Employee Handbook

Staffing Division

Since 1983 TERRA Staffing Group has been connecting local talent with the area's top companies for temporary and temporary to hire assignments, and direct hire placement.

At TERRA you are a valued associate and your job satisfaction is very important to us. We believe that your success is our success.

This handbook has been prepared to help answer common questions and will inform you of important company policies. It also outlines the expectations we can have of each other in our employment relationship. If you have any questions about your employment with TERRA, please contact us. We are always here to help.

You've joined an award-winning staffing company that works with many of the finest employers in the Pacific Northwest. We are daily committed to exceeding our clients' expectations and remaining their first choice in staffing services. Our goal is to help our clients be more productive and profitable by sending our best field employees to work there on job assignments. While on assignment you will be representing TERRA through your work performance. Working together we can ensure our clients get the best possible service which can mean more job opportunities for you.

Our goal is to build a mutually beneficial working relationship with you. In this booklet we've provided you with important information to get you off on the right foot and help you to be successful as a TERRA employee.

Your employment status with TERRA is "at will." Any position you accept as a temporary employee will be an interim position. Upon successful completion of each assignment, TERRA will attempt to find another assignment for you but we cannot guarantee we will be able to do so. Please contact us as soon as you know your job assignment is ending to inform us of your availability for another assignment. Our hope is to keep you as busy as you would like to be.

Following the end of each assignment we expect you to contact your local TERRA office at least weekly to inform us of your availability and to check on current job opportunities. Failure to contact us regularly will indicate you have quit and we will inactivate your file. If you decide to return to an active status, you may simply call and notify us of your availability for work. At that time we will inform you of any additional information needed or steps required to reactivate your file.

We will notify you about job assignments that are a suitable match with your skills, experience, availability and commute preferences. Job assignments vary in duration lasting for a few days, weeks or even months. The expected length of the job will be discussed with you prior to each assignment.

You will be provided information about the client company, parking, dress code, hours, job duties and expectations. Be sure to call your TERRA representative with any questions you may have about your job. We are here to help you be successful.

You will be paid an hourly wage while on assignment and pay rates can vary from job to job. You must report accurately all hours worked including any overtime (over 40 hours worked in one week). Overtime is paid at time and one-half.

While on the job you will record your hours either on a TERRA timecard or possibly a client timesheet. You will be told before you begin an assignment how to record and report your time.

Timecards are due in our office by 8:00 a.m. Monday. Turning in a late or incomplete timecard may delay your pay for that week. Should you ever have a question or problem with your pay, contact us immediately so we can resolve it quickly with a minimum of inconvenience to you. Our in-house payroll team is committed to helping you get paid correctly and on time.

Payday is every Friday and you will receive your pay electronically either by:

1. Direct Deposit to your bank account, OR
2. PayCard, an option for employees who do not have a bank account. A PayCard works like a debit card for ATM withdrawals and for point of sale purchases. A TERRA representative will provide you enrollment information and forms.

An Earnings Statement detailing your gross pay, net pay and deductions will be emailed to you each Friday that you are paid. If you do not have an email address, you can request a copy of your statement from your local TERRA office.

Be sure to report any change of mailing address to your local TERRA office so you will receive your annual W-2 form without delay.

Six (6) paid holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. To qualify, you must work 584 hours within the 15 weeks prior to the holiday and be on an active assignment and work no less than 1 hour during the week of the holiday.

Direct Deposit and optional PayCards: Your weekly pay is safely and securely deposited and ready for you first thing Friday morning. This service is free to you.

Medical Insurance: You have access to major medical coverage with a choice of options and at reasonable rates. Ask your TERRA representative for details.

1. Be on time, ready to work at start of each workday. Work exactly the hours assigned and put forth your best effort every day.
2. Dress appropriately for the client worksite and the work you'll be doing. We will tell you of any special dress code before you start.
3. Be professional and courteous when dealing with client supervisors and employees. Always take a positive attitude to work with you.
4. Observe all company safety rules, break schedules, parking and security regulations and rules concerning smoking.
5. Be sure to ask questions concerning your job duties to be certain how the job is to be done.
6. You are responsible for the proper care, use, and safe return of any safety equipment provided to you. If a job site requires an I.D. badge, you are responsible to have your badge with you and wear it visibly during your shift.
7. Good communication is essential to your success as a TERRA employee. Be sure to call your TERRA office to:
   • Notify us if you will be late or unable to report for work.
   • Inform us if your job is extended a longer period of time.
   • Let us know if your job duties change.
   • Have any overtime hours authorized by TERRA.
   • Tell us if the client has offered to hire you directly. We can assist you in the process if you are interested in the opportunity.
   • Report any concerns about safety, workplace harassment, or your work duties to TERRA immediately.
   • Report when you've had an accident on the job. You must tell your supervisor and contact TERRA immediately.
   • Notify us when your job is ending.
   • Confirm your availability each week you are not on assignment. If you do not contact us at least weekly we will presume you are unavailable or not interested in working and your file will be deactivated.

TERRA is committed to maintaining a work environment free of unlawful discrimination and harassment and will not tolerate harassment of its employees by any client supervisor, co-worker or vendor. This commitment applies to everyone involved in TERRA's corporate and branch operations. TERRA is committed to complying with all applicable laws providing equal employment opportunity to all individuals.

TERRA is an equal opportunity employer and makes employment decisions on the basis of merit, qualifications, potential and competency. TERRA's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or medical condition, except where physical fitness is a valid occupational qualification, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.

If you experience or witness harassment of any kind in the workplace, please report it immediately to your TERRA supervisor, Division Manager or the Human Resources Dept. TERRA will promptly and thoroughly investigate your complaint and seek a timely and reasonable solution.

The use, possession, solicitation or sale of narcotics or other illegal drugs, alcohol, or prescription medication on company or customer premises or while performing a job assignment is strictly forbidden. Being impaired or under the influence of these substances on company or customer premises will be grounds for discipline up to and including termination.

A drug screen may be required by some TERRA clients prior to or during the course of some assignments. TERRA reserves the right to require a drug screen if you are involved in and accident while on the job.