CODE OF CONDUCT AND COMPLIANCE RULES
Standards of Business Conduct
You must at all times conduct yourself in accordance with the Company’s Standards of Business Conduct. It is important that all employees read, understand and adhere to the CBRE Standards of Business Conduct Manual. In addition, the CBRE Anti-Corruption Policy and supplemental policies should be read in conjunction with the Standards of Business Conduct.
To view the CBRE Standards of Business Conduct Manual please click here
To view the Standards of Business Practice intranet page please click here To view the CBRE Ethics Helpline telephone numbers please click here To view the CBRE Anti-Corruption Policy please click here
To view the Anti-Corruption supplemental policies please click here
CBRE House rules
Details relating to conditions of employment are set out in your contract of employment. It is important that you are fully aware of your rights and obligations as an employee. If you have specific queries you should speak in the first instance to your Manager.
Outside Interests & Secondary Employment
Any existing directorships in public or private companies and formal appointments as a property adviser or consultant must be registered with the Chief Compliance Officer. No new such appointments may be accepted without the prior written approval of the Managing Director.
Any additional employment outside the Company, e.g. working in a pub/restaurant at weekends, may be permissible but needs approval from Human Resources. It is important that this does not have a detrimental effect on your work here.
During your employment, you may not undertake any other paid or unpaid employment outside working hours nor have any interest whatsoever in any business or undertaking or engage in any activities which might interfere with the performance of your duties or cause a conflict of interest or which might be regarded as competing with the legitimate business interests of the Company or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the Company’s Managing Director.
Gifts and Corporate Hospitality
In compliance with the Standards of Business Conduct and the Anti-Corruption Policy, you may not offer gifts or benefits in kind to, nor accept them from, clients, applicants or third parties which
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could, rightly or wrongly, be construed as an inducement to channel business to them/from them. The Anti-Corruption policy and supplemental policies are available by clicking this link
Gifts and corporate hospitality of a routine/low value nature can be given or accepted, but anything of more than nominal value should be refused.
Any queries regarding this must be referred to the Chief Compliance Officer at an early stage. Failure to comply with the house rules above may result in disciplinary action.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
SALARY
Details of your remuneration are outlined in your contract of employment. Salary details are confidential and should not be discussed with other employees.
Your salary is paid on the 25th of each month after deductions for income tax and PRSI have been made. You will receive your net pay each month by bank transfer. You can download your payslip directly from MyCBRE.
If you change your bank account, You will need to update these details via MyHR and MyFinance. In addition, you will need to send your bank details directly to the People Team to ensure this is updated for payroll purposes. Payroll cut off is the 10th of every month so please ensure to send the bank details before this date.
Our Payroll is outsourced to a Payroll Services provider, Zellis. If you have a query regarding your salary please speak to The People Team in the first instance.
SALARY REVIEW POLICY How often do they occur?
Salaries are reviewed annually in Q2, taking into account both market factors and individual merit, however, no increase in salary is guaranteed or implied by the review. Employees on any form of notice, be it of the Company’s or the employee’s volition, are not entitled to a salary review. If a salary increase has been confirmed, this will be process in April's pay run.
BONUS POLICY
Bonuses are based on the profit and loss performance of the company. The payment of a bonus is at the total discretion of the Company and is subject to the overall availability of profit from CBRE and its parent company, CBRE Inc.
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The amount of any individual bonus is at the absolute discretion of the Company, and payment of a bonus one year does not confer or imply any right to receive any bonus the following or subsequent years, nor to receive a bonus of an equivalent amount.
The Company has the right in its absolute discretion to amend, withdraw or replace the scheme at any time and for any reason. While the Company will try to avoid amending, withdrawing or replacing the scheme during the course of any year, the interests of the business may require it to do so. The Company reviews its incentive schemes annually and there is no right or expectation that any particular scheme will operate in future years.
Key conventions apply:
▪ All debts invoiced during the year must be due from the client. The invoicing test to determine when invoices should be issued is that either the valuation report has been issued to the client, legal closing for the transaction has occurred or the contract has become unconditional.
▪ Prior year debtors must be collected by a pre-determined date in March.
▪ Bonuses are paid in April of each year. Should all prior year debtor accounts not be collected by the pre-determined date in March part or all of the bonus may be withheld pending collection of the debtor account.
▪ In order to be eligible for a bonus, you must not be deemed to have resigned, be serving your notice or have left the company at the time the payment is due.
▪ Employees who are awarded a bonus of €25,000 or more and resign between 31 March and 31 July will be required to repay to the Company 100% of the net total bonus payment received. Employees who are awarded a bonus of €25,000 or more and resign between 1 August and 30 September will be required to repay to the Company 50% of the net total bonus received. Repayment in full must be made to the Company within one month of their resignation or termination, whichever is the sooner.
RETIREMENT AGE
The company’s normal retirement age is 65. You and your manager will be notified by HR two years prior to this milestone. Circumstance may arise where you wish to continue working past retirement age. Your employment can be continued on a fixed-term contract basis if you and your manager mutually agree for you to continue working. A new contract will be issued and reviewed when you approach the contract end date.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
As an employee of CBRE you have access to an Employee Assistance Programme. The EAP service with Spectrum Life is a completely free & 100% confidential service, Accessible 24/7, 365 days a year. The EAP can help with a wide variety of personal or work related issues you might be facing e.g. family problems, marital problems, financial worries, stress etc. Click here for contact details.
