HR Policy Manual_Revisions Up to 19[1].8.08

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Human Resources Policies Manual Reference: PP/HR/002

THE HUMAN RESOURCESPOLICIES & PROCEDURES MANUAL

Revision No. PP/HR/002 Date of Issue August 2008

Issued By Approved By

Signature Signature

Table of Contents

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1. The Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual Principles andGuidelines

Pages 5 - 61.1 Applicable Law1.2 Guiding Principles and Layout

1.3 Definitions1.4 Administration of the Manual

2. Employment Rules and Regulations

Pages 7 - 82.1 Recruitment and Hiring2.2 Joining and Repatriation Expenses2.3 Resignation2.4 Termination of Services2.5 Terminal Settlement

3. Work SchedulePage 93.1 Working Hours3.2 Time Keeping3.3 Overtime

4. Probation, Induction and Training and Development

Pages 10 - 134.1 Employee Probation4.2 Induction4.3 Job Related Training4.4 Career Development4.5 Emiratisation4.6 Career Pathways

5. Employee Salary and Allowances

Pages 14 - 195.1 Basic Policy5.2 Job Banding5.3 Employee Salary and Allowances5.4 Basic Salary5.5 Salary Reviews5.6 Housing Assistance

5.7 Transportation Allowance5.8 Childrens Education Assistance5.9 Living Allowance

6. Employee Benefits

Pages 20 - 22

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6.1 Basic Policy6.2 Life, Personal Accident and Medical Cover6.3 Loans and Salary Advance6.4 Business Related Calls6.5 Annual Ticket6.6 Pension and Retirement Scheme for UAE National Employees

6.7 End of Service Benefits for Expatriates

7. Employee Leave

Pages 23 - 267.1 Annual Vacation7.2 Public Holidays7.3 Haj Leave7.4 Medical Leave7.5 Maternity / Paternity Leave7.6 Emergency Leave7.7 Unpaid Authorised Leave

8. Employee Business Travel

Pages 27 - 298.1 General8.2 Business Trips8.3 Per Diem Allowances & Hotel Standards8.4 Other Related Expenses8.5 Per Diem Calculation8.6 Credit Cards8.7 Day Travel within the United Arab Emirates

9. Performance Management

Pages 30 - 359.1 Basic Policy9.2 Responsibilities9.3 Principles of the Performance Management System9.4 Individual Objectives9.5 Organisational Competencies9.6 Performance Appraisal9.7 Performance Management Cycle9.8 Reward & Recognition

10. Discipline Policy

Pages 36 - 4010.1 Basic Policy10.2 Misconduct10.3 Gross Misconduct10.4 Disciplinary Process10.5 Verbal Warning Stage 110.6 Written Warning Stage 210.7 Final Written Warning Stage 3

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10.8 Dismissal Stage 410.9 Authority to Take Disciplinary Action & Records of Disciplinary Action10.10 Appeals Against Disciplinary Action

11. Grievance Policy

Pages 41 - 4211.1 Basic Policy11.2 The Grievance Hearing11.3 Escalation of the Grievance11.4 Additional Support11.5 UAE Federal Labour Law

12. Code of Conduct and Ethics

Pages 43 - 4512.1 Basic Policy12.2 Company Gifts12.3 Entertainments and Payoffs Offered to Waha Employees

12.4 Conflicts of Interest12.5 Conflicts of Commitment12.6 Confidential Information12.7 Equal Opportunities12.8 Dress Code12.9 Smoking12.10 Compliance

Appendices:i) Probation Assessment Formii) Confirmation of Service Template Letter

iii) Staff Leave & Travel Request Formiv) Leave Return Notification Formv) Duty Request Form

vi) Training Application Formvii) Appraisal Form for Executive Staff viii) Appraisal Form for Non-executive Staffix) Competency Dictionaryx) Personal Expenses Claim Formxi) UAE Federal Labour Law

1. The Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual - Principles andGuidelines

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1.1 Applicable Law

1.1.1 The Human Resources Policies and Procedures Manual is formulated within thelaws issued by the Federal Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

1.1.2 Waha Capital (Waha) follows Abu Dhabi Pension Scheme for UAE NationalEmployees.

1.1.3 The policies included in this manual are applicable except in cases where theFederal Law No. 8 regulating labour regulations or its amendments are morefavourable to employees.

1.1.4 The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) may from time to time independently or basedon recommendations from the Management Committee approve in writing

exceptions to these policies. Such exceptions however shall be of a non-recurrent nature, of small economic impact (not exceeding AED.50,000) andinclude reasonable justification.

1.2 Guiding Principles & Layout

1.2.1 This manual serves as a guide on employee related rules and regulations forboth management and employees.

1.2.2 Waha management is responsible to ensure that the policies and proceduresstated in this manual are communicated to and followed by all employees.

1.2.3 This manual is divided into different sections each numbered sequentially e.g. 2.Employment Rules & Regulations; each section has a number of sub-sectionse.g. 2.1 Recruitment and Hiring.

1.2.4 The procedures are contained in section 14 of this manual.

1.3 Definitions

1.3.1 Definitions of key terms used throughout the Human Resources Policies andProcedures Manual:

Term DefinitionWaha Waha Capital (Holding Company)

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CEO Chief Executive Officer Waha Capital

Senior Management Team Waha employees holding a Chief positionin any of the wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Management Committee Committee of 4 members, consisting of theCEO and 3 members of the SeniorManagement Team nominated by the CEO

and approved by the Board of Directors..Executives Job holders in Band A, B & CNon-executives Job Holders in Band D and below

Eligible Dependents Spouse and / or children of the employeeunder the age of eighteen (18) that fallunder legal guardianship of employee

Point of Origin City or town in the country of citizenshipbased on the employees passport

Full Board 3 meals per day and laundry serviceprovided

1.4 Administration of the Manual

1.4.1 This manual is the property of Waha. The Human Resources Managershall be responsible for the distribution of this manual and to maintain a record ofall copies issued.

1.4.2 The manual should be reviewed and updated as the need arises. TheHuman Resources Manager shall be responsible for recommendingmodifications, obtaining approval of the and updating the manual, includingdistributed copies.

2. Employment Rules & Regulations

2.1 Recruitment and Hiring

2.1.1 Employment priority will be given to UAE Nationals. However, if it is not possibleto source an appropriate UAE National candidate, internal promotions will beconsidered as well as external recruitment of an expatriate.

2.1.2 Recruitment planning should be based on both the long term and annual

manpower strategy and plan developed by the Human Resources Manager inconsultation with the Management Committee.

2.1.3 If unplanned job vacancies or immediate recruitment needs occur during thecourse of the year, the concerned manager should initiate an employmentrequisition, detailing the reason for the new position.

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2.1.4 The employment requisition is forwarded to the Human Resources Manager whoshall submit it to the Management Committee for final approval.

2.1.5 Candidates should complete a thorough, fair, valid and reliable selection processin order to assess their qualifications, experience and competencies.

2.1.6 As a minimum, all short listed candidates will be interviewed by the prospectivemanager, the Human Resources Manager and at least one member of theManagement Committee.

2.1.7 For senior positions, it is recommended that short listed candidates areadditionally interviewed by all members of the Management Committee.

2.1.8 Candidates for Band A and B positions must also be interviewed and approvedby at least one member of the Board of Directors.

2.1.9 Additional selection tools may be applied such as psychometric test, in-basketexercises, English language tests etc.

2.1.10 For short-listed candidates whom Waha elects to invite for site visits / interviews,Waha will incur the costs associated with the visit such as airline tickets, hotels(Full Board) and other incidental expenses.

2.1.11 An employee who has previously left Waha may be re-engaged at the discretionof the Management Committee providing he / she has a satisfactory employmentrecord.

