Staff Handbook: Company Guide For Retail Staff

STAFF HANDBOOK
COMPANY GUIDE FOR RETAIL STAFF

JUNE 2014
WELCOME TO NEXT
You are now part of a fast moving and exciting business, which cares about style, quality and
creativity. Your contribution will help to maintain our reputation and strengthen the Company
through your individual commitment.
We strive for an environment where our staff have the skills and confidence to make a
positive contribution to the business and who want to contribute to their full potential.
Your commitment is valued and in return NEXT will provide you with excellent opportunities
in terms of personal development and career progression.
This Handbook will answer many of your questions. Read it carefully as Section 1 forms
part of your Contract of Employment with NEXT, it also includes details of many of the
excellent benefits you will enjoy and the Companys policies. A copy of the Staff Handbook
is available in store and on the NEXT Employee Portal (NEP) website should you wish to refer
to it. Should you have any comments or queries regarding Company policy or procedure,
please speak to your Manager. We hope you enjoy working with us and wish you a long and
successful career with NEXT.
Simon Wolfson
Chief Executive
CONTENTS
Section 1 : Terms and Conditions of Employment
Page 6
Section 2 : Policies
Page 21
Section 3 : General Information
Page 47
Useful Telephone Numbers
Page 48
Index
Page 50
INTRODUCTION
NEXT Retail Stores
At NEXT we have more than 550 stores spread throughout the
United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe.
These stores range from single stand-alone units to much larger
department stores and our NEXT Clearance stores.
Each store has a management team and a team of staff.
The store belongs to an Area, which is a group of stores
geographically close to one another and each Area is managed by
an Area Manager. These Areas in turn belong to a Region which
is managed by a Regional Manager. NEXT Retail is divided into five
regions, North, Scotland & Ireland, Midlands, London (which also
incorporates Clearance) and South. Please refer to the chart on page
5 for more information.
Your Manager can provide you with details of the management
structure within your store.
Head Office
The Head Office site is in Enderby, Leicester, approximately 6 miles
from Leicester City Centre and close to Junction 21 of the M1/M69
network and provides a range of support functions to NEXT Stores,
the Warehouses, NEXT Directory and our franchise business.
NEXT Distribution Ltd

We have a number of warehouses, which hold and distribute stock
to our retail stores, Directory customers and our franchise business.
The warehouses are located throughout the UK.
NEXT Directory
The NEXT Directory provides a facility for customers to shop from
home via the telephone or Internet. The NEXT Directory customer
call centre is situated on two sites one of which is close to Leicester
City Centre and one at Enderby, Leicester.
INTRODUCTION
Chief Executive