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CBRE has partnered with the Beacon Hospital to provide our employees with ‘Healthcheck’, an advanced consultant delivered, health screening service. With ‘Healthcheck’ you will be tended to by an experienced multi-disciplinary team including consultants, nurses, cardiac physiologists and radiographers all with access to the latest in diagnostic technology.
The Company provides medical screening to employees who have 3 or more years’ service. They will be entitled to the following:
▪ Those over the age of 50, will be entitled to a health screening on an annual basis
▪ Those in the age category of 40-50 years, will be entitled to a health screening once every two years
▪ Those under the age of 40, will be entitled to a health screening once every three years
A detailed, personailised written report including interpretation of results, behavioral and lifestyle modification advice, will then be sent to you as a follow up after your consultation. A copy of this report will also be sent to your GP within 10 days.
Before booking an appointment, please ensure that you have approval from the People Team.
A ‘Healthcheck’ consultation with the Beacon hospital will take approximately 3.5-4 hours. To make an appointment, please call the Beacon on 012936090 or email them on healthcheck@beaconhospital.ie
For further information on additional health checks and terms & conditions, please click here.
CHANGE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
It is your responsibility to update MyHR with any changes to your personal information, such as change of address (include postal code), marital status, name, bank details, and various other details. You can access Personal Details though MyCBRE. If you are unable to change this information in MyHR please contact the HR Department.
HOLIDAYS/LEAVE
Holiday Entitlement
Details relating to annual holiday entitlement are set out in your contract of employment but in general, the following rules apply:
The firm’s holiday year runs from January to December. Holiday entitlements are given in accordance with the provisions of the Organisation of Working time Act, 1997. Please see below:
1) Entitlement to annual holidays is linked to the number of weeks worked in any calendar year. You may qualify for leave according to the following methods:
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Where you work at least 1,365 hours in a leave year, you are entitled to 4 working weeks (i.e. 20 days) annual leave. If the number of hours you work is less than 1,365, annual leave must be calculated on a monthly basis as follows:
Where you work at least 117 hours in a calendar month, you are entitled to 1/3 of a working week for that month.
Where the hours you work are less than 117, you are entitled to 8% of the hours you work in the leave year, subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks per annum
2) In addition to annual entitlement you will have 10 statutory days holidays, as follows:
3) In addition the company closes on Good Friday (not a public holiday) and for additional days during the Christmas holiday period which are not covered by statutory holidays. These days are given by the company as additional leave i.e. you will not be required to retain days from your annual leave entitlement to cover these holidays. In Q3 a comms will be sent to all employees outlining the confirmed Christmas Company Days.
When arranging annual holidays you should be aware of the following:
▪ All holiday dates are subject to the prior approval of your manager. You must obtain authorisation for all leave before making any financial commitments. If the dates requested will affect the smooth running of the department, then requested dates may be refused.
▪ Reasonable notice should be given, even for casual days, in order to facilitate the smooth running of the department.
▪ You should endeavor to take all annual leave during the course of the calendar year. If necessary (manager approval required), a Max of 5 days can be carried forward into the following year and must be taken by the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. Unused holidays (in excess of five days), or annual leave carried forward and not taken by the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, will be lost. There is no provision for payment of unused holidays.
The firm reserves the right not to continue to accrue entitlement to paid holiday during any period of absence due to sickness, injury or other absence.
On the termination of your employment, your holiday entitlement for that calendar year is pro-rated for the number of complete calendar months worked in that year.
If, on the termination of your employment, you have taken more or less than your current year’s holiday entitlement, an adjustment based on your normal rate of pay will be made in your final payment, either by deduction or additional payment. The Company reserves the right to request that some/all of any outstanding, accrued holiday balance be taken during your notice period.
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POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Equality and Employee Focus
CBRE is committed to supporting the principle of equal opportunities, and oppose all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community. All employees will be made aware of the requirements of this policy and will be obliged to cooperate to ensure that the policy is carried out effectively.
Any form of discrimination may be unlawful and will be treated as a disciplinary offence resulting, if appropriate, in disciplinary action.
Employee Focus
“Employee Focus” means fairness, openness and respect in all the firms’ relations with its employees.
The firm’s success depends upon the combined capabilities and contributions of all its employees. The firm wants to create an environment that fosters teamwork and promotes active participation.
▪ The firm’s goal is to be an employer of choice.
▪ The firm does not discriminate with respect to gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community.
▪ Competence is the firm’s primary selection criteria for all employees.
▪ The firm’s goal is to create a work environment that challenges, recognises and rewards each individual.
▪ The firm is dedicated to developing its employees at all levels by giving them opportunities to realise their potential for future growth.
▪ On the job training is at the center of all individual and team development.
Equality
The firm regards itself in all its policies and practices as an equal opportunities employer. All vacancies are generally advertised. Equality applies to all activities but especially recruitment, training and promotion. Harassment of any sort will not be tolerated in the workplace. To this end no posters, notices, emblems, slogans verbal or written will be displayed which represent or offend a particular gender, creed, race, nationality or social grouping.
Where a case of harassment, direct or indirect, is experienced then the grievance procedure should be invoked; however, both parties (the aggrieved and the accused) will be dealt with separately, sensitively and confidentially.
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Sexual Harassment will include any act of physical intimacy, any express request for sexual favours or any act or conduct a reasonable person would consider to be sexually offensive, humiliating or intimidating.
Scope of Equal Opportunities Policy
This policy applies to the advertisement of jobs, recruitment, terms and conditions of employment, career development, counseling, training, promotion, grievance and disciplinary procedures and all other aspects of employment.
All employees are required to comply with the Equal Opportunities Policy when dealing with other employees (including temporary or agency staff and consultants), job applicants, clients, suppliers, customers and contacts of the Company, and anyone else with whom they come into contact during the course of their employment.
