Policies & Procedures
These policies and procedures applies to all colleagues who are employees, regardless of status or length of service. These policies and procedures form part of an employee's contract of employment and it may be amended at any time. We may also vary the policies and procedures set out from time to time or in any individual cases as appropriate.
Frances Charles Leisure
Absence from Work
In the unfortunate event that you are unable to come into work due to illness or an accident, this is the process for letting us know: phone The Coast Bar & Dining Room and speak with the manager on duty on your first day of absence should your shift be after 3pm on the same day, should your shift be between 8am and 3pm you must notify the manager on duty the evening before your shift. You must remain in regular contact (at least once a week) throughout the absence period; and provide the appropriate certificates, either self certification for up to seven days absence or for absence over seven days a doctor’s certificate for the full duration of your absence. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s certificate for any period of absence even if this is less than seven days.
Punctuality
Punctuality is very important at Frances Charles and can have a large impact in the operations of the business. The time stated on the rota is the time that an employee must be in their section and ready for work. We expect all employees to arrive in plenty of time for their shift and be in their section before the start time in readiness to work. Should there be any external factors affecting your punctuality you must notify the manager on duty immediately by calling the business telephone number. The company keeps records of all employee's attendance and punctuality. Should there be two occasions of lateness to your scheduled shift the company may arrange a meeting to discuss this which could lead to disciplinary action.
Lateness
Lateness Measurement
Lateness is defined as not being in the designated work area and ready to begin work at the scheduled start time.
Employees must clock in using the Planday system, which records actual arrival times.
Any clock-in after the scheduled start time will be registered as lateness.
Expectations
Employees should arrive early enough to be ready to start work at their designated time.
If an employee anticipates being late due to unforeseen circumstances, they must notify their manager as soon as possible via the business telephone number.
Chronic lateness disrupts operations and may result in disciplinary action.
Actions for Lateness
Lateness occurrences will be monitored over a rolling three-month period, and the following measures will be taken:
Step 1: Verbal Warning
If an employee is late twice within a three-month period, a verbal warning will be issued by management.
The reason for the lateness will be discussed, and expectations will be reinforced.
Step 2: Written Warning
If an employee is late three times within a three-month period, they will receive a formal written warning.
The warning will be documented in the employee’s personnel file.
Step 3: Final Written Warning
If lateness occurs four times within a three-month period, a final written warning will be issued.
The employee will be informed that further occurrences could lead to disciplinary action, including suspension.
Step 4: Disciplinary Action
If an employee is late five or more times within a three-month period, this may result in a formal disciplinary meeting, which could lead to:
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Suspension
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Demotion
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Termination of employment, depending on the severity and impact on the business.
5. Appeals Process
Employees may appeal against a written warning or disciplinary action by submitting an appeal in writing to their manager within 5 working days of receiving the warning.
Appeals will be reviewed by senior management, and a final decision will be communicated within 7 working days.
6. Exceptional Circumstances
The company acknowledges that genuine emergencies and unavoidable incidents may cause lateness.
Management reserves the right to exercise discretion in exceptional cases where lateness is due to circumstances beyond the employee’s control.
Absence Without Leave (AWOL)
Purpose
This policy establishes clear guidelines on how Frances Charles Leisure manages cases where employees fail to attend work without prior notice or authorisation. The objective is to ensure fairness, consistency, and accountability while minimising disruption to business operations.
Definition of AWOL
Absence Without Leave (AWOL) is defined as failing to report for a scheduled shift without notifying management and without a valid reason. This includes:
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Not attending work and failing to communicate with management.
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Leaving work before the scheduled end time without approval.
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Extended absence beyond agreed leave without approval.
AWOL is considered a serious breach of employment terms and may result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.
Employee Responsibilities
Employees must notify their manager as soon as possible if they are unable to attend work.
In cases of illness, employees must follow the Absence & Sickness Policy by reporting absence before their shift begins.
