate which is set by the government for the relevant tax year, or at 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings calculated over the Relevant Period if this is lower. SAP accrues with each complete week of absence but payments shall be made on the next normal payroll date. Income tax, National Insurance and pension contributions shall be deducted as appropriate. If the employee leaves the business’s employment for any reason, they shall still be eligible for SAP if they have already been notified by an agency that they have been matched with a child. In such cases, SAP shall start on the later of: • 14 days before the Expected Placement Date; or • the day after the employee’s employment with Stokers ends. If the employee becomes eligible for a pay rise before the end of their adoption leave, they will be treated for SAP purposes as if the pay rise had applied throughout the Relevant Period. This means that the employee’s SAP will be recalculated and increased retrospectively, or that the employee may qualify for SAP if they did not previously qualify. If this happens, Stokers shall pay the employee a lump sum to make up the difference between any SAP already paid and the amount payable by virtue of the pay rise. Any future SAP payments will be increased if necessary.

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this will be inclusive of any SAP entitlement. Alternatively, the employee may agree with their manager to receive the equivalent paid time off in lieu. Returning to Work Once Stokers has been notified in writing of the employee’s Intended Start Date, it will send the employee a letter within 28 days to inform the employee of the date they are expected to return to work. This date will be 52 weeks after the Intended Start Date (the “Expected Return Date”). If the employee wishes to return to work earlier than the Expected Return Date, Stokers must be given 8 weeks’ prior notice of the new date in writing. Otherwise, the business may postpone the new date until 8 weeks after notice was given, or to the Expected Return Date if sooner. If the employee wishes to return later than the Expected Return Date, they should either: • request unpaid parental leave in accordance with Stokers’ Parental Leave Policy; • request shared parental leave in accordance with Stokers’ Shared Parental Leave Policy; or • request paid annual leave in accordance with their contract of employment, which will be granted at Stokers’ discretion. If the employee’s Intended Start Date has been changed, the business shall write to the employee within 28 days of the start of adoption leave with a revised Expected Return Date. Shortly before the employee is due to return to work, management may invite the employee to have a discussion (whether in person or by telephone) about the arrangements for their return. This discussion may cover: • updating the employee on any changes that have occurred at work during their adoption leave; • any training needs the employee might have; and • any changes to working arrangements. If the employee is unable to return to work following adoption leave due to sickness or injury, this will be treated as sickness absence and Stokers’ Absence Policy will apply. The employee is normally entitled to return to work in the same position as they held before commencing leave. The employee’s terms of employment shall be the same as they would have been had they not been absent. However, if the employee has taken any period of AAL or more than 4 weeks’ parental leave or shared parental leave, and it is not reasonably practicable for Stokers to allow the employee to return into the same position, the business

may give the employee another suitable and appropriate job on terms and conditions that are no less favourable. In the event that the employee’s post is affected by a redundancy situation occurring during adoption leave, the business shall inform the employee of any proposals and shall invite the employee to a meeting before any final decision is reached as to the employee’s continued employment. Employees on maternity, paternity, adoption or shared parental leave shall be given the opportunity to apply for any suitable alternative vacancies. Deciding not to Return If the employee does not intend to return to work, or is unsure, it is helpful if they discuss this with management as early as possible. If the employee decides not to return they should give notice of resignation in accordance with their contract. The amount of adoption leave left to run when notice is given must be at least equal to the employee’s contractual notice period, otherwise Stokers may require the employee to return to work for the remainder of the notice period. Once the employee has given notice that they will not be returning to work, they cannot change their mind without the agreement of the business. This does not affect the employee’s right to receive SAP. Flexible Working Stokers will deal with any requests made by employees to change their working patterns (such as working part-time) after adoption leave on a case-by-case basis. There is no absolute right to insist on working part-time, but employees do have a statutory right to request flexible working and the business will try to accommodate the employee’s wishes unless there is a justifiable reason for refusal, bearing in mind the needs of the business. It is helpful if requests are made as early as possible. The procedure for dealing with such requests is set out in Stokers’ Flexible Working Policy.

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