2.1.12 Waha does not, as a matter of policy, encourage employment of immediaterelatives.

2.2 Joining and Repatriation Expenses

2.2.1 Employees in job bands A, B, C & D who reside outside of the UAE at the time ofjoining Waha will be entitled to a relocation allowance as follows:

Job Band Entitlement in US$

A 15,000

B 12,500C 7,500D 4,000

2.2.2 Employees eligible for the relocation allowance will also be provided one-waytickets for self and Eligible Dependents from their country / city of residence atthe time of joining. These tickets can not be encashed.

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2.2.3 Expenses associated with the employees and their eligible dependentsemployment / residence visas will be borne by Waha.

2.2.4 Upon end of service, all expatriate employees and Eligible Dependents under thesponsorship of Waha will be entitled to repatriation tickets back to their Point ofOrigin.

2.2.5 The Point of Origin must be specified on the employment contract and is basedon the city or town in the country of citizenship based on the employeespassport.

2.2.6 The class of joining / repatriation tickets will be as per the following table:

Job Band Ticket Class

A First ClassB, C, D & E Business ClassF & below Economy Class

2.3 Resignation

2.3.1 When an employee submits a letter of resignation he/she elects to wilfullyterminate their service.

2.3.2 The employee shall submit a resignation to his/her direct manager.

2.3.3 The Human Resources Manager shall conduct an Exit Interview with theresigning employee to determine the reason(s) behind his/her resignation.

2.4 Termination

2.4.1 It is the intent and policy of Waha to retain and help develop its employees formore challenging and responsible positions, however, termination of service may occurfor a variety of reasons such as;

Separation: termination caused due to physical incapacity (where anemployees physical condition prevents him / her from carrying out his /her work) death or business conditions necessitating a reduction in thework force;

Dismissal: certain issues are regarded by Waha as so serious as to

warrant summary dismissal (i.e. with or without notice and with or withoutpayment of any applicable terminal benefits. These have been explainedin detail in the section on Code of Conduct & Ethics.

2.4.2 Terminations of Seconded Employees are dealt with in accordance with thepolicies and procedures of their respective parent companies to which all casesshould be referred.

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2.5 Terminal Settlement

2.5.1 Upon termination, the employee, or his / her beneficiaries in the case of death, isentitled to a terminal settlement as follows:

The basic salary and allowances up to the last day of service. If theemployee is delayed by the company for termination procedures beyondtermination date, the company shall provide the employee with theregular pay for the additional time involved;

Payment for earned vacation days that were not utilized when applicable;

End of Service Benefits (as mentioned in section 6);

Any other benefits the employee may be entitled to;

Ex-Gratia payment to the family of a deceased employee. The Ex-Gratiapayment is a two (2) months salary payment to be made to thedependents or next-of-kin of a deceased employee to assist them withimmediate expenses.

3. Work Schedule

3.1 Working Hours

3.1.1 Work schedule in Waha is Sunday to Thursday 8.30am 5.30pm, with a 1 hourbreak for lunch each day.

3.1.2 During the Holy Month of Ramadan, working hours will be reduced to 9.30am 3.30pm.

3.1.3 Waha working timings may be adjusted from time to time by the ManagementCommittee to meet business requirements.

3.2 Time Keeping

3.2.1 Employees are required to adhere to the official work schedule and are requiredto notify their direct supervisors in the event of absence from work for anyreason.

3.2.2 Employees are required to use their access cards to enter and exit the office sothat their attendance is recorded.

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3.2.3 Direct supervisors are responsible to ensure the punctuality of their direct reportsand to track their attendance; frequent repeated unauthorised absence and / orlateness may hold the employee subject to disciplinary action.

3.3 Overtime

3.3.1 Employees in Band G and below, who work in excess of 48 hours per week willbe eligible to overtime payment as approved by their direct manager,administered according to UAE Federal Labour Law.

4. Probation, Induction and Training & Development

4.1 Employee Probation

4.1.1 Newly hired employees shall be placed on probation for three (3) months at theend of which their employment will be confirmed in writing by the CEO uponsatisfactory performance. The probationary period may be extended up toanother three (3) months if necessary.

4.1.2 The probationary period will commence from the date the employee reports forduty. During this time, the employee or the organization may terminate theirrelationship in accordance with the provisions of the UAE Labour Law, i.e.without notice or indemnity.

4.1.3 Each manager is responsible to manage the performance of employees under

probation, under his/her direct supervision, and screen out marginal performers.The concerned manager shall conduct assessment of the employee on amonthly basis as well as at the end of the probationary period.

4.1.4 The confirmation / termination of employees in positions in Band C and belowshall be reviewed by the Management Committee and signed by the CEO.However, the confirmation / termination of employees in Band A and B positionsmust also be approved and countersigned by a member of the Board ofDirectors.

4.1.5 As a matter of policy, employees within their probationary period shall not beentitled to paid or unpaid annual leave or study leave; employee requests

regarding any type of leave during the probationary period should be referred tothe Human Resources Manager in the first instance, who will present the matterto the Management Committee for due consideration.

4.2 Induction

4.2.1 It is the responsibility of the employees manager to ensure the work place isprepared for the employee on his / her first day of work with Waha. In this respect

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the manager shall coordinate ahead of time with support areas such as HumanResources, Administration and Information Technology (IT) to ensure this isaccomplished.

4.2.2 The Human Resources Manager will ensure all new joining formalities arecompleted efficiently within the employees first week of employments such as

notification to payroll, registration of insurances, and orientation to the employeehandbook, etc.

4.2.3 Waha recognises the importance of ensuring new employees become asorientated and familiar to their job function and work area as quickly as possibleupon joining. It is the responsibility of the employees manager to ensure newemployees are familiarised and orientated to the specific policies, proceduresand work practices, both functionally and cross-functionally as necessary.

4.3 Job Related Training

4.3.1 Waha places high importance on the skills and competencies of its employeesand aims to ensure its employees are as knowledgeable and abreast of newtechnologies / methodologies in their respective areas as possible.

4.3.2 As part of the Waha Performance Management Process, training anddevelopment needs for all employees are evaluated on a semi-annual basisthroughout the work year. The manager and employee should discuss theemployees job-related training and development needs at that time, and themanager shall propose and document them (see Appendices - Appraisal Form)and forward to the Human Resources Manager for review and approval by theManagement Committee and incorporation in the annual training plan & budget.

4.3.3 For any other training programmes, the employee should gather relevantinformation including course descriptor, costs, dates, etc and forward thisinformation to their direct line manager (or to the HR Coordinator). The managerand/or HR Coordinator is then responsible for calculating total costs (includingtravel & per diem), making observations or supporting recommendations ifappropriate and submitting the request to the Management Committee. LineManagers / HR representatives should not at any point express an opinion to theemployee regards suitability of the training, nor probability of the training beingapproved.

4.3.4 All training requests will be reviewed and if appropriate, approved by theManagement Committee, who meets on a weekly basis. On receipt ofManagement Committee approval, the employee should complete a TrainingRequest Form in order to facilitate documented approvals, course registration,payment, associated travel arrangements, etc.

4.4 Career Development

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4.4.1 Waha is supportive of professional career development of all employees and assuch provides support in respect to the allocation of study leave.

4.4.2 Employees may avail of up to 7 days paid study leave per annum providing thefollowing criteria are met:

The employee has successfully completed his/her probationary period;

The study leave is used to attend seminars, lectures or exams that aredirectly related to the course / qualification they are undertaking;

The course / study undertaken by the employee is provided by arecognised, high calibre Education Institute as determined by theManagement Committee;

The employees direct manager proposes the period of leave to theManagement Committee for approval;

Employees submit a leave request form with accompanying supportivedocumentation detailing the purpose of the study leave to the HumanResources Manager.

4.5 Emiratisation

4.5.1 Waha is fully committed to the Emiratisation process and the career developmentof its UAE National employees.

4.5.2 It is the joint responsibility of employees direct manager and the HumanResources Manager to develop an Individual Development Plan (IDP) coveringboth short and long term employee development for UAE Nationals.

4.5.3 Human Resources will maintain all IDP records as well as facilitate anydevelopment activities.

4.5.4 UAE National employees may apply for Continuing Education support fromWaha; this includes payment by Waha of course and tutorial fees as well as anycompulsory course materials.