If an emergency prevents prior notification, employees must inform management as soon as reasonably possible.
AWOL Case Handling
AWOL occurrences will be managed using the following procedure:
Step 1: Initial Contact Attempt
If an employee does not show up for work and has not made contact, management will attempt to reach them via phone, text, or email.
If the employee cannot be reached, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised absence (AWOL).
Step 2: Formal Written Warning
If an employee is AWOL for one shift, they will receive a written warning and be required to attend a meeting with management to explain the absence.
The absence will be documented in the employee’s personnel file.
Step 3: Final Written Warning
If an employee is AWOL for two shifts within a rolling three-month period, they will receive a final written warning.
They will be informed that further unauthorised absences may lead to dismissal.
Step 4: Disciplinary Action & Dismissal
If an employee is AWOL for three consecutive shifts, it may be considered job abandonment.
A formal disciplinary meeting will be scheduled, which could lead to termination of employment.
Appeals Process
Employees may appeal against a written warning or disciplinary action by submitting an appeal in writing within 5 working days.
Appeals will be reviewed by senior management, and a final decision will be communicated within 7 working days.
Exceptional Circumstances
The company recognises that unforeseen emergencies may prevent timely communication.
In exceptional cases, management reserves the right to exercise discretion when determining disciplinary action.
Job Abandonment
If an employee is AWOL for five consecutive shifts without any communication, the company may assume job abandonment and proceed with termination.
A final letter will be sent to the employee’s last known address informing them of their dismissal.
Accidents, Incidents and Dangerous Occurrences
All employees are responsible for ensuring that both they and employees under their management are aware of their obligation to report all accidents, near misses or potential hazards that may affect the safety of guests, employees or members of the public.
All accidents and near misses must be recorded through the Accident and Incident Reporting system (AIRS) on our intranet.
Accommodation
If you are provided with Company accommodation please read through our Accommodation Policy and the
accompanying Accommodation Agreement. Accommodation provided by us is solely in relation to your employment for the purpose of enabling you to perform your duties as an employee better and therefore remains the property of Frances Charles . It is not a tenancy agreement and does not form part of your contract of employment. Failure to adhere to the Accommodation Agreement or an eviction notice may lead to disciplinary action being taken.
Alcohol and Substance Abuse
As a responsible employer, we are committed to ensuring the welfare, safety and health of our employees. We recognise the potential hazards of working in the licensed trade, and take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of injuries or incidents occurring due to individuals suffering from the effects of alcohol and/or substance abuse.
Employees are not allowed to consume alcohol whilst at work and must not be under the influence of alcohol, solvents or similar substances such as “legal highs” or illegal drugs whilst in the workplace or on Company business. Employees are not allowed to possess or supply illegal drugs in the workplace or on Company business. Failure to adhere to our Alcohol and Substance Abuse Policy will be considered gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal.
Amending Terms and Conditions of Employment
We reserve the right to revise and amend terms and conditions of employment. When this is necessary all affected employees would be consulted with as appropriate and in line with any prevailing statutory requirements. Any amendments would be notified in good time.
Borrowing
The borrowing of Company cash, stock or equipment is strictly forbidden and any instances of this will be considered as gross misconduct which may result in summary dismissal. This includes the unauthorised issuing of “subs” to yourself or anyone else.
Bribery
Anyone providing services for or on behalf of the Company, including (but not limited to) employees, temporary workers, contractors and sub-contractors of the Company are bound by the Bribery Act 2010 legislation. The Act created four offences of bribery: 1) Giving bribes; 2) Receiving bribes; 3) Bribing a foreign public official; and 4) Corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery. For further information and guidance regarding the Bribery Act please refer to our Ethics Policy.