In particular, all employees must take care to guard against more subtle and unconscious forms of discrimination which may not be immediately obvious. This may result from generalisations about the capabilities, characteristics or interests of a particular group which influence the treatment of individuals.
Recruitment
The Company will ensure that information about vacancies will be circulated as widely as possible in the circumstances to ensure that it reaches all sections of the community regardless of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community. All applications will be welcomed and will be considered on the relative merits of the applicant against the job and/or person specification for the position.
Job and person specifications will only include criteria which are objectively required for the duties and responsibilities of the vacancy. If there is a genuine and lawful reason for limiting the vacancy to a particular group, this will be clearly stated, and the grounds for it, on any advertisements.
Applicants should not be asked about health or disability before a job offer is made. There are limited exceptions which should only be used with Human Resources approval. For example:
Questions necessary to establish if an applicant can perform an intrinsic part of the job (subject to any reasonable adjustments);
Questions to establish if an applicant is fit to attend an assessment or any reasonable adjustments that may be needed at interview or assessment;
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For further guidance or manager resource guides, please contact the People Team.
Terms and Conditions of Employment
The Company will offer terms and conditions of employment that are free from all forms of direct and indirect discrimination and apply equally regardless of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community No requirements or conditions will be imposed, directly or indirectly, which will or might place any group of employees at an unfair or unlawful disadvantage. Grievance and disciplinary procedures will be operated without discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race or membership of the Traveller Community.
Training, Career Development and Promotion
The Company will ensure that opportunities for training, career development and promotion are made equally available to all employees. The principal method of identifying training needs will be through the Performance Management procedures and promotion decisions will be based on merit alone.
For further information on training and development in CBRE, please review the intranet page
ANTI BULLYING & HARASSMENT Policy Statement
CBRE is committed to a policy of treating all its employees equally, in line with the section on Equality & Employee Focus
Harassment and bullying is behaviour that is destructive to a positive working atmosphere and it will not be tolerated. All CBRE employees have the right to work in an environment, free from any form of harassing, bullying or intimidating behaviour. If someone experiences offensive treatment, and makes a complaint through the identified complaints procedure, CBRE will ensue that no victimization occurs as a result of the complaint.
Breach of this policy on bullying and harassment can be grounds for disciplinary action, from a verbal warning - up to and including dismissal.
Introduction
Bullying and harassment are not new and neither is the behaviour, which they describe. Harassment undermines the confidence and dignity of the individuals affected by it. It can also tarnish the work atmosphere where bullying is tolerated or is accepted as the norm. Harassment and bullying can occur
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in any kind of workplace and this policy aims to inform CBRE employees of their rights and responsibilities under the policy.
Definition of bullying and harassment
Bullying and harassment is defined as behaviour, which is, unwanted, unwelcome, persistent, and is intimidating or offensive to the recipient. It can take the form of a verbal, physical or psychological attack and can be openly aggressive or subtly hidden. Generally, bullying and harassment is taken to mean repeated and persistent behaviour. Harassment is measured in the context of the impact of the harasser’s conduct, not on his/her intent.
The impact of bullying and harassment can be devastating - it can affect a person’s work performance, health and personal life outside of work. Bullying is often perceived to only be a problem where someone in authority is abusing his or her power against a subordinate. However, bullying can occur between any employees at any level. A “bully” may pick on one person or may turn his/her attention onto a group; a “bully” may bully a colleague and even someone senior to him or her and groups can bully individuals or other groups.
While the following examples of bullying and harassment are not exhaustive, such behaviour can include:
Verbal
Derogatory or offensive nicknames;
Verbal abuse;
Shouting and aggressive behaviour;
Using a person as a constant butt of jokes;
Sneering or public humiliation;
Slandering or maligning a fellow employee;
Persistent unwarranted criticism;
Manipulation of the victims reputation by rumour, gossip and ridicule;
Preventing the victim from speaking by making loud voiced criticisms or by using obscenities. Non-verbal
Staring, leering, and aggressive gestures;
Isolation or non co-operation at work;
Ostracising or exclusion from social activities;
Unfair delegation of duties;
Taking credit for someone else’s work;
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Manipulating the nature of the work, or the ability of the person to perform the work e.g. by overloading, withholding information or setting meaningless tasks.
Physical
Horseplay
Unwanted physical contact
Assault
Less obvious forms of harassment/bulling, which are not always readily identifiable or expected, would include:
Persistent negative attacks on personal or professional performance. Constructive criticism should be offered only where there is good reason to do so and where there is a legitimate line of authority.
Unreasonable and unfounded refusal of annual leave, bereavement leave, training or promotion opportunities.
Abusing a position of power by unnecessarily undermining a colleague’s work and/or placing unreasonable demands on a particular individual.
Unreasonable or inappropriate monitoring of a colleagues performance.
Persistently setting objectives with unreasonable or impossible deadlines or unachievable tasks.
Removing areas of responsibility and imposing menial tasks on subordinates.
Withholding work-related information.
Responsibility
Everyone has a responsibility to ensure that harassment and bullying do not occur at any level or in any section of CBRE. This individual responsibility extends to an awareness of the impact of personal behaviour that could cause offence to another person and make them feel uncomfortable or threatened.
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Management has a particular responsibility to ensure that the workplace is kept free from all forms of harassment and bullying, so that employees may go about their work free from the threat of harassment or intimidation. As in all matters of discipline, it is primarily the responsibility of line management to establish and maintain proper standards in the workplace. Management will respond promptly to complaints of harassment or bullying and will deal with all complaints in a timely and supportive manner.