4.5.5 To apply for Continuing Education support, the following criteria must be met:

The course / qualification is a post graduate certificate / diploma ordegree that is relevant to the employees career plan as identified in theemployees IDP;

The number of hours required to complete the course / study period doesnot have a negative impact on the employees work commitment to Wahain respect to maintaining work standards and quality outputs.

4.6 Career Pathways

4.6.1 As the Waha organisation continues to grow and evolve, a number of careerpathways will become apparent within professional and technical specialistareas. At this stage, it is possible to define a career pathway with clear metrics

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and internationally recognised achievement hurdles, for those employed withinthe field of financial analysis.

4.6.2 The Analyst pool will comprise three levels which are differentiated by skills,years of experience and educational qualifications as the ManagementCommittee determines upon hire. However, the CFA shall be a determining

factor in moving up these levels, namely:

Analyst, who will be required to study CFA Level I & pass theexamination before moving to Senior Analyst

Senior Analyst, who should already possess CFA Level I & will berequired to study CFA Level II & pass the examination before moving toAssociate

Associate, who will already possess CFA Level II & will be required tofurther his/her education by completing either CFA Level III or a part-time/executive MBA programme, from a reputable Educational

Establishment , as approved by the Management Committee.

4.6.3 It is imperative that CFA and/or MBA studies are completed outside normalworking hours; employees following the Analyst Career Pathway will beexpected to give their full attention to day to day workload.

4.6.4 Analysts will be entitled to sit each CFA examination twice under the Companyssponsorship. Should they fail to achieve a pass mark upon the second sitting,the Analyst will have a formal performance review meeting with their linemanager to make recommendations to the Management Committee on theAnalysts future suitability for the role. As a matter of policy, Analysts recruited byWaha will initially operate as part of a pooled analyst resource in order to ensure

that they gain project based exposure to each of the different business verticalswhich currently comprise the Waha organisation (Leasing, Land, Maritime andFinancial Services).

5. Employee Salary and Allowances

5.1 Basic Policy

5.1.1 The purpose of this policy is to outline the companys intentions in terms ofemployee compensation, which is defined as the salary and benefits which anemployee receives for the work he /she does.

5.1.2 It is the policy of Waha to ensure compensation levels are internally equitable,externally competitive and follow a logical structure.

5.2 Job Banding

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5.2.1 All jobs are assigned to a job band as per the structure shown in the table below,where each Job Band refers to certain Allowances as set out in the next section:

Executive &Non-executive

Job Band Senior Management

ExecutiveA Senior

ManagementBC

Non-executive

DEFGH

5.3 Employee Salary and Allowances

5.3.1 The monthly salary comprises two components:

Basic Salary

Other Allowances

Detailed descriptions of these components follow hereafter

5.4 Basic Salary

5.4.1 All Waha employees with signed Employment Contracts/Job Offers are entitledto receive their salaries, after deductions and credits, paid monthly in arrears.This salary shall be payable in the form of a direct transfer into a bank account inthe United Arab Emirates, of the employees choice.

5.4.2 All Waha employees will be paid in UAE Dirhams.

5.4.3 A calendar year is deemed to consist of 365 days and a month of 30 days,unless otherwise specified in the employment contract.

5.5 Salary Reviews

5.5.1 Waha will ensure it remains abreast of market labour rates, locally andinternationally by obtaining reputable Compensation & Benefits Surveys on aregular basis. Employees salary rates will be benchmarked against this dataand adjustments made as necessary.

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5.6 Housing Assistance

5.6.1 Waha provides all employees with housing assistance which is intended tocontribute to the cost of accommodation for the employee and their dependents.

5.6.2 Employee eligibility for housing assistance will be as per the Waha HR Policyaccording to employee job band.

5.6.3 Waha provides housing assistance to eligible employees in the form of twelve(12) equal monthly payments in arrears, together with the salary.

5.6.4 Employees may elect to rent or purchase property in Abu Dhabi; thetenancy/purchase agreement shall be between the landlord and the employeedirectly.

5.6.5 Employees may request to receive an advance payment equal to 12 months ofthe housing assistance in order to settle their rent obligations.

5.6.6 Employees may elect to request an additional amount, over and above that oftheir annual housing assistance value in order to settle their rent cheque.

5.6.7 The overall amount requested (12 months housing assistance + additionalamount required) must not exceed 40% of the employees total cash; total cashcan be defined as basic salary plus all other cash allowances.

5.6.8 At the time of administering the advance payment/rent cheque the employee willbe required to submit an undertaking to repay the total amount over a period of12 months, through monthly debit from their salary.

5.6.9 Should the employee resign they are required to repay any outstandinginstalments relating to the additional allowance referred to in 5.6 (HousingAssistance).

5.6.10 If an employees entitlement changes due to promotion or changes in policy, theeligibility of the new housing assistance will start of the 1st day of the monthfollowing the event.

5.6.11 If the employee is terminated by Waha (for reasons other than grossmisconduct), the company will take full responsibility for outstanding monthlyinstalments relating to repayment of the rent cheque providing the employee no

longer resides in the property.

5.6.12 The following table provides a guideline on annual entitlements for housingallowance:

Job Band Annual Entitlement in AED.

A & B 300,000

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C 200,000D 120,000E 100,000F 48,000G 24,000H 9,000

5.7 Transportation Allowance

5.7.1 Employee eligibility for transportation allowance will be as per their contractentitlement; the following table provides a guideline on monthly entitlements fortransportation allowance:

Job Band Monthly Entitlement in AED.

A & B 5,000C 3,000D 2,000

E to H Not applicable

5.7.2 Waha provides the transportation allowance to eligible employees in the form ofa monthly payment in arrears together with the basic salary.

5.7.3 Waha as a matter of policy does not provide company cars to employees. Thetransportation allowance is provided in lieu of company cars. Employees mayelect to purchase a vehicle, in such cases the employee will be directlyresponsible for registering the vehicle in their name, arranging a personal car

loan if required as well as vehicle maintenance and fuel.

5.8 Childrens Education Assistance

5.8.1 Employee eligibility for childrens education assistance will be as per theiremployment contract/Job Offer terms and conditions. The following tableprovides a guideline of eligibility.

Job Band Annual Entitlement in AED.

A to E 80% of actual school feesF to H Not Applicable

UAE Nationals 100% of actual school fees

5.8.2 For the purposes of childrens education assistance eligible children must befrom the age of 3 up to the age of 18 years and will be limited to a maximum of 3children.

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5.8.3 Expatriate employees may elect to school their children outside the United ArabEmirates; in such cases reimbursement will be administered as per annualentitlement in AED, and will be capped to reflect the cost of international schoolfees in the UAE.

5.8.4 Costs include term fees inclusive of nursery schools, but exclude optional extratuition fees, uniforms, transport/school bus fees, expenses and discretionary orextra-curricular activities.

5.8.5 For new employees, the amount reimbursed for childrens education assistancewill be pro-rated to reflect the portion of the academic year which correspondswith the employees date of joining, (academic years may vary slightly accordingto specific schools).

5.8.6 Payment of childrens education assistance will be on reimbursement basis only.These will be paid directly to the employee against production of relevantreceipts, along with the next salary payment.

5.9 Living Allowance

5.9.1 Waha provides eligible employees with a living allowance in lieu of payment forutilities (water & electricity), residence telephone / internet, domestic help fees /sponsorship and club membership etc.

5.9.2 The living allowance is payable in 12 equal instalments on monthly basis inarrears with the basic salary.

5.9.3 The following table provides a guideline of eligibility for the living allowance:

6. Employee Benefits

6.1 Basic Policy

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Job Band Monthly Entitlement in AED.

A to C 4,000D 2,000

E to H Not Applicable


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6.1.1 The purpose of this policy is to outline the companys intentions in terms ofemployee welfare and benefits entitlements and administration.