Bullying and Harassment
At Frances Charles we believe that the workplace should be free from bullying, intimidation, harassment, victimisation and discrimination. Harassment and bullying is considered by us to be any physical, verbal or non-verbal behaviour that is unwanted and/or offensive and which creates an intimidating or humiliating working environment that undermines employee dignity in or relating to the workplace. Behaviour of this nature will not be accepted and for the initiator may be considered to be gross misconduct, warranting summary dismissal.
All employees have a responsibility to ensure that their own behaviour complies with the law, our policy represents good practice. Where possible, any employee suffering harassment or bullying should indicate to the individual concerned that the behaviour in question is unwanted and should stop. Where this is not possible, or if the employee feels that they require further support, the employee should approach either their line manager or the HR team to discuss further action that can be taken. If this informal approach fails employees should make a formal complaint using the Grievance procedure. All complaints will be dealt with seriously, sensitively and in the strictest confidence. For more details please refer to our Bullying and Harassment Policy.
Care of Property
Employees are expected to maintain a reasonable level of care and security of personal items in their possession whilst at work or on Company premises. We cannot accept responsibility for personal property that is lost, stolen or damaged on our premises. Employees are expected to maintain a reasonable level of care and security of Company property in their possession at any time. Failure to take appropriate care of Company property and premises may result in a personal liability to replace the item(s) and, in some instances, disciplinary action.
On leaving us you are required to return in a good condition any Company property such as PC equipment, uniforms, documents, manuals, utensils, tools, books etc. The Company reserves the right to make an appropriate deduction from any wages or other payments owed by the Company in respect of any Company property that is not returned or is not returned in a satisfactory condition. Please refer to our Accommodation Policy for more information.
Changes to Personal Details
We always want to ensure that we pay you correctly and it’s required by law to ensure that our records are up to date and that we have accurate contact details in case of an emergency. Therefore, please ensure that you update your personal details within your profile on Planday and ensure that you notify us by emailing hr@francescharles.com that changes have been made.
• Bank address, sort code and account number
• Home address and telephone number
• Mobile number
• Email address
• Marital status
• Name
• Next of kin – name, address and relationship
• Registration as a disabled person
• Eligibility to work
Communication with the Press and Media
or Enforcement Agencies
For the Company and your own best interests, employees must not make comments or answer questions from the press/media as an employee or representative of Frances Charles. Please refer any requests from newspapers, radio stations or TV companies for interviews, filming or photography to the Company’s Head Office Team on 01983 297 230.
If a request is made by an Enforcement Officer (e.g. Environmental Health Officer, Police Officer, Trading
Standards, Local Authority Officers etc) for a Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) interview, whilst their
enquires must not be obstructed, before agreeing you are advised to seek the legal representation which
you are entitled to. Employees are not authorised to answer any questions on Company policy. Employees
are required to notify their line manager without delay should they receive a request for an interview.
Compassionate Leave
In the unfortunate event that an immediate member of your family dies, your line manager may authorise a reasonable level of paid absence. Immediate family is usually considered to be a spouse/long term partner, parent, son or daughter. The extent of paid absence provided is at the discretion of and will be confirmed by the line manager. Please refer to our Attendee and Absence Management Policy for more information.
Confidential Information
Employees who have confidential, technical or commercial information (including product specifications) about Frances Charles are in a position of trust. It is a term of your employment that such information must not be used for personal gain nor disclosed outside normal channels within Frances Charles. The unauthorised disclosure of confidential information relating to work to a third party or to other unauthorised employees is considered to be gross misconduct and may result in summary dismissal.
At the end of employment, all business related manuals, files and other documents (including electronic or other copies) must be returned. After employment you will remain contractually bound not to disclose or make use of any confidential information or trade secrets that could result in the Company being compromised or damaged commercially or in reputation. This restriction does not apply to any confidential information which is or comes into the public domain other than through the employee’s unauthorised disclosure and does not prevent the employee from making a protected disclosure within the meaning of section 43A of the Employment Rights Act 1996.
