Denver Handbook

 

Denver Handbook 2022

 

 
Observ, Inc. is a concessions company headquartered in Denver, Colorado where we specialize in fresh-squeezed lemonade, cotton candy, funnel cakes and more. We are a subcontractor in sports stadiums where we operate stands and in-seat vending. Our current operations in Colorado include the following:
 
·   Ball Arena
·   Canvas Stadium (Colorado State University)
·   Coors Field
·   Denver Coliseum
·   Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
·   Empower Field at Mile High
·   Folsom Field (University of Colorado)
 
Core Values
 
At Observ, we are Reliable and Honest. 
We build Observ through our Growth and Performance 
Observ is a Allstars, and we are Allstars within our communities. 
 
Reliable Attentive, Consistent, Prepared, Flexible 
Honest Communication, Trustworthy, Relationships 
Growth Profitability, Training, Development, Strategy 
Performance Customer Experience, Service, Products, Cleanliness, Speed, Prepared 
Allstars Teamwork, Recognition, Leaders, Care, Friendly, Positive, Community Partner 
 
This handbook serves as a guideline for our employees. The handbook policies are subject to change.
 
Scheduling For Shifts
 
Please ask the staffing coordinator for information about shift scheduling

 
Observ Attendance Point System
 
The Observ attendance point system gives our employees clear expectations while delivering the highest level of service to our venues. For questions about the point system, please text the staffing phone.
 
Each employee begins with 12 points. Opportunities exist for employees to gain points, and points may reset for all employees. This point system is subject to change. 
 
Red days are the busiest days on our calendar and therefore mandatory for all employees.
Here are the Red Days currently on the calendar:
June 17th and 18th
July 1st, 2nd and 30th
August 13th
 
Requests for time off are not guaranteed.
 
If you run out of points, you will face consequences up to termination.
 
Points System
 
·      Calling off after scheduled, more than 2 days before event: -2

  • Illness without proof: -3  
  • Proof of illness (doctor’s note): 0
  • Personal emergency without proof: -3
  • Proof of emergency (at management discretion): 0
  • Calling off less than 24 hours from report time: -4
  • Arriving more than 15 mins late without prior approval: ­-1
  • Arriving 30 minutes late without prior approval: -2
  • Arriving one hour late without prior approval: -3
  • No call, No show: ­­-6
  • Call out on a red day: ­­­-10

Personal Items
Employees cannot store personal items at their stand. Buildings will not allow backpacks. We ask that you try not to bring personal items into the building however if you need to bring something, please ask where to store your item ahead of time. We do not guarantee the ability to watch over personal items.
 
Meal Tickets
We provide meal tickets at some of our venues but they are not guaranteed. Please ask your supervisor or building manager about meal tickets.
 
Breaks
Break policies vary by venue. Employees may take one paid 15-minute break per shift. As a food worker, this is considered an on-duty break.
 
Payroll/Paychecks
Observ issues paychecks on a two-week cycle. The pay week is Friday to Thursday. The pay period ends one week before the paycheck is issued. The pay cycle is on the employee calendar. 
 
Paychecks are mailed to the address you give when completing the new employee paperwork. We encourage all employees to keep a record of their hours and/or commissions.
 
If you have a question about your paycheck or would like to set up direct deposit, please ask the staffing coordinator for additional steps.
 
 
Uniforms and Appearance
Like the players in our stadiums, we have high standards for our uniforms. The buildings, health departments, concessionaires and Observ management set these standards. Don’t hesitate to contact the staffing coordinator or building manager if you have questions about a rule.
 
Hygiene

  • We expect employees to arrive at work looking their best. 
  • Employees must practice good personal hygiene with a bath or shower daily.
  • Employees’ uniforms must be clean at the start of every shift.