It is also the responsibility of all employees to make themselves familiar with this policy and procedure and to treat their colleagues with respect and dignity. All employees will be protected against intimidation, victimisation or discrimination as a result of filing a complaint or assisting in an investigation. Employees found retaliating against an employee for complaining about bullying/harassment will be subject to the disciplinary procedure and disciplinary action, as appropriate - up to and including dismissal.
Dignity at work
CBRE is committed to creating and maintaining a positive work environment where the right of each individual to dignity at work is recognised and protected.
Complaints Procedure – Informal
Any person who feels they are being targeted or subjected to offensive harassing or bullying behaviour, should first consider if the conduct in question constitutes harassment/bullying – advice will probably be needed and a member of the management team should be consulted (confidentially). If the answer is yes, try to make it clear to the alleged bully that their behaviour is unwanted, offensive or interfering with work.
Keep a record of the request and document the alleged harasser’s response. If you feel unable to confront the person, or feel that the incident(s) is of a serious nature confirm this with your line manager so that an informal solution can be achieved. You are advised to seek support at the earliest opportunity and to keep a record of the behaviour or treatment complained of – to include how such behaviour or treatment makes you feel. Where an informal attempt to resolve the matter fails, the complainant is encouraged to raise the complaint through the formal complaints procedure.
If the complaint is regarding your line manager, please speak directly to the People Team. Complaints Procedure – Formal
If the complaint remains unresolved through informal channels, a formal complaint should be made in writing, outlining the nature of the complaint, to your manager and the People Team. If the complaint is regarding your line manager, please send the complaint directly to the People Team.
Once a formal complaint has been received, an investigation will be undertaken. An investigation will include separate interviews with both the complainant and alleged harasser and anyone identified as a witness to the behaviour. All parties will be given an opportunity to state their case and are entitled to be represented at the investigation interviews, in accordance with the principles of Natural Justice. This means that employees should be given the opportunity of a meeting with someone who has not been involved in the matter. They should be informed of the allegations against them, together with the supporting evidence, in advance of the meeting. Employees should be given the opportunity to challenge the allegations before decisions are reached and should be provided with a right of appeal.
Every effort will be made to safeguard confidentiality during the investigation. The appointed investigator will be of a senior level to the alleged harasser and will weigh up the evidence as presented. If the investigator verifies the complaint, the harasser will be subject to appropriate discipline, which can include action ranging from a verbal warning up to, and including dismissal. If a transfer is deemed appropriate, it will be the harasser who is transferred, not the complainant.
Appeals Procedure
Employees wishing to appeal against any decision taken against them under the complaints procedure in this policy can find further information in the disciplinary procedure
Post Investigation
At the conclusion of an investigation, support is available to both the complainant and the alleged harasser. Please click here for the EAP contact details. A complainant’s rights are protected under this policy and s/he will not be further victimised for making a complaint in good faith. If, however, it was found that the complaint was brought maliciously, it will be treated as misconduct under the disciplinary procedure.
Legal Background
Bullying and Harassment may be unlawful under the Health & Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989 and the Employment Equality Act 1998. For the purpose of the Employment Act, an employer may be held accountable for harassment on the following grounds: Sex, Marital Status, Family Status, Sexual Orientation, Religion, Disability, Age, Race and Membership of the traveling community.
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HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY
In accordance with our RISE values and Standards of Business Conduct, CBRE is committed to the value of and respect for all people. We follow and uphold all laws and regulations in all countries in which we operate.
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While governments have the primary responsibility for protecting the human rights of its citizens, CBRE recognizes its responsibility to respect human rights in its operations, to promote an appropriate example and make a positive global impact. Therefore, CBRE is dedicated to complying with the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For more information please refer to the Standards of business conduct policy
ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS Sickness & Pay Policy
In the event of sickness/injury a doctor’s certificate will be required for periods in excess of three days. After five working days absence, a claim must also be made to the Department of Social Protection for any illness/injury benefit due.
If you are absent due to sickness for one to two consecutive days and have not attended the doctor to receive a medical certificate, you are required to complete a Sickness Self Certification form (including signatures). This form must submitted to HR. Payment of sick/injury pay will be at the company's discretion.
The Company will pay your full salary as sick pay when you are absent through sickness or injury on the following basis (rolling 12 month basis):
Salary will be paid for up to five days before you claim Social Welfare Benefits. These five days form part of the working days as outlined above. After this five day period, salary will only be paid on the basis that you have claimed maximum Social Welfare Benefits, and all payments have been surrendered to the company. You can arrange for the illness/injury benefit payments to be made directly to the company by ticking the appropriate box on the benefit form.
Contracts of employment set out details that are applicable to individual employees. Pro rata arrangements apply to part time employees, as well as to employees on short term contracts of less than 12 months in duration.
The Company reserves the right to review these periods and to withhold payment of sick pay if any absence is not covered by medical certificates.
If you are absent due to illness you must follow the Company’s notification procedure as follows:
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1. You should contact your departmental head as near to your start time as possible (but not later than 9.30am) on the first day of absence to facilitate work planning. You should state the nature of your illness/injury and whether or not you will be consulting a doctor. It is helpful if you can estimate how long your absence is likely to be in order to assist your Head of Department to cover your absence. If you are away from work for longer than one day, you will need to speak to your manager on a regular basis. The frequency of contact will be agreed between you and your manager.
It is not acceptable to leave a message on voicemail with reception.