Conflict of Interests
At Frances Charles we would like you to be 100% committed to us and our success so please don’t undertake any external work or activity that could be held to be in competition with, or in any way conflict with, the business interest of Frances Charles. If you are working within any other business, whether on a paid or voluntary basis please let your line manager know.
You should not have any financial interest in, or involvement with, any competing business or supplier other than via ownership of shares in companies listed on the Stock Exchange and if your family or close friends are involved with competing businesses or supplier agreements where that involvement could be seen as a potential conflict of interest then please let us know.
If you have a personal/intimate relationship with another employee where one of you could influence authorisation procedures relating to the placing of orders, signing off of expenditure or career/salary progression decisions of the other, then you must let your head of department and know straight away.
Failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest will be considered a serious disciplinary offence that may
be subject to summary dismissal. Further information is available in our Ethics Policy.
Criminal Convictions and Court Orders
Prior to taking up a position with Frances Charles you are required to inform your line manager of any previous convictions including motoring offences, County Court Judgments, or Criminal Compensation Orders, which still need to be declared (i.e. not spent). You also need to tell us if you have ever been declared bankrupt or are listed on the Sex Offenders Register. You must advise us of any subsequent arrests, charges or convictions, pending prosecutions or bankruptcy, which occurs during your employment, within seven days. If you are arrested a full investigation will be undertaken at such a point as the Company deems appropriate. Disciplinary action, which may include dismissal, may be taken if the alleged offence and/or sentence have an impact on your work, or which destroys trust and confidence, causes the Company to lose confidence in your integrity, is unacceptable to other employees or has the potential to bring the Company into disrepute. In addition failure to notify us may result in disciplinary action being taken against you, which could lead to summary dismissal.
Criminal Convictions and Court Orders
We are regulated by the Data Protection Act 1998 and therefore all personal data referring to suppliers, guests and employees must be obtained and processed fairly, kept secure and be accurate and up to date. Data must not be disclosed to unauthorised persons or used for purposes other than the legitimate purpose(s) for which it was collected. Any unauthorised disclosure or negligence in relation to data protection may result in disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal. Employees can incur criminal liability if they knowingly or recklessly obtain and/or disclose personal information without our consent. See our Data Protection Policy for further details.
Deductions from Pay
With the exception of statutory deductions e.g. PAYE, National Insurance, Court Orders, employee pension contributions, overtaken holidays and any deductions specified in your contract of employment, all other deductions from your pay must be authorised by you. It is a term of your employment that deductions may be made from your pay in respect of the following:
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Cash and/or stock deficiencies where an investigation has identified that the losses are as a direct result of your failure to follow Company procedures or dishonesty
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Any losses sustained in relation to Company property caused through carelessness, negligence or dishonesty
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Any damages, expenses or any other monies paid or payable by the employer to any third party for any act or omission for which you may be deemed vicariously liable you whether made by mistake or through any misrepresentation or otherwise
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Any amounts of remuneration, expenses or any other payments (statutory, discretionary, etc) which are overpaid to
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Any arrears in respect of council tax or the provision of accommodation howsoever accrued
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On termination of employment any holiday pay paid to you in respect of holiday granted in excess of your accrued entitlement
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Replacement of unreturned uniforms
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Any other sums that you may owe to the Company on termination
Where a cash and/or stock deficiency is identified in the final routine audit checks completed in the event of a GM or salaried team member leaving the business, if after due investigation or consideration the Company believes the deficiency is due to negligence or deliberate action on the part of the leaving employee, the Company reserves the right to deduct the total identified losses (at cost) from final pay, including any accrued holiday entitlement. Where the final salary payment including any accrued holiday entitlement is not sufficient to recoup the loss and the GM or salaried team member fails to repay the amount in full, the Company will instruct a debt recovery service to recoup the loss. Depending upon payroll timing this may result in payment of any final salary being delayed while final audit checks are being completed.