 
Shirts and Hats

  • Observ employees will need to purchase a work shirt and hat (where applicable). 
  • If employees lose or forget their shirt or hat, they will be required to buy a new one.
  • Observ will deduct purchased uniforms from the employee’s paycheck.
  • If a venue has a different shirt, we will issue it to employees for the day.
  • Employees must wear shirts down to their pants.
  • Your hat must face forward like a baseball player.
  • Observ management must approve any other headgear worn under hats.
  • If you need to wear extra layers, please wear a solid-black underlayer for indoor venues. At outdoor venues, please ask for an Observ jacket.

 
Pants and Shoes

  • Employees’ pants should be plain black without logos or designs.
  • No jeans, capris, tights, shorts, cargo pants, or sweatpants are allowed. 
  • Each employee’s pants should be the correct length and size, worn at the waist.
  • Shoes must be a neutral color, closed toe and closed heel. 
  • No sandals, slippers or flip flops are permitted.

 
Hair and Accessories

  • Employees must maintain neatly trimmed and combed hair.
  • Hair must not block eye contact with the guest. 
  • Hair length must be above the collar or pulled back and restrained. 
  • Facial hair must be neatly trimmed and well kept. 
  • Jewelry should not be distracting or get in the way of doing your job. Wear any necklaces under your shirt. No dangling earrings or piercings.

 
Cellphones and Headphones
Headphones are not permitted on the concourse.
 
Employees may not use their cellphones behind the stand. Please step outside of the stand if you need to contact Observ Management.
 
Observ Great Customer Service
This job requires excellent customer service skills. Here are a few ways to enhance the fan experience:
 
·       Be cheerful!
o   Greet customers and make them feel special.
·       Be polite!
o   Say please, thank you and you’re welcome.
·       Be helpful!
o   Answer questions, accommodate needs, guide them through the POS system.
·       Make things better!
o   Apologize when things go wrong and work to correct errors. Point customers to Guest Services if you don’t know the answer. Don’t just say, “I don’t know.”
·       Enhance the fan experience!
o   Be fast, patient and the best part of our customer’s day! 
 
Observ Tipping and Money Policies
Tipping is a privilege, and we don’t want to lose this privilege. We take these policies seriously. Violating the tipping policy may lead to discipline up to dismissal.
 
·       Never solicit tips. Do not tell customers that they can/should tip you.
·       Guide people through the POS system. Don’t make it hard for them to know when they are adding a tip. Example: Please answer this prompt or hit continue to skip it.
·       If someone doesn’t understand the tipping system, please skip it. Do not let children tip.
·       If you receive cash tips on the stand, those must be divided equally amongst all employees.
·       Tip cups must be out of sight of customers.
 
Our stadiums are cashless. This means that you cannot let someone buy a product with cash—this is stealing from the company and cause for immediate termination.
 
Health Code and Food Safety
Each venue has specific food safety and health code procedures. You are responsible for these procedures as they are relayed to you by a supervisor.
 
Incident Reports and Discipline
All employees must adhere to the following code of conduct guidelines:
 
1.     Employees must follow all rules laid out in the handbook. 
2.     Employees will correct behavior when asked by management. 
3.     Employees will follow direct orders from a person of authority within the company or the venue.
4.     Employees will not engage in unprofessional behavior at work.
5.     Employees will not use their position to gain unauthorized access to an area, product or giveaway.
6.     Employees will not disrespect/argue with anyone, including Observ employees and customers.
7.     Employees will not walk off the job, leave their stand unattended or refuse to complete a task.
8.     Employees will not endanger the safety of anyone in the building.
9.     Employees will keep track of inventory at the stand.
10.  Employees will contact an immediate supervisor when a serious issue arises.
 
If management suspects that an employee has broken one of these guidelines, an Incident Report will be written. These reports will document the infraction/concern and are used to determine if the employee will face disciplinary action which could lead to suspension or termination.
 
Employees Must Follow All Venue Policies
Employees should consult the website of each venue for additional policies.
 
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Policy
Employees cannot work under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Employees cannot bring drugs or alcohol to work, including the parking garage and shuttle.
 
