Exceptional Situations

We strive to ensure that separation at Axelerant is handled kindly with minimal disruption to those involved per this Exceptional Situations guideline.

At all times, People Operations will maintain team member records containing all relevant documentation. A Legal Consultant helps ensure our legal compliance with separations.

Disclaimer: This document provides general and referential guidance. It may not consider all relevant local, state, or national laws and is not a legal document. Neither the author nor Exceptional Situations enactors assume any legal liability for using this guideline.

Exceptional Situation Stakeholders

Concerned: Affected team member

Accountable: People Operations

Responsible:

• Reporting Manager; for all other operational roles at Axelerant.

• Career Manager; for team members of the Global Delivery Teams group.

Supporting: Concerned person's 360-group. E.g., peers, coaches, and other leaders.

Reasons for Separation

These definitions may differ from those used in labour laws and regulations.

Team-Member-Initiated Separation

A team-member-initiated separation occurs when a team member informs their manager of a separation. The choice of separation from Axelerant is the team member's decision, and we want to ensure that your concerns are heard, discussed, and resolved mutually before a separation happens.

When considering leaving Axelerant, we encourage you to speak with a relevant peer to discuss your reasons for leaving: E.g., reporting or career manager, coach, or another trusted team member.

When separation is the only solution, please communicate your intention to separate.

Typically, you are free to separate from Axelerant for any reason—or no reason—with no adverse legal consequences when providing a two-month (60-day) notice period. Please discuss the time needed for the handover or transition with your reporting manager.

We advise you to review your employment contract for the statutory notice period when determining your last working day. Relevant leadership could approve an early release on a case-to-case basis.

While a team member is serving their notice period, their consolidated leaves are reduced from 40 days per year to a prorated 3.33 days per month based on the number of months worked since their date of joining or April 1, whichever is nearer.

During the notice period, the remaining leave days that don't interrupt knowledge transfers and transition plans are usable. Typically reimbursable benefits are not applicable in this situation.

Note: In fairness to our team members, as Salary Revisions are tied to a person's joining month, they are not considered a team member-initiated separation activity.

Types of Team-Member-Initiated Separation:

Including but not limited to:

• Resignation

• Retirement

• Contract expiration or completion

Team-Member-Initiated Separation Procedure

There is no severance pay for Team-Member-Initiated Separation exit situations.

Team Member

• Team members are requested to provide an agreed-upon notice of their intention to separate from Axelerant while allowing a reasonable amount of time to transfer ongoing workloads and knowledge.

• The team member should provide a written separation letter or email notification.

Responsible Party

• This is typically the reporting/career manager.

• They are directly responsible individuals and are required to act on this.

• Accept separation notice, negotiate an alternative end date, or deem it effective immediately.

People Operations

• Upon receiving the separation, the people operations will fill out the Team Member Separation Form to create a private slack channel #po-separation wherein the individual's career manager and reporting manager will be added.

• Share a copy of the separation notice.

• When needed, a discussion with the relevant managers and coaches could also happen to determine what led to the separation.

  • Add relevant team members to the #po-separation channel.

  • Any discussion in the channel must intend to understand the matter and not an accusation.

  • We encourage channel members to listen and reflect upon what's shared rather than respond with possible speculations. We should respect each other's truths and not force them upon others.

  • While the discussions are underway, it's essential for team members added to the #po-separation channel to maintain discretion in sharing any details. 

• The people operations team will acknowledge the receipt of the separation with the team member confirming the last working day.

• The people operations team performs https://axelerant.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AH/pages/3113550163.

Axelerant-Initiated Separation

The responsible party ensures compliance with Feedback and giving regarding the concerned person's situation. However, any other person can initiate the Demonstrating Compassion process.

Types of Axelerant-Initiated Separation

Including but not limited to:

• Breaching organizational or professional ethics

• Breaking laws or legal agreements

• Demonstrating unacceptable behaviour per Being Axelerant.