6.1.2 It is the policy of Waha to ensure entitlement and administration of employeebenefits are internally equitable, externally competitive and follow a logicalstructure.

6.2 Life, Personal Accident and Medical Cover

6.2.1 All employees are eligible for life and personal accident insurance stated in theiremployment contract/Job Offer.

6.2.2 Waha provides comprehensive medical cover for all employees and their EligibleDependents by enrolling them onto the company insurance policy scheme.

6.2.3 The scope of medical cover may vary depending on the insurance providerselected by Waha as well as the entitlement stated in the employmentcontract/Job Offer. In general, the following exclusions will not be provided for:

Cosmetic Treatments

Fertility Treatments

Cosmetic dentistry

Non-prescription / Over the counter medicines

Dangerous sports

Selected pre-existing conditions

6.3 Loans and Salary Advance

6.3.1 Waha as a matter of policy does not provide personal loans or salary advancesto employees.

6.3.2 Should a Non-executive employee require a salary advance for the purpose ofgoing on vacation, they should in the first instance inform the Human ResourcesManager of their request. Approval for the advance will be taken from theManagement Committee.

6.3.3 At the employees request, the company will provide the employee with anaddressed salary certificate stating their basic salary and allowances; this is foradministration purposes and does not serve as a financial undertaking /

guarantee on the part of the company.

6.4 Business Related Calls

6.4.1 Band A & B employees will be provided with a fully expensed company mobiletelephone / blackberry & SIM card which is voice enabled for local & internationalcall as well as data enabled.

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6.4.2 Band C & D employees will have the ability to make business international callsfrom both their desk and mobile phones; however, they will be given a copy ofrelevant service provider invoices at the end of each month and will be requiredto review and sign the invoice after identifying non-business international callswhich will then be deducted from their monthly salary.

6.4.3 Employees in Bands E to H will have their devices enabled for data and localcalls only and will not be able to make international calls from their mobile orfixed-line devices. Should any employee in Job Band E to H be required to makeinternational calls as a routine element of their job role, their line manager shouldsend an email to the Human Resources Manager specifying the need forinternational dialling access.

6.4.4 Employees are encouraged to use company telephones for business calls onlyand make personal calls from their private phones.

6.5 Annual Ticket

6.5.1 All employees are entitled to annual ticket; class of travel & eligibility ofdependents as specified in their employment contract/Job Offer.

6.5.2 Annual ticket will be administered as a cash allowance, calculated upon thecurrent year published IATA rate, to the employees country of origin.

6.5.3 Country of origin is defined as the country of the employees passport/citizenship;in the case of dual nationality, country of origin will be agreed at the job offerstage, and specified in the employment contract/Job offer.

6.5.4 Typically, the cash allowance will be administered along with the January payrollfor each calendar year.

6.5.5 For those employees who join during the year, entitlement will be calculated on apro-rata basis according to the percentage of the year worked; the cashallowance will be administered upon successful completion of the probationaryperiod, along with the next payroll.

6.5.6 Employees who resign or are terminated during the course of the year will berequired to pay back ticket allowance on a pro-rata basis, according to thenumber of months worked in the year of resignation/termination.

6.6 Pension and Retirement Scheme for UAE National Employees

6.6.1 In accordance with statutory requirements, all UAE National employees areautomatically enrolled in the statutory pension scheme of Abu Dhabi which isadministered through the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund.

6.6.2 Waha contributes 15% of the employeessalaryand the employee contributes afurther 5%.

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6.6.3 The end-of-service benefits of UAE National employees, who have completedone year of service and who wish to encash their terminal benefits through theAbu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund shall be calculated based onthe last salaryearned at the following rates:

1.5 months salary for each of the first five (5) years of service

2 months salary for each of the next five (5) years

3months salary for the period thereafter

6.6.4 The end-of-service benefits of retired UAE National employees, who havecompleted one year of service, shall be calculated in accordance with theprovisions of the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund.

6.6.5 The benefit entitlement is based on the last basic salary and is calculated at thefollowing rates:

45 days salary for each of the first five (5) years of service

60 days salary for each of the next five (5) years

months salary for the period thereafter

6.7 End of Service Benefits for Expatriates

6.7.1 Waha provides an end of service benefit to Expatriates which is an enhancedversion of the UAE Labour Law, as follows:

One (1) months salary for each of the first five years

One and a half (1.5) months salary for each of the next five years

Two (2) months salary for the period thereafter

6.7.2 Employees will be entitled to end of service benefits, calculated on basic salary,in respect of fractions of a year in proportion to the time actually worked,provided he / she has completed one year of continuous service.

6.7.3 In accordance with the UAE Federal Labour Law, employees with an unlimitedduration employment contract, who resign after continuous service of not lessthan one year and not more than three years, shall be entitled to one-third of theseverance pay referred to in 6.7.1 and 6.7.2.

7. Employee Leave

7.1 Annual Vacation

7.1.1 Employees are entitled to a minimum of twenty-five (25) working days paidholiday each calendar year on a pro-rata basis.

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7.1.2 Upon completion of their probation period employees may avail of their currentcalendar leave balances in advance similar to other continuing employees.

7.1.3 As a matter of policy, employees within their probationary period shall not beentitled to paid or unpaid annual leave.

7.1.4 Taking into consideration the work requirements and the employees wishes andpreferences, employees may split their leave during the course of the year.Executives will not be permitted to proceed on annual leave exceeding a durationof fifteen (15) working days at any one time, unless under unavoidablecircumstances and after the approval of the Management Committee.

7.1.5 To ensure a smooth leave planning process employees are required to submittheir tentative leave plans at the beginning of each year to the Human ResourcesManager.

7.1.6 Employees must complete an annual leave request form, ensuring their requestis within his / her outstanding leave balance for the current year. The leaverequest form must be signed by the employees line manager and submitted toHuman Resources for verification of leave entitlement and balance; thenforwarded to the CEO for final approval.

7.1.7 Employees will be entitled to their leave pay in advance only if the applied andaccrued leave entitlement is fifteen (15) days or more.

7.1.8 An employee who fails to report back to work upon the end of his / her approvedleave shall be considered absent. If the delayed leave is due to circumstancesbeyond the employees control, he/she must inform his/her line manager inwriting prior to the delay and obtain authorisation. Unauthorised extended leavewill be deducted from the employees annual leave balance or will be consideredunpaid if the leave balance is insufficient, additionally the employee will be liableto disciplinary action.

7.1.9 Due to unavoidable business circumstances, Waha Management Committeemay recall an employee from leave or cancel the approved leave. In the case ofrecalled leave, the leave will be re-credited to the employees leave balance. Anyreasonable non-refundable costs associated with the leave arrangements will bereimbursed to the employee against production of supporting receipts.

7.1.10 Employees may carry over a maximum of 5 days unused leave from one leaveyear to the next.

7.1.11 In addition to the above, employees may also encash up to 5 days unused leavefrom one leave year to the next.

7.2 Public Holidays

7.2.1 Employees will be entitled to official leave with full pay if the following occasionsoccur on a normal working day:

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New Years Day (Hegira) 1 day

New Years Day (Gregorian) 1 day

Prophets Birthday 1 day

Ascension of the Prophet 1 day

UAE National Day 1 day Eid Al Fitr 2 days

Eid Al Adha 3 days

7.3 Haj Leave

7.3.1 Muslim employees who have completed at least two years of continuousemployment with Waha are eligible for paid Haj leave for a period of twenty one(21) days once during their employment. All travel arrangement and expenseswill be borne by the employee.

7.3.2 Those employees wishing to take Umrah leave will be required to utilize theirannual leave balance.

7.4 Medical Leave

7.4.1 In the event of illness and inability to continue work, an employee may begranted medical leave as follows:

Days of Absence Pay Rate

1st

15 Calendar Days Full payNext 30 Days Half pay

Any Subsequent Period No pay

7.4.2 In all instances of absence relating to illness, the employee is required to informhis/her immediate manager before 9am on the first day of absence.