2. As mentioned above, a certificate from a qualified medical practitioner, stating the nature of the illness/injury and probable date of return to work, must be submitted on the third day of continuous absence [this includes days immediately before or after a planned break and on a on a weekly basis thereafter. The Company reserves the right to have an employee examined by its own medical practitioner.
3. Failure to comply with the above notification procedure may result in sickness payments being withheld and disciplinary action being taken.
General
It is your responsibility to claim maximum state illness/injury benefit in respect of the period of absence from work for which benefit is claimed.
On return to work after all absences you must report to your manager prior to resuming normal duties, as well as provide HR with your Sickness Self Certification form signed by your Line Manager for absences of one to two consecutive days, or provide them with the relevant medical certificates for absences in excess of three days.
FAMILY POLICIES
Maternity Leave Policy
Please inform your Manager and the People Team of your pregnancy as early as possible. The People Team will explain the process, guidelines and pay conditions. The Maternity Leave policy is available by clicking this link.
Paternity Leave Policy
During Statutory Paternity Leave, relevant parents who have the necessary PRSI contributions are entitled to the State Paternity Benefit for 2 weeks from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (“DEASP”). You can apply for Paternity Benefit Online at mywelfare.ie. Statutory Paternity pay is €250 weekly.
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In addition to Statutory Paternity Leave, the company provides an additional 2 weeks continuous unbroken period of Paternity Leave which can be taken within the first 18 months of the child's life or placement. The Paternity Leave policy is available by clicking this link
Adoption Leave
Eligible parents who adopt a child are entitled to 26 weeks paid and a further 16 weeks unpaid adoption leave.
This applies to parents who have been newly matched and not, for example, when a step parent adopts a Partner's child. The Adoption Leave Policy is available by clicking this link.
Parent's Leave
Parent’s leave entitles each parent to 7 weeks’ leave during the first 2 years of a child’s life, or in the case of adoption, within 2 years of the placement of the child with the family. Parent's Leave must be taken in one continuous period of 7 weeks or separate periods of not less than one week. Statutory Parent's Leave pay is €250 weekly. The Parent's Leave Policy is available by clicking this link
Parental Leave
Parental leave lets parents take unpaid leave from work to spend time looking after their children. You can take up to 26 weeks’ parental leave for each eligible child before their 12th birthday. Generally, you must have been working for your employer for a year before you are entitled to parental leave. The Parental Leave Policy is available by clicking this link.
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WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE
Your working hours are outlined in your contract of employment.
NOTICE OF TERMINATION
Termination during probationary period
If your performance is not satisfactory during your probationary period, the Company is entitled to terminate your employment within the conditions outlined in your contract of employment.
Termination outside of probationary period
Should the Company wish to terminate your employment, for a reason other than that which would entitle the Company to dismiss you summarily, notice will be provided you which is outlined in your contract of employment. If you wish to terminate your employment, you will be required to provide the company a notice period which is outlined in your contract of employment. However, you could be dismissed without notice for grounds of gross misconduct. The Company is entitled to pay the equivalent months service in lieu of notice.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE
It is in the interests of the Company that everybody conforms to established standards of conduct and observes the Company’s rules and procedures. Please refer specifically to the intranet for our Standards of Business Conduct, and to this Employee Handbook for CBRE’s house rules
It is preferable that acceptable standards of conduct, attendance and job performance be selfimposed. From time to time, however, an individual falls below acceptable standards and it becomes necessary for disciplinary action to be taken.
This disciplinary procedure is designed to assist you to reach the standards that the Company requires and to ensure that a fair and consistent approach is taken with all employees across the Company. The Disciplinary Procedure is available by clicking this link
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
Every employee in the Company has the right to raise a grievance relating to their employment. There is a procedure for grievances which is designed to maintain good employee relations. Anyone wishing to use this procedure can do so freely and without prejudice to their position in the Company. It applies to all employees, irrespective of job or length of service. The Grievance Procedure is available by clicking this link.
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1. In this clause, ‘personal data’, ‘special categories of personal data’ and ‘processing’ each has the meaning attributed to it by the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
2. The Company holds a variety of information on employees, clients, suppliers and professional advisers to the business and has an obligation to comply with Data Protection Legislation.
Your Personal Data
3. CBRE relies on a range of legal basis for the processing of your Personal Information. The specific legal bases for processing your personal data are set out in the Company’s Employee Privacy Notice, located on the Company’s Intranet.
4. During your employment with the Company, your personal data and special categories of personal data may be transferred to and processed by:
a. CBRE’s subsidiary or holding company (or a subsidiary of such holding company) and their employees;
b. professional advisors of the Company;
c. a third party providing services to the Company for the benefit of its employees;
d. national authorities where the Company is located;
e. third parties and to associate companies with the Group, located in other countries, both in and outside the European Economic Area; and
f. prospective purchasers of all or any part of the Company’s business in return for suitable confidentiality undertakings regardless of the country to which the data is to be transferred. In cases of cross-border data transfers outside of the European Economic Area, the Company shall take reasonable steps to ensure an adequate level of protection for all personal data and special categories of personal data.
5. Further information relating to Data Protection, including your rights under data protection legislation may be found in the CBRE Privacy Charter or on the Company Intranet.
Your Obligations
6. It may be an offence to obtain, hold or disclose personal data to others in a way which exceeds the normal completion of your duties.
You may therefore be liable to a fine and/or imprisonment for failure to comply with the terms of the GDPR.