  • E.g., Not being accountable, capable, or coachable people who work well with others.

• Disregard for company people, assets, or guidelines

• Failing to complete onboarding

• Fraud–including excessive or improper equipment purchases

• Lack of timely communication or feedback with peers

• Leave without notice for 8 days or more

• Not aligning with organizational values

• Poor performance by attitude, metrics, or KPIs

• Unable to meet role expectations

Axelerant-Initiated Separation Procedure

Axelerant provides discretionary severance with max at 2 months instead of a lengthy notice period to team members for Axelerant-Initiated Separation situations not of ethical, legal, or leave without notice matters.

Typically for the first occurrence not of ethical, legal, or leave without notice matters, Axelerant will allow the concerned person to overcome their situation as per Feedback, Receiving | Demonstrating Compassion.

Recurring situations like ethical, legal, or leave without notice usually result in immediate separation.

Steps:

• The responsible party will fill out the Team Member Separation Form to create a private Slack channel #po-compassion.

• The responsible party notifies the channel members about the situation and the feedback shared so far.

• The responsible party gives the concerned person a chance to be heard.

• The responsible party gathers relevant feedback from stakeholders and then decides upon the following.

  • Letting the concerned person go with seven (7) days' separation notice.

  • Situation-specific coaching and follow-up within a reasonable time frame, typically 14 workdays.

  • Alternative next steps.

• The responsible party shares the decision in the #po-compassion channel.

  • Though other parties may disagree, they must commit to assisting the responsible party in implementing the decision.

• The people operations and the responsible party will inform the concerned person of the decision and the next steps.

• The people operations perform https://axelerant.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AH/pages/3113550163.

• The people operations should consider drafting lessons learned to share with their peers towards better hiring and retention programs.

Separation Without Cause

Separation without cause can occur when the company decides that a team member's services are no longer needed. In general, this does not refer to a team member's conduct. 

Types of Separation Without Cause

Including but not limited to:

• Department or group restructuring

• Elimination of a department, group, or role

• Layoffs

• Updated role responsibilities per business requirements

• Underutilization

Separation Without Cause Procedure

Axelerant typically provides 2 months severance instead of a lengthy notice period to team members for Separation Without Cause exit reasonings. Severance payment may elongate

The responsible party will notify the team member of their separation at least seven (7) days in advance.

The accountable party performs https://axelerant.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/AH/pages/3113550163.

Team Member Death

Separation due to a team member's death will be effective as their death date.

Axelerant provides four (4) months of compensation. The people operations team will process all appropriate beneficiary payments.

Separation Interviews

Within seven (7) days before separation, People Operations will ask for separation feedback from the concerned party. The findings are shared with the relevant stakeholders.

Typically, the Leapsome 1-1 template handles this stage.

Within four weeks after separation, an accountable or supporting party member could host an exit conversation with concerned, responsible, and supporting parties to help facilitate clearing the air and trust renewal.

Reimbursable Benefits

When reimbursable benefits are used within three months of separating from Axelerant for reasons other than death or separation without cause, the following payments or materials are returned to Axelerant in full:

• Continuing Education/Training Allowance

• Events

• Computing Device (when used within three years of separating from Axelerant)

Return of Company Property

When you separate from Axelerant, you are responsible for returning all Axelerant-issued equipment, such as documents, computer equipment, and company credit cards. Any unpaid, non-returned Axelerant-provided assets will be deducted from the final paycheck.

Full and Final Pay

We pay team members through their last working day minus advances, outstanding loans, Reimbursable Benefits, typical deductions, and other agreements that the team member has utilized in compliance with regional laws.

In cases of a team member's death, Axelerant will pay the final payment due to that team member to the deceased team member's estate or otherwise required per relevant laws.

Full and Final Pay awaits the Return of Company Property. Once Full and Final Pay is due, Axelerant will pay it during the next pay cycle.

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