7.4.3 Short leave, of more than 2 days with pay must be supported by a Doctors orhospital certificate.

7.4.4 For medical leave in excess of 5 days, the above certificate must beaccompanied by a medical report.

7.4.5 Upon return, the employee should complete the Application for Travel & LeaveForm (stored in P-Drive, HR 04 folder, HR Forms) and submit the hospitalcertificate and/or medical report (when applicable) to the HR Coordinator.

7.4.6 As a matter of policy the Human Resources Manager will monitor attendance,including absence due to sick leave. Should an employees absence develop ahabitual pattern, the Human Resources Manager will highlight the concern to the

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appropriate manager and the Management Committee for discussion and/orfurther investigation.

7.4.7 In the case of an illness during annual leave, the employee is not entitled to claimback leave days.

7.5 Maternity / Paternity Leave

7.5.1 Female employees who have completed twelve (12) months continuousemployment with Waha are entitled to maternity leave with full pay for a periodof 45 calendar days, including the period preceding and the period following herdelivery.

7.5.2 If the employee has not completed 12 months of continuous employment withWaha she will be entitled to 45 days maternity leave at half pay.

7.5.3 Public holidays occurring during maternity leave are considered part of maternity

leave.

7.5.4 Maternity leave does not prejudice the right of a female employee to annualleave.

7.5.5 A female employee nursing her child is entitled to time off not exceeding onehour per day during the eighteen (18) months following her delivery.

7.5.6 Male employees are entitled to 5 days paternity leave at the time of the birth oftheir child.

7.6 Emergency Leave

7.6.1 In the event of the death of an immediate family member employees are entitledto three (3) days bereavement leave. For the purposes of bereavement leave animmediate family member is defined as parents, brother or sister, spouse, child,parents-in-law.

7.6.2 Emergency Leave is not granted to employees during periods of annual leave orany other scheduled leave.

7.7 Unpaid Authorized Leave

7.7.1 Due to exceptional circumstances, the Management Committee may approveleave without pay for a maximum of one (1) month. Unpaid leave periods are nottaken into consideration when calculating the End of Service benefits or annualleave accruals.

7.7.2 An employees request for unpaid authorized leave will only be considered ifhe/she has utilized all of their accrued annual leave.

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8. Employee Business Travel

8.1 General

8.1.1 As part of meeting Waha business objectives, employees will be required toproceed on business trips and / or training trips depending on the workrequirements and individual training and development needs.

8.2 Business Trips

8.2.1 Business trips are defined as trips carried out by employees to conduct business

outside Abu Dhabi or their normal place of work.

8.2.2 Training trips are defined as trips carried out by employees in order to improvetheir job performance / competencies. This may include courses, conferences,seminars, workshops, forums or any other event for which registration and /orattendance fees are paid.

8.2.3 Prior to travel, the employee is required to obtain the required approval in writingfrom his/her line manager and the relevant CEO using the Duty Request Form,which should then be forwarded to the Travel Coordinator for necessary traveland accommodation arrangements.

8.2.4 The company will endeavour to provide the employee with the most efficientmethod of transport to and from the destination of business travel.

8.2.5 The class of travel authorised for Business Travel is detailed as follows:

Job Band From the UAE to Location Class of TravelA Asia / Americas / Africa /

Australia (or more than 8 hrsflying time)

First

All other locations where flyingtime is 8 hrs or less

Business Class

B to E All locations where flying time is

more than 3 hours

Business Class

All locations where flying time is3 hours or less

Economy Class

F & below All Economy Class

8.2.6 For employees other than those in Band A, for business air travel where the flighttime is 3 hours or less, the class of travel should be Economy Class unless theemployee is accompanied by a client or business associate, in which caseBusiness Class shall apply.

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8.3 Per Diem Allowances & Hotel Standards

8.3.1 Employees on Business Travel will be entitled to a per diem allowance to coverreasonable out-of-pocket expenses associated with travel such as hotels,refreshments / meals and local transportation, personal calls and other

incidentals.

8.3.2 Where possible, Waha prefer to administer per diem payments along with thepayroll which immediately follows the business travel. A copy of the approvedDuty Request Form should be forwarded to the HR Department for purposes ofpayment administration.

8.3.3 However, if an employee prefers to avail of the per diem prior to business travelhe/she must submit a copy of their approved Duty Request Form to the FinanceDepartment for payment administration.

8.4 Other Related Expenses

8.4.1 Other trip related expenses such as business calls, business entertainment(exclusive of alcohol), booking of conference rooms and inter-city transportationcosts (air / rail / bus) are not included in the above per diem allowance andshould be claimed for against receipts, using the Expenses Claim form (stored inP-drive, HR 04 folder, HR Forms); payment will be administered along with thefollowing payroll.

8.4.2 Employers are not permitted to use classes of travel lower than their eligibility forany personal benefits.

8.5 Per Diem Calculation

8.5.1 Per Diem allowances are calculated on the basis of actual number of traveldays, which includes day of departure and day of arrival except for trips withinthe UAE where it is calculated on the basis of number of nights or for tripswithin the Gulf where it is calculated as one day travel.

8.5.2 As a matter of policy, when the travelling employee returns to home base onan overnight flight, per diem does not apply; the guiding principle of the perdiem allowance is to cover costs associated with hotel accommodation, food,etc, which does not apply in this instance.

8.5.3 Employees will be paid a daily allowance as given below to cover cost of localtransport, hotel accommodation, meals, laundry, visa, airport taxes and otherincidental expenses.

8.5.4 When accommodation is provided by a third party, the employee is entitled to50% of the normal per diem allowance. Employees attending training

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courses/seminars where the fee includes Full Board and accommodation areentitled to 25% of the per diem allowance.

8.5.5 If the trip extends for more than 30 days in one location, then the total perdiem allowance for the full trip will be reduced by 50%.

8.5.6 On all overseas business trips the employee is expected to start andcomplete the trip in the shortest, reasonable period. Travel programmes willbe approved by the employees line manager before the flights are booked.

8.5.7 Employees who need to go on business travel within the UAE, which mayinvolve a distance of at least 10km from their regular place of work, will beentitled to receive a per diem allowance to cover the cost of their transport,hotel accommodation, meals, laundry and other incidental expenses,providing an overnight stay is involved.

8.5.8 Per Diem Entitlement:

Job Band Per Diem Rate (AED.)Overseas UAE

Chairman, Board, Bands A & B 3,500 3,500

C 3,000 3,000D 2,500 2,500

E 2,000 2,000F - H 1,500 1,500

8.5.9 Employees will receive AED.200 per day for local travel involving a distanceof at least 100km from their regular place of work, not involving an overnightstay.

8.5.10 No per diem allowances are payable for business trips within Abu Dhabi.

8.6 Credit Cards

8.6.1 The employee will be reimbursed for authorised business related expensescharged to his/her personal credit card upon provision of all relevant receipts andcompletion of the Expenses Claim Form.

8.6.2 These should be claimed against receipts, using the Expenses Claim Form(stored in P-driver, HR 04 folder, HR Forms); payment will be administered alongwith the following payroll.

8. 7 Day Travel within the United Arab Emirates

8.7.1 The employee shall be reimbursed expenses related to food, transportation orpetrol and other incidental expenses related to his/her trip.

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8.7.2 Hotel accommodation during day travel is not subject to reimbursement..

9. Performance Management

9.1 Basic Policy

9.1.1 It is the policy of the company to manage staff performance on an annual basis;the purpose of Performance Management is to ensure that:

A process is in place which identifies and manages people as enablers ofcompany performance against business plan goals and objectives;

Project Leaders and/or Executives plan their annual performancerequirements in line with the companys business plan and strategic

intent; and Individual performance is aligned and planned according to the

companys business plan and strategic intent.

9.1.2 Performance Management encompasses the following components:

Setting and communication of performance standards;

Monitoring and evaluating performance contribution and competencetowards set standards;

Rewarding and recognizing individual performance; and

Improving individual performance through training and development

which is aligned to business requirements.