7. You shall –
a. undertake the compulsory data protection training within a month of starting your new role at CBRE;
b. take all reasonable steps to prevent the unauthorised disclosure of or access to personal data and special categories of personal data you process or transfer during your employment;
c. comply with data protection laws when processing any personal data and special categories of personal data during your employment;
d. take all reasonable steps to ensure that any third party to whom you transfer any personal data and special categories of personal data not only complies with the GDPR but also prevents it from disclosure to or access by unauthorised persons;
e. inform your [supervisor/line manager] immediately on becoming aware of any actual or suspected breach of the requirements of data protection legislation; and
f. inform the Company immediately of any changes to your personal data.
ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the proper use by employees of the Company’s various electronic communications systems, including its computers, BlackBerrys, desk and mobile
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telephones, iPads, voice-mail, internet access and e-mail systems (collectively “electronic communication systems”). The Company’s electronic communication systems are tools for business communication, and all employees have the responsibility to use these resources in an efficient, effective, ethical and lawful manner for the benefit of the Company.
Violations of this policy may result in disciplinary action, including the possibility of dismissal and may subject the violator to legal action. .
All computers, iPhones, mobile telephones and iPads issued by the Company, voice-mail, Internet and e-mail accounts maintained by CBRE, are the sole property of CBRE. CBRE has the right to monitor any employee’s computer, mobile telephone and iPads where issued by the Company, iPhone, voice mail, e-mail accounts and Internet use to help assure compliance with this policy, for training purposes, or to determine if the systems are being used for other than legitimate business reasons. Employees have no individual right of privacy regarding any information created, stored or sent in or by the Company’s computer, Blackberry, mobile telephone, iPads, iPhones, voice mail and/or e-mail systems or Internet access systems.
The following actions and uses of CBRE’s electronic communication systems are strictly prohibited and may result in disciplinary action, including termination of employment:
▪ The access, storage, creation and exchange of material that is or could be considered to be offensive, harassing, obscene or threatening, or which otherwise violates any law or Company policy
▪ The intentional creation or dissemination of computer viruses
▪ The unauthorised exchange of proprietary information, trade secrets or any other privileged, confidential or sensitive information, relating to CBRE, a client or the business of these parties. (Caution should be taken to ensure that messages are addressed to the appropriate recipient; it is easy to inadvertently address e-mail messages incorrectly. Confidential messages should include a warning regarding accidental transmission to an unintended third party. Please remember that e-mails are legally binding)
▪ The creation and exchange of advertisements, solicitations, sale of tickets or personal property, joke and joke attachments or chain letters
▪ The creation and/or exchange of information in violation of any copyright laws
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Registration on mailing lists without proper authorisation. (Subscription to such a service can result in an overload of received messages directly impacting the performance of the email system)
Messages read or sent from another user’s account except under proper delegation arrangements
Activities that cause the wasting of networked resources, including the effort of users involved in the support of those resources
Users receiving material, or becoming aware of material or activities, in violation of the above policies should immediately report the incident to their immediate supervisor or manager who should report such violation to the Managing Director.
All users of CBRE’s e-mail systems should observe the following practices:
Users must not compromise the privacy of their password by giving it to others or exposing it to public view. Passwords should be changed on a regular basis.
Users should retain messages only if relevant to the business. Back-up copies of e-mail messages will be retained by CBRE’s e-mail system.
Address messages to recipients who need to know. (Messages sent unnecessarily can impact the system and user performance.)
Construct messages professionally (spelling, grammar) and efficiently (subject, field, attachments). Use prudence sending attachments in order to minimise network load.
E-mail communications should follow the same standards expected in written business communications and public meetings.
Incidental personal use of the e-mail system is permissible so long as it does not interfere with the performance of the e-mail system or the accomplishment of the user’s responsibility and does not otherwise violate the above restrictions.
Use of all electronic communications systems must be in line with all published standards, as issued from time to time.
For further information, please refer to our EMEA IT Security policy available on the intranet by clicking this link. You will be required to sign a declaration during your induction process to confirm you have received and read the policy, and that you will abide by its content.
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IT SECURITY POLICY
The EMEA IT Security Policy is intended to protect and secure CBRE’s information assets and information systems from threats, whether internal or external, deliberate or accidental. It aims at ensuring the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of information on the networks.
The EMEA IT Security Policy along with related procedures, standards and checklists is available by clicking this link. The EMEA IT Security Policy should be read in conjunction with the Social Media Policy available by clicking this link.
CBRE COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
No matter how excellent a service you provide, giving callers exactly what they want, in the way they want it, when they want it, there will always be a certain amount of complaints.
This is part of normal life and should not be taken to heart – just dealt with in an efficient, courteous manner. How we handle a complaint is critical – if they are seen as a nuisance and the person is ‘fobbed off’ they could do untold damage to the reputation of the company. On the other hand if they are handled effectively this may be avoided.
In handling complaints please refer to the complaints handling procedure as set out in your department’s Practice Area Guidelines.
The lead surveyor should attempt to resolve complaints. If the matter cannot be resolved by the lead surveyor, it should be referred to the Departmental Head who will ensure the complaints procedure is followed.
CBRE has a documented complaint handling procedure, and all formal complaints are dealt with in writing, to Customer Service, CBRE, Connaught House, No. 1 Burlington Road, Dublin 4.
All complaints follow the ISO 9001 process.
If a client requests a copy of the Complaints Procedure, the Departmental Head and the Director responsible for complaints should be informed. Under no circumstances should correspondence be entered into in respect of potentially litigious matters without prior reference to the Departmental head. If a professional negligence claim is likely to arise, the MD and CFO should be informed immediately.