Disciplinary
The Disciplinary and Grievance policy is designed to help and encourage all employees to realise their potential by achieving the standards of performance, conduct and attendance acceptable to Frances Charles. It will ensure that all parties are fully aware of the standards that are expected and the potential penalties for failing to maintain that standard. The disciplinary procedure is intended to be corrective rather than penalising and the emphasis (except in instances of gross misconduct) will be to correct actions and return to an acceptable standard of conduct, performance or behaviour. The procedure also aims to prevent undisciplined or unreasonable behaviour by a minority of employees adversely affecting the achievement of business objectives or interfering with the establishment and maintenance of effective working relationships. See our Disciplinary and Grievance Policy for further details.
Discount
We offer an employee discount scheme where you receive 50% off any food item whilst on shift. We also extend 25% discount to products in our retail store Staples & Green. To take advantage of any of our employee discount schemes please speak with your line manager.
Dress and Appearance
All employees are expected to be clean and smart at all times with high standards of personal hygiene. Where provided or specified, uniforms and health and safety clothing must be worn. Further information regarding uniform requirements can be found here.
Email and Internet Use
We provide internet and intranet services to be used for business purposes only. From time to time we may monitor electronic communications on our systems sent or received by you regardless of the nature of those communications, and all material downloaded by you from the internet. This includes the content of personal folders. All employees are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their own passwords and must not share this information with anyone else. Please ensure you are familiar with and adhere to our IT Acceptable Use Policy and Social Media Policy.
Environmental Responsibility
We are committed to improving our overall impact on the environment through leadership and the integration of responsible practices. All employees are responsible for ensuring that these values are maintained at all times. We are particularly concerned about reducing our carbon footprint by minimising greenhouse gas emissions. All employees are expected to ensure that energy usage including gas, electricity, oil, water, transport and waste materials are managed to minimise our environmental impact.
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to providing a working environment and conditions where all employees are treated equally and on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, colour, and ethnic or national origin, disability, social-economic background, religious or political beliefs, family circumstances (including pregnancy, maternity), age, gender re-assignment, marital circumstances, sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction. Discrimination, in any form, is unacceptable and any breach of our Recruitment and Selection Policy is considered a disciplinary offence, which, dependant upon the severity may be considered gross misconduct warranting summary dismissal.
All employees have a personal responsibility to own, promote and adhere to the policy by treating all job applicants, fellow employees and guests fairly and impartially. In employment terms our policies will ensure that all employees are treated equally in respect of recruitment, training, promotion and access to benefits. If you have any questions regarding this policy, your own or another employee’s
actions please discuss them with your line manager.
Food Safety and Hygiene
It is the responsibility of the site management team to ensure that they and all employees are aware of food safety and hygiene legislation and they follow the correct procedures and practices and take appropriate precautions whilst carrying out their duties. All employees must be made aware of the essentials of food hygiene before starting work in one of sites for the first time. Any breach of these responsibilities may lead to disciplinary action being taken. Please refer to our Food Hygiene Level 2 training program within FrancesCharles.com.
Garden Leave
At any time after notice of termination has been given (by either party) we may decide that it is appropriate to place you on “garden leave” for the remainder of your contractual notice period. The terms of this garden leave may vary depending on your role and the circumstances. The detail of the arrangements that could apply to you will be included in your contract of employment. You will continue to be paid salary and be provided with contractual benefits during any period of garden leave in the usual way (you will not be entitled to accrue or receive any bonus or commission during garden leave).
Grievance
The grievance procedure is available to all employees who believe that they have been unfairly treated. It provides the opportunity to have their complaint heard and be provided with an explanation or further support. In the first instance employees should discuss their grievance with their line manager and ideally, the grievance will be resolved informally at this level. If it is not possible to resolve the issue the grievance procedure should be followed. Full details can be found in our Disciplinary and Grievance Policy.