Anti-harassment Policy, Complaint Procedure 
Observ, Inc. strives to create and maintain a work environment in which people are treated with dignity, decency and respect. The environment of the company should be characterized by mutual trust and the absence of intimidation, oppression and exploitation. Observ, Inc. will not tolerate unlawful discrimination or harassment of any kind. Through enforcement of this policy, Observ, Inc. will seek to prevent, correct and discipline behavior that violates this policy.
 
All employees, regardless of their positions, are covered by and are expected to comply with this policy and to take appropriate measures to ensure that prohibited conduct does not occur. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against any employee who violates this policy. Based on the seriousness of the offense, disciplinary action may include verbal or written reprimand, suspension, or termination of employment.
Managers and supervisors who knowingly allow or tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation, including the failure to immediately report such misconduct to management are in violation of this policy and subject to discipline.
 
Prohibited Conduct Under This Policy
Observ, Inc., in compliance with all applicable federal, state and local anti-discrimination and harassment laws and regulations, enforces this policy in accordance with the following definitions and guidelines:
 
Discrimination
It is a violation of Observ, Inc.’s policy to discriminate in the provision of employment opportunities, benefits or privileges; to create discriminatory work conditions; or to use discriminatory evaluative standards in employment if the basis of that discriminatory treatment is, in whole or in part, the person’s race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information or marital status.
 
Discrimination of this kind may also be strictly prohibited by a variety of federal, state and local laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1967 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This policy is intended to comply with the prohibitions stated in these anti-discrimination laws.
Discrimination in violation of this policy will be subject to disciplinary measures up to and including termination.
 
Harassment
Observ, Inc. prohibits harassment of any kind, including sexual harassment, and will take appropriate and immediate action in response to complaints or knowledge of violations of this policy. For purposes of this policy, harassment is any verbal or physical conduct designed to threaten, intimidate or coerce an employee, co-worker, or any person working for or on behalf of Observ, Inc.
 
The following examples of harassment are intended to be guidelines and are not exclusive when determining whether there has been a violation of this policy:

  • Verbal harassment includes comments that are offensive or unwelcome regarding a person’s national origin, race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, appearance, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status or other protected status, including epithets, slurs and negative stereotyping.
  • Nonverbal harassment includes distribution, display or discussion of any written or graphic material that ridicules, denigrates, insults, belittles or shows hostility, aversion or disrespect toward an individual or group because of national origin, race, color, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, appearance, disability, sexual identity, marital status or other protected status.

 
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful employment discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and is prohibited under Observ, Inc.’s anti-harassment policy. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment is defined as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature … when … submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions … or such conduct has the purpose or effect of … creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.”
Sexual harassment occurs when unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature:

  • Is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment.
  • Is used as a basis for an employment decision.
  • Unreasonably interferes with an employee’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or otherwise offensive environment.

Sexual harassment may take different forms. The following examples of sexual harassment are intended to be guidelines and are not exclusive when determining whether there has been a violation of this policy:

  • Verbal sexual harassment includes innuendoes, suggestive comments, jokes of a sexual nature, sexual propositions, lewd remarks and threats; requests for any type of sexual favor (this includes repeated, unwelcome requests for dates); and verbal abuse or “kidding” that is oriented toward a prohibitive form of harassment, including that which is sexual in nature and unwelcome.
  • Nonverbal sexual harassment includes the distribution, display or discussion of any written or graphic material, including calendars, posters and cartoons that are sexually suggestive or show hostility toward an individual or group because of sex; suggestive or insulting sounds; leering; staring; whistling; obscene gestures; content in letters, notes, facsimiles, emails, photos, text messages, tweets and Internet postings; or other forms of communication that are sexual in nature and offensive.
  • Physical sexual harassment includes unwelcome, unwanted physical contact, including touching, tickling, pinching, patting, brushing up against, hugging, cornering, kissing, fondling, and forced sexual intercourse or assault.

 
Courteous, mutually respectful, pleasant, noncoercive interactions between employees that are appropriate in the workplace and acceptable to and welcomed by both parties are not considered to be harassment, including sexual harassment.
 
Observ, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Observ, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
 
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.