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CONFIDENTIALITY
You may not discuss any information of a confidential nature relating to the firm or any associated companies, or their business or in respect of which the firm owes an obligation of confidence to any third party during or after your employment, except in the proper course of your employment or as required by law.
You may not remove any documentation or items belonging to the firm or which contain any confidential information from the firm’s premises at any time without proper advance authorisation.
You must return to the firm upon request and, in any event, upon the termination of your employment, all documents and items belonging to the firm or which contain or refer to any confidential information and which are in your possession or under your control.
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GENERAL ADMINISTRATION
Travel Policy
The Company expects all employees to use the most cost-effective means of travel, to book as far in advance as possible, and to exercise common sense when arranging overnight accommodation. You must get appropriate approval before booking travel.
Costs of accommodation, visas, car hire, public transport and taxis should be covered by employees and will be repaid through the expense process, per the policy guidelines stipulated later in this handbook.
The Company’s travel policy applies to all employees and relates to all travel on Company business.
Work Environment
The image of the Company is reflected in the way we manage our work environment. We have provided a top class working environment to encourage a high level of excellence in all that we do and to create an atmosphere of professionalism and teamwork.
When a group of people come together to work it is important that along with our Code of Conduct, common standards and practices are adhered to. To this end the following working standards are in place:
A “tidy desk” policy operates in the firm, that is, at the end of each day all work is safely put away. During the day only essential documents and equipment to the current tasks are visible. Reception, meeting rooms and all other public areas are kept clean and tidy.
Should equipment or furnishings become damaged, this must be reported. The Company will organise repair or replacement as soon as practical.
All CBRE buildings and their immediate environs are designated no smoking areas, at all times.
Beverages may be consumed at a workstation (with the exception of workstations in the public area), however, every care must be taken to avoid damage, especially through spillage – the half metre rule applies (i.e. no liquid within half a metre of computer equipment). Accidents due to carelessness are the liability of the employee to make good immediately.
Meeting rooms are for the use of employees and visitors and all of the above rules apply.
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Rooms should be booked in advance.
Open plan offices are excellent for encouraging communication and teamwork, however, without a number of good practices they can be noisy and lead to high level of interruption. To capitalise on the advantages and minimise the disadvantages of open plan space the following rules of conduct are important.
Noise Reduction
Telephone and other conversations should be conducted in a manner that shows due consideration to your colleagues. Equipment sound levels, including telephone ringing, should be set at a quiet tone.
Hot Desk Zone
The Hot Desk Zone has been introduced to optimise our use of office space. We join CBRE offices from around the world that have embraced new office space concepts, such as hot desking, to use space in a more cost effective, collaborative, and sustainable way.
C-Bar
The C-Bar is a multi-purpose function room, however, its main purpose is to serve as an onsite client café. Employees may also use the C-Bar to purchase their breakfast, lunch or snacks throughout the day.
The C-Bar is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.00am to 4.00pm on Fridays. After 5.00pm normal tea, coffee, milk, sugar and hot water is available in the canteen. A full menu is available on signage in the canteen.
Professional Appearance
In order to project a professional image to our clients every employee must take pride in their personal appearance. Through a pride in your personal appearance will come professional confidence. The firm would ask you to bear in mind the following guidelines:
Dress & Personal Hygiene
CBRE has adopted a neat dress code of practice; all employees are expected to wear normal business attire. Sportswear, casual clothes, denim and corduroy are not acceptable business clothes.
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Clothes are important, but so is the way you wear them. The overall aim for the clothes is to make you look smart, professional and efficient.
Personal hygiene is essential to working arrangements. Where there are potential problems associated with a medical condition please let your manager know so appropriate but sensitive arrangements can be made.
SECURITY
The normal security procedure for Connaught House is as follows:
Access/Egress
On commencement you will be issued with an access control FOB which permits access to the offices on the third floor.
The main reception at Connaught House is open from 7.00am to 7.00pm. Our reception on the third floor is open from 9.00am to 6.00pm.
If leaving the building after 7.00pm or before 7.00am you should exit the building through the car park. The building is secured and alarmed at some point each night and if you are going to be very late (i.e. after 9.00pm) or at the weekend you should notify the Building Manager ideally by e-mail to connaughthouse@eircom.net before 4.00pm or by Friday if you are looking for weekend access.
General Security
All security doors within the building should be kept closed to protect against casual entrants and/or theft.
All software brought physically or electronically into the building by employees/contractors or visitors/customers must be checked for virus contamination by the IT Manager
The firm’s property may not be removed without the express permission of a manager. A log of all movements of equipment must be kept by the IT Manager. A person using equipment on (and especially off) the premises is liable for its safe return.
EXPENSE GUIDELINES
The firm will reimburse its employees fully for business expenses incurred. These are typically, travel and entertainment related and are reimbursed directly to your bank account.
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The following are the general guidelines under which the firm operates:
Claiming Expenses
1. All expenses must be claimed online through the Travel and Expense Centre of myFinance, available by clicking this link: www.mycbre.com.
2. Details should be given as to where the client has been entertained, the client’s name and company must be shown. The cost of entertaining clients is disallowed for corporation tax purposes, it is essential therefore that only client entertainment is included in this heading.
3. All receipts and vouchers above €10.00 must be scanned and attached to the online expense claim, and ideally, detailed backup should also be provided for expense items less than €10.00. These should be referenced chronologically on the expense sheet. All parking costs must be backed up by receipts. Company policy is not to pay expense items greater than €10.00 that are not accompanied by suitable back up.
4. The approved business mileage allowance for use of one’s own car on company business is 47 cent per kilometre for the first 6,500 kilometres claimed, and 35 cent per kilometre is payable on any business travel in excess of 6,500 in a year. All distances are measured from the office to the client or business meeting location. The name and address of the client must be detailed on the online expense claim.