9.2 Responsibilities

9.2.1 It is the responsibility of the Management Committee to ensure the PerformanceManagement System is administered according to the defined standards and toensure all staff remain aware of the Performance Management Policies &Procedures.

9.2.2 The Human Resources Manager will provide all staff with an email message toprompt formal/informal performance reviews on a quarterly basis.

9.2.3 It is the responsibility of Directors/Managers to communicate to their staff thestandard of performance required of them as individuals and how this links withthe companys business plan and strategic intent.

9.2.4 It is the responsibility of the Directors/Managers to ensure performance ofindividuals is monitored and evaluated according to the PerformanceManagement System Policies & Procedures.

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9.2.5 It is the responsibility of the Directors/Managers to ensure individual training anddevelopment needs are identified in accordance with current job rolerequirements.

9.3 Principles of the Performance Management System

9.3.1 The companys strategic intent is where Waha intends to be and is representedby the five year rolling business plan.

9.3.2 Staff performance has been divided into two essential elements, namelyIndividual Objectives and Organisational Competencies. Individual Objectivesis the contribution required of the individual employee to ensure Waha achievesits strategic intent. Organisational Competencies are the key skills, knowledgeand behaviours required of staff.

9.4 Individual Objectives

9.4.1 Individual objectives form 100% of the overall rating for Executive Staff and50% for Non-executive Staff.

9.4.2 Objectives must meet the SMART principle by being Specific, Measurable,Adjustable, Realistic and Time Bound, and are recorded on the WahaAppraisal Form.

9.4.3 Individual objectives are normally defined in a discussion between theDirector/Manager (Evaluator) and the Employee during the annual objectivesetting exercise at the beginning of December each year, or at the start of anew project/assignment.

9.4.4 When setting objectives Employee and Evaluator work together to:

Define accountabilities in relation to job role deliverables;

Specify expectations as objectives with a specific timeframe forcompletion as well as a performance measure; and

Assign priorities in the form of weightings to each of the objectives, sothat the sum total weighting is 100%.

9.4.5 These individual objectives should be reviewed by the Evaluator and theEmployee on a quarterly basis.

9.4.6 In June the Evaluator should complete the Mid-Year Evaluation Comments

Column and in December, the End of Year Evaluation Comments and RatingColumns.

9.4.7 Employees are encouraged to self-assess their performance against theirindividual objectives so that they continuously track their own performance andtake corrective action throughout the year to ensure achievement of objectives.

9.4.8 Objectives can be modified during the year for justifiable, business drivenreasons; modifications require approval from the relevant CEO.

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9.5 Organisational Competencies

9.5.1 Organisational competencies form 50% of the overall evaluation for Non-executive Staff.

9.5.2 Competencies for the Executive Staff will be assessed as part of the appraisalprocess in order to identify developmental needs or strengths; however theassessment of the competencies will not affect the overall performance rating.

9.5.3 There are a total of 17 competencies which form the Waha CompetencyDictionary, namely:

Analytical Thinking

Attentive to Detail

Coaching / Mentoring

Communication & Interpersonal Skills (executive & non-executive levels)

Customer Focused

Flexibility / Adaptability

Goal Orientation & Management

Health, Safety & Environmental Awareness

Negotiation Skills

Networking & Relationship Building

Organising and Follow-up

Organisation & Business Awareness

Problem Solving (executive & non-executive level)

Quality Focused

Results Oriented

Self Development & Drive

Team Work & Dependability

9.5.4 Definitions have been developed against each competency and are to be usedas a guide for Evaluators to assess individual performance according to setcompetency standards.

9.5.5 In June and December the Evaluator should conduct a formal evaluation ofemployee performance against the competencies, completing the Mid-YearComments Column in June and the End of Year Comments & Rating Columns inDecember.

9.6 Performance Appraisal

9.6.1 The Evaluator must clearly record supporting comments for all competencyratings, this is particularly important when ratings are at the lower or higher endof the 0 3 rating scale.

9.6.2 The Performance Appraisal process accounts for the performance of theemployee for the 12 months of the appraisal year. Employees are rated

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according to performance towards or, achievement of objectives set at thebeginning of the year / or throughout the year as new projects arise, according toset competency standards.

9.6.3 Performance against objectives and competencies are reviewed as a minimumon a quarterly basis. The end of year appraisal is the formal appraisal. During

the appraisal assessment, the Evaluator and Employee sit together to: Review performance against set objectives and competency standards;

Discuss areas of strength and/or improvement;

Review and modify objectives if required (with relevant CEO approval);

Set new objectives for the coming year (during end of year appraisal);and

Agree on training and development needs.

9.6.4 The rating scale used to evaluate performance against objectives is as follows:

0 to0.9 -Significantly Missed Objective

1 to 1.9 - Narrowly Missed Objective

2 to 2.9 - Achieved Objective

3 - Exceeded Objective

9.6.5 The rating scale used to evaluate performance against competencies is asfollows:

0 - Significantly Below Set Standard

1 - Marginally Below Set Standard

- Meets Set Standard

- Significantly Above Set Standard

9.6.6 To demonstrate objectivity and fairness Evaluators must support all ratings andachievements with comments on the appraisal form. The relevant CEO and/orthe Human Resources Manager will conduct a quality review of each completedappraisal in order to discuss any anomalies in evaluation with the relevantEvaluator.

9.6.7 Appraisal templates are issued electronically to each Employee & relevantEvaluator by the Human Resources Manager.

Employees should self assess their performance against objectives andcompetencies and record electronically or manually self assessment isencouraged so that employees continuously track their own performanceagainst agreed objectives;

The Employee then electronically or manually forwards the completed selfassessment for review to his nominated Evaluator;

The Evaluator reviews and formally discusses with the Employee agreement on performance rating and development plans is reached andrecorded;

In the case of employees based overseas, the discussion and appraisalreview meeting may take the form of a conference call;

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A hard copy of the completed appraisal form is signed by both theEmployee and the Evaluator and passed to the relevant CEO forreview/signature; and

Refer to the Guidelines Section of the Appraisal Form for additional detail.

9.6.8 Once the appraisal document has been signed by the Evaluator, the Employeeand the relevant CEO a copy should be given to the employee and the originalretained in the employee file.

9.7 Performance Management Cycle

9.7.1 The performance management system runs according to an on-going 12 monthcycle, January to December. The following flowchart identifies the steps andtimeframes.

9.8 Reward and Recognition

9.8.1 Allocating reward to employees is an expression of recognition of performancecontribution and is used as a motivational tool to encourage continuedcontribution and effort.

9.8.2 The Waha reward structure has been designed to support the organisationsobjective of being positioned as an employer of choice in the market place.

9.8.3 The Waha reward policy is designed to meet the following objectives:

To provide an environment conducive to self-motivation in respect ofemployees continuously improving their performance and contribution;

To recognise good and excellent performance;

To meet employees expectations of reward and recognition; To ensure teamwork is not jeopardised; and

To provide a reward mechanism which is transparent and withoutsubjectivity.

9.8.4 Individual reward is wholly dependent on the performance of the company;therefore, achievement of individual objectives & competency standards does notguarantee that the employee will receive a performance based reward.

31

MID-YEAR

Formal reviewof individualperformance

againstobjectives &

competencies

FIRST & THIRDQUARTERInformal reviwof individual

performanceagainst individualobjectives &

competencies

DECEMBER -JANUARY

Formal review& rating ofannual

performance

DECEMBER -JANUARY

Individual objectivesetting;

Translatingbusiness plan

& strategic intentto individualobjectives

OCTOBER

Commencebusiness planning& budget setting

activities


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9.8.5 A Long Term Incentive Plan scheme may be made available to Executive staff atthe discretion of the Company Board of Directors.

9.8.6 Training and career development opportunities, over and above those agreedduring the appraisal meeting may be awarded to employees who demonstrateexceptional potential in terms of a specialised area of skill or knowledge or otherbusiness related matter. ? delete in light of training & career pathway section

9.8.7 It is the responsibility of Evaluators to provide their subordinates with on-the-spot feedback, particularly in relation to a job well done. Recognition and praisefor such behaviours will have the effect of raising morale and motivating theteam.