Health and Safety
It is our policy to promote safe working conditions and a healthy environment in all our pubs and premises. The Company’s statement on health and safety is contained in the Be Safe, Legal and Compliant manual. A copy of this will be made available to all employees. Please ensure you have read and understood this statement and your responsibilities. Any breach of the responsibilities set out in the manual is may lead to disciplinary action being taken.
All employees have a legal responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to pay attention and adhere to the contents of any statutory warning, informatory notices, training and instruction provided and to carry out regular risk assessments of your workplace with your line manager and point out any potential areas of risk.
Holiday Entitlement
Your annual holiday entitlement and method of calculation is detailed in your contract of employment and will depend on your role and the number of hours/days per week you work. When considering when to take your holiday please follow these guidelines:
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You must give three weeks notice when requesting holiday
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You must speak with your line manager and also request your holiday by submitting a request via this website on your Employee Dashboard
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Holiday must be used in the current holiday year
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You must have accrued your holiday in order for your holiday to be approved
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Holiday requests must be for a full one week period (i.e. from Monday to Sunday)
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You should not normally take a continuous period of holiday of more than two weeks
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Holidays should not be booked or paid for until your holiday request has been authorised by your line manager
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Holidays for employees working in our sites cannot normally be taken during key trading periods such as July, August, September and Easter.
Hours of Work
Your hours of work are included in your contract of employment. The Company is aware of the requirements of the Working Time Regulations and considers that excessive hours of work are not in the interests of either the business or its people. General Managers are considered to be covered by the ‘unmeasured working time’ provision of the Working Time Regulations 1998 as their hours of work cannot be measured or predetermined.
Insurance
We have an Employer’s Liability Insurance scheme that covers employees during the course of their duties. The scheme does not cover personal effects and the Company cannot be responsible for the loss of or damage to personal belongings. Cover for personal possessions are a personal responsibility and are of particular importance if you are occupying Company accommodation.
Maternity
If you become pregnant please let your line manager know as soon as possible after your pregnancy is confirmed. This will ensure that you receive your statutory maternity rights based on current legislation. The law covering maternity is subject to change from time to time. For further information please refer to the maternity section of the Family Friendly Policy or contact the head office team.
Licensing and Legal Responsibility
GMs are required as a condition of their employment to hold a Personal Licence under the Licensing Act 2003 enabling the sale of alcohol in the site and ensure they adhere to the conditions of this Licence at all times. A breach by the Licence holder of the Licensing Act 2003/Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 or Company procedures relating to the Licence or suspension or loss of any Licence may result in the termination of employment.
The GM should ensure that the most up to date copy of the Premises Licence is kept on site; the most up to date Premises Licence Summary is displayed; and the Nomination Notice is completed and displayed on site.
The GM must ensure that the premises are run in accordance with the Premises Licence and that all conditions of the Licence are complied with at all times.
Medical Examination
In respect of any ongoing or intermittent absence or illness, we reserve the right either to require an employee to undergo a medical examination by a doctor appointed by the Company or to request your permission to obtain a detailed report from your own doctor. We take such action as we consider reasonable based upon the information provided by the doctor.
Should you fail to attend an appointment or do not allow us access to your medical records, we reserve the right to make a decision based upon the information that we can reasonably obtain.
If you don’t attend an arranged medical appointment you will be liable for any costs incurred as a result of your non-attendance. You may also be subject to disciplinary action and your sick pay may be withheld.
Mobility
To support the needs of the business and to aid career development it may sometimes be necessary to move employees between sites and sites owned by Frances Charles. Where this is the case your line manager will discuss the move with you and provide as much notice as possible.
National Insurance Numbers
All employees are required to provide evidence of their National Insurance Number or proof of application before they start work with Frances Charles. Where an individual has made an application for a National Insurance Number the issued National Insurance Number must be provided to Frances Charles within 90 days of their start date with the Company or their employment will be terminated.
Contact
Frances Charles Leisure Limited
15 Shooters Hill, Cowes, Isle of Wight, PO31 7BG
01983 297 230