5. Employees who incur expenses must claim reimbursement themselves. Online expenses should be submitted monthly, with original receipts and the printed summary page sent to the Finance Team once the expenses have been submitted.
Expense Account Approval
1. A Department Manager or in the case of Heads of Department, the Managing Director or the Finance Director in his absence must approve their employee’s monthly expenses when they receive the online email notification. Approvals are actioned through the Travel and Expense Centre of myFinance, available by clicking this link: www.mycbre.com
2. The online expense summary page, including original receipts, must be sent to Finance for payment.
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3. Expense claims must be submitted to the finance department in respect of the previous month in accordance with company timetables issued from time to time. Payment will be made directly by electronic funds transfer to the employee’s bank account. Expense claims are normally paid once per month.
4. Monthly expense claims must be submitted within three months or else they will not be paid.
Staff Entertaining
All staff entertaining must be approved by the appropriate Department Head.
Client Entertaining
The Managing Director, in conjunction with the Marketing Department, will control the budget and expenditure for any event-based client entertaining, whether organised as Company's or service group function. If you are arranging an event you must liaise with the Head of Marketing.
There should be no reclaiming of expenses for entertainment of other agents except where there are real business opportunities that can be clearly identified and detailed on the Expense Claim for authorisation.
CARS & MOBILE PHONES
Mobile phones may be provided for business use with the authorisation of your Head of Department. The cost of personal calls plus VAT will be recovered from employees by the Company.
You are not entitled to a car, but you will be reimbursed mileage expenses incurred by you if you use your personal car for business use in line with the expenses policy in this Handbook. It is your responsibility to ensure that adequate insurance cover is provided by your personal car insurance policy for such business use.
Please note that under no circumstances should mobile phones be used when driving. On the advice of the CBRE Legal and Health & Safety advisers, the use of hands free mobile phones whilst driving on Company business is strongly discouraged.
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TECHNOLOGY QUERIES
All technology queries should be directed to itservicedesk.emea@cbre.com or alternatively the helpdesk +44 (0)207 182 3333. This includes computer hardware and software, printers and telephones (including mobiles).
INTRANET / C-NET
We have a Company intranet site that provides up to date information on the Company such as the latest business development, client information, Service Group information, CBRE Code of Conduct, Business Management System, Standards of Business Conduct, Peoplefinder, CRM, this employee handbook, internal vacancies and lots more. There are also links to other useful sites.
POST
All post must be franked and in Reception before 3.30 pm.
EMPLOYEES’ PROPERTY
The Company’s Contents Insurance does not cover loss or damage to your personal belongings or cash, and the Company will not be responsible for loss or damage to employees’ property, including motor vehicles, bags etc., on firm premises. In particular, do not leave handbags, wallets or other valuables in unattended offices. Employees should report all property, lost or found, to their supervisor.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
How we treat our clients and visitors is a key part of our firm’s values.
Visitors
All visitors/clients should be greeted with the utmost courtesy. This includes telephone enquiries.
Time Keeping
Please ensure that you are at your place of work in good time. Lateness may inconvenience a client and place additional work load on a colleague. Repeated lateness will lead to disciplinary action
Teamwork
In order to ensure our clients are happy it is essential they receive excellent service. The only way to ensure this is by teamwork. We must all work together within our departments, and between departments to ensure the best possible service.
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HEALTH & SAFETY
Everything possible will be done to ensure that the workplace is free from risk. To safeguard employees and minimise the risk of accidents any possible hazard should be reported to the Safety Officer. All CBRE safety procedures must be strictly observed. Every accident, no matter how trivial, must be reported to the appropriate supervisor/manager. Breach of safety rules will result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal. The CBRE Health & Safety Statement and policies must be read by all employees and are available by clicking this link.
SMOKING POLICY
Purpose
Second-hand smoke, also known as Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) or passive smoke is a cause of disease, including lung cancer and heart disease, in third parties. Neither the simple separation of smokers and non-smokers within the same air space, nor the provision of ventilation, can eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke and the consequent health effects of such exposure. This policy has been developed to protect all employees, service users, customers and visitors from exposure to second-hand smoke, to ensure compliance with legal obligations and to ensure a safe working environment.
Policy
The Company operates a No Smoking policy throughout all offices. This applies regardless of the time of day. Smoking will only be permitted outside the buildings, but not outside the front entrances.
Smokers must ensure that cigarette ends are not left around the outside of our offices. Managers interviewing for new staff should clearly state the policy
Disciplinary action will be taken against anyone not complying with these restrictions.
Implementation
Overall responsibility for policy implementation rests with the Department Head. All employees have an obligation to adhere to, and facilitate the implementation of this policy.
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Policy Regarding Infringements
Infringements by employees will be dealt with, in the first instance, under employee disciplinary procedures. Employees, consultants, contractors, customers and visitors who contravene the law prohibiting smoking in the workplace are also liable to prosecution.
Smoking Cessation
Information on how to obtain help quitting smoking is available from the National Smokers’ Quitline on callsave 1850 201 203 or the Health Promotion Department of local Health Boards.
Government Agencies
This Handbook does not limit Employee’s ability to communicate with any government agencies, including the US Securities and Exchange Commission, or otherwise participate in or fully cooperate with any investigation or proceeding that may be conducted by any government agency, including providing documents or other information, without notice to or approval from CBRE.
*This policy is reviewed on a regular basis and is subject to change. Last reviewed in January 2023*
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