9.8.8 All matters relating to formal/monetary reward are at the discretion of theCompany Board of Directors.

10. Disciplinary Policy

10.1 Basic Policy

10.1.1 The purpose of this policy is to outline the companys expectations concerningacceptable conduct and discipline of Waha employees.

10.1.2 The company expects employees to perform their work to the best of their abilityand to conduct themselves in a manner which would reflect and enhance thecompanys image and reputation.

10.1.3 It is expected that the line manager will be able to deal with routine disciplinarymatters, however serious breaches of conduct may need the intervention ofhigher levels of authority and all acts suggesting dishonesty, immorality or anyother action which might lead to an employees dismissal must be referred to theManagement Committee.

10.1.4 Disciplinary action will depend upon the seriousness of the offence and thedegree of culpability of the employee; all penalties, including employmentseparation will be authorized by the Management Committee.

10.1.5 Management will take immediate action on discovery of any action of

misconduct by an employee and associated disciplinary action for this act will beadministered promptly.

10.2 Misconduct

10.2 Misconduct shall include, but not be limited to the following:

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Participating or influencing the purchase of good or services from anycompany in which that employee has a direct or indirect financialinterest;

Divulging confidential information concerning the companys activitieswithout the approval of the relevant CEO;

Using confidential information about the company for personal gain; Accepting personal gifts which are clearly designed to incentivise a

favourable response or action, without seeking prior approval;

Threatening or intimidating colleagues;

Unauthorised removal of company records or release of confidentialinformation;

Performance against job role deliverables which is below an acceptablestandard;

Unauthorised absence;

Excessive absenteeism or abusing flexible working hours;

Insubordination;

An illegal conduct or activity.

10.3 Gross Misconduct

10.3.1 Gross misconduct shall include, but not be limited to the following:

Assault or any other serious acts of sexual, racial or other harassment;

Violent behaviour or fighting at work;

Dishonesty;

Disloyalty or breach of confidentiality;

Knowingly falsifying company documents or expenses claims;

Knowingly falsifying nationality documents or submitting forged

documents or certificates; Contravention of the companys IT Security Guidelines;

Performance against job role deliverables which is significantly below anacceptable standard and has not improved despite having received aformal written warning;

Unauthorised disposal of the companys goods or property;

Wilful damage to the property of the company or a colleague;

Behaviour likely to damage the image or interests of the company;

Theft or attempted theft;

Blatant or repeated insubordination or wilful refusal to comply with aninstruction;

Being under the influence of alcohol or narcotics in the office; Unauthorised absence for two uninterrupted days.

10.3.2 A single act of misconduct will not normally justify dismissal. However, under theconcept of repeated misconduct this act, when added to others may result indismissal.

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10.4 Disciplinary Process

10.4.1 The disciplinary process will be conducted by the Management Committee.

10.4.2 The disciplinary process will normally apply where an employees level ofconduct and performance has fallen below the expected standard.

10.4.3 Minor faults will be dealt with informally by way of discussion or consultation, butwhere the matter is more serious the stages of the formal process will befollowed.

10.4.4 There are four stages in the process. The Management Committee reserves theright to initiate the process at any stage, or to jump stages, depending upon theseriousness of the conduct/performance.

10.5 Verbal Warning Stage One

10.5.1 In cases of unsatisfactory performance or misconduct, an employee will initiallybe given a formal verbal warning by the employees direct manager in thepresence of the HR manager.

10.5.2 A note of the verbal warning will be entered on the employees personal file anda copy provided to the employee by the HR manager.

10.6 Written Warning Stage Two

10.6.1 In the event of a more serious event, or further misconduct or a failure to meetthe required standards of work performance, the employee will normally be givena written warning. This will contain:

Details of the offence or failure in performance;

Details of the required improvement in performance;

Time scale for achievement;

Any assistance to be given;

A note of any explanation by the employee;

A reminder that further misconduct or failure to improve workperformance will lead to further disciplinary action and may lead todismissal.

10.6.2 A copy of this written warning will be kept on the employees personal file. Theemployee will be asked to sign a copy of the warning as acknowledgement ofreceiving it.

10.6.3 In the event of more serious or further misconduct or failure to improve standardsof work performance, or if the misconduct or poor performance is sufficientlyserious to warrant only one written warning but insufficiently serious to justifydismissal, a final written warning will be given to the employee and theManagement Committee shall be informed by the HR manager.

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10.7 Final Written Warning Stage Three

10.7.1 It will contain the same particulars as Stage Two - Written Warning.

10.7.2 A copy of this written warning will be kept on the employees personal file. Theemployee will be asked to sign a copy of the warning as acknowledgement ofreceiving it.

10.7.3 If conduct or performance remains unsatisfactory, and the employee still fails toreach prescribed standards, dismissal will normally result.

10.7.4 The employee will be provided, as soon as is reasonably practicable, with writtenconfirmation of the dismissal and the date on which employment will terminate.

10.8 Dismissal Stage Four

10.8.1 Employees may be accompanied at a disciplinary meeting and at any appeal andit is the employees responsibility to secure attendance of such a companion.

10.8.2 The companion shall have the right to decline to attend; in such instance, thedisciplinary meeting will go ahead as originally planned.

10.8.3 A companion is defined as a person who is suitably qualified to make a relevantcontribution to the proceedings; a colleague, family member or spouse shouldnot be selected as a companion.

10.8.4 If the employees choice of companion is not available for the meeting, theCompany will try to rearrange the meeting to take place within five days of theoriginal meeting date.

10.8.5 Employees will receive advance notification of the disciplinary meeting and willbe told of actions which could result.

10.8.6 At each stage of the process, the employee will be informed of the nature of thecomplaint against him/her and shall have an opportunity to state his/her casebefore a decision is taken.

10.8.7 No disciplinary action will be taken against an employee until the matter hasbeen fully investigated and the Management Committee has considered anyexplanation given by the employee.

10.9 Authority to Take Disciplinary Action and the Records of Disciplinary Action

10.9.1 At Stages One & Two of the process, disciplinary action may be taken by theemployees immediate manager.

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10.9.2 At Stages Three & Four of the process, disciplinary action may only be taken orsanctioned by the Management Committee.

10.9.3 The Human Resources Manager should maintain direct control of all disciplinaryrecords. A copy of all records must be placed on the employees personal file.

10.9.4 All warnings will remain on the employees personal file indefinitely, but willnormally be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after the following periods:

Verbal Warning 3 months

Written Warning 6 months

Final Written Warning 12 months

10.9.5 The time periods may be extended if appropriate, taking into account the natureof the offence.

10.9.6 The time period will commence from the date of the letter confirming the warning,even though any specified time for improvement may have expired.

10.10 Appeals Against Disciplinary Action

10.10.1 At any stage of the process, including dismissal, an employee has theright to appeal against the disciplinary decision.

10.10.2 The employee should inform the Management Committee in writing,within five working days of the notification of the disciplinary decision. Allappeals will be heard as quickly as possible.

10.10.3 The appeal will be heard by a quorum of the Management Committee and

the Human Resources Manager; the decision of the appeal hearing will be final.

10.10.4 An appeal against dismissal shall be conducted as a re-hearing.

10.10.5 If an appeal against dismissal is successful, the employee will bereinstated and full payment made for the period between dismissal andreinstatement.

10.10.6 Any disputes regarding the provisions of this Policy will ultimately bereferred to the Management Committee. A final decision will be made afterconsideration of the issue and the implications involved.

11. Grievance Policy

11.1 Basic Policy

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11.1.1 The purpose of this policy is to outline the companys intentions in terms ofemployee grievances and the process employees may follow concerning theirgrievance.

11.1.2 It is Wahas policy to encourage communication between employees and theirmanagers to ensure that questions and problems arising during the course ofemployment can be aired and where possible, resolved quickly and to thesatisfaction of all concerned.

11.2 The Grievance Hearing

11.2.1 Assuming an informal discussion has not resolved the matter; all individualgrievances should in the first instance be raised with the direct manager. This isthe Grievance Hearing.

11.2.2 The Manager should indicate to the employee what follow-up action he/sheintends to take (if any) and within what timescale.

11.2.3 The Manager should also report back to the employee on what action has beenor will be taken to attempt to settle the grievance, as appropriate.

11.2.4 It is in the interests of both employees and the Company that the grievances aredealt with promptly. Wherever possible, the grievance should be discussed anda response communicated to the employee, preferably in writing, within sevenworking days of the grievance being raised.

11.3 Escalation of the Grievance

11.3.1 If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved within the stated timescale, or if theemployee is dissatisfied with the action taken, the issue may be raised, in writingwithin five working days to the Management Committee.

11.3.2 The Management Committee is responsible for resolving complaints/disciplinaryissues; appeals against management decisions; appraisal disagreements, etc.

11.4 Additional Support

11.4.1 At any stage of the grievance process, the Human Resources Manager will beavailable to discuss the grievance should either the employee or manager wish.

11.4.2 Employees may be accompanied at any stage of the grievance process. It is theemployees responsibility to secure the attendance of such a companion, andthey shall have the right to decline to attend.

11.5 UAE Federal Labour Law

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11.5.1 None of the above shall be construed in a way so as to dilute or deny the right ofemployees under the Laws of the United Arab Emirates, nor their right to take acase to official bodies appointed by the Ministry of Labour, for the purpose ofhearing and resolving employee/employer disputes.

12. Code of Conduct and Ethics

12.1 Basic Policy

12.1.1 The intent of this policy is that each employee will conduct Wahas business bymaintaining the highest ethical standards, level of integrity, conduct andcompliance with all applicable laws in a manner that excludes considerations ofpersonal advantage or gain.

12.2 Company Gifts

12.2.1 Gifts, favours and certificates may be given to others at Wahas expense, if theymeet any or all of the following criteria:

The party to whom it is given are in business with Waha ;

They are consistent with professional and generally accepted ethicalpractices and standards and are not in violation of applicable laws;

They are of sufficiently limited value in a form that will not be construed asa bribe or payoff;

Public disclosure of the facts will not embarrass Waha, its management

or its employees.

12.3 Entertainments and Payoffs offered to Waha Employees

12.3.1 Waha employees shall not seek or accept for themselves or others, any gifts,favours, entertainment, payments, nor shall they seek of accept personal loansother than conventional loans at market rates from lending institutions or anypersons or business organisation that do or seek to do business with Waha or isa competitor of Waha.

12.3.2 Use of vendors facilities such as cars, vacation homes etc. by Waha employees

or families for personal use is prohibited.

12.3.3 It is not permissible to accept a gift in cash or cash equivalent such as stocks orother forms of marketable securities of any amount.

12.3.4 Employees should not accept gifts from those under their supervision of morethan (AED.1,000).

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12.4 Conflicts of Interest

12.4.1 Waha employees should avoid any situation which involves, or may involve aconflict between their personal interest and the interest of Waha.

12.4.2 Each employee shall make prompt and full disclosure in writing to their managerand the Management Committee of any potential situation which may involve aconflict of interest. Such conflicts include and are not limited to:

Ownership by associate or by a member of their family of a significantinterest in any outside enterprise which does or seeks to do business withor is a competitor of Waha;

Acting as a broker, finder, go-between or otherwise for the benefit of selfor a third party in transaction involving or potentially involving Waha or itsinterests; or

Any arrangements or circumstances, including family or other personalrelationships which might dissuade the employee from acting in the bestinterest of Waha.

12.5 Conflicts of Commitment

12.5.1 All employees of Waha are expected to devote their primary professional loyalty,time and efforts to serve Waha and its associated companies. At the same time,Waha management recognises that its members may engage in outsideprofessional work and to the extent these activities serve Wahas interests, aswell as those of the participant.

12.5.2 Wahas Management Committee approves such involvement provided that nomore than 20% of the employees total professional effort is directed to outside

work; potential conflicts of commitment must be disclosed to the ManagementCommittee.

12.5.3 WFS Manual has a section regards trading shares/disclosure etc?

12.6 Confidential Information

12.6.1 The disclosure or unauthorised use of any confidential information, data ondecisions, plans or any other information which might be contrary to the interestof Waha without prior authorisation, is strictly prohibited and will subject anemployee to disciplinary action up to and including immediate discharge.

12.6.2 No employee shall discuss with a competitor or any third party acting for acompetitor, or otherwise furnish to or accept from a competitor or any third partyacting for a competitor, information on any subject as to which an understandingwith the competitor is prohibited unless, in the opinion of Waha ManagementCommittee, such discussions or transmittal of information would not harmWahas interests.

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12.7 Equal Opportunities

12.7.1 Waha is committed to providing a working environment which reflects diversityand provides equal opportunities for all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion genderor age.

12.7.2 The principles and practices associated with maintaining am equal opportunitiesenvironment apply to all aspects of employment with Waha, namely recruitment,promotion, remuneration, training, work assignments and disciplinary actions.

12.8 Dress Code

12.8.1 Waha employees represent the image of the company and therefore shall bewell groomed and professionally attired at all times.

12.8.2 Employees should wear Arab National dress, or for males a business shirt andtie jacket is optional, or for females blouse and skirt/trousers or business suit.

12.8.3 In respect to the culture and religion of the UAE, employees should be modestlydressed by avoiding tight fitting and revealing clothing.

12.9 Smoking

12.9.1 In the interest of employee health and safety Waha discourages employees fromsmoking in office areas.

12.10 Compliance

12.10.1 Any violation of this policy will subject the employee to administrativedisciplinary action or immediate discharge. Any employee having knowledgeof any violation of this policy shall promptly report such violation to theappropriate level of management.

12.10.2 All employees holding managerial positions of Waha are responsible forcompliance in their area of responsibility.

12.10.3 When questions arise concerning any aspect of this policy, please contact theHuman Resources Manager.

13. Resignation and Termination

13.1 Resignation

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13.1.1 When an employee submits a letter of resignation he/she elects to wilfullyterminate their service.

13.1.2 The employee shall submit a resignation to his/her direct manager.

13.1.3 The Human Resources Manager shall conduct an Exit Interview with theresigning employee to determine the reason(s) behind his/her resignation.

13.2 Termination

13.2.1 It is the intent and policy of Waha to retain and help develop its employees formore challenging and responsible positions, however, termination of servicemay occur for a variety of reasons such as;

Separation: termination caused due to physical incapacity (where anemployees physical condition prevents him / her from carrying out his /

her work) death or business conditions necessitating a reduction in thework force;

Dismissal: certain issues are regarded by Waha as so serious as towarrant summary dismissal (i.e. with or without notice and with or withoutpayment of any applicable terminal benefits. These have been explainedin detail in the section on Code of Conduct & Ethics.

13.2.2 Terminations of Seconded Employees are dealt with in accordance with thepolicies and procedures of their respective parent companies to which all casesshould be referred.

13.3 Terminal Settlement

13.3.1 Upon termination, the employee, or his / her beneficiaries in the case of death, isentitled to a terminal settlement as follows:

The basic salary and allowances up to the last day of service. If theemployee is delayed by the company for termination procedures beyondtermination date, the company shall provide the employee with theregular pay for the additional time involved;

Payment for earned vacation days that were not utilized when applicable;

End of Service Benefits (as mentioned in section 6);

Any other benefits the employee may be entitled to;

Ex-Gratia payment to the family of a deceased employee. The Ex-Gratiapayment is a two (2) months salary payment to be made to the

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dependents or next-of-kin of a deceased employee to assist them withimmediate expenses.

HR Policy Manual_Revisions Up to 19[1].8.08

Documents

Transcript of HR Policy Manual_Revisions Up to 19[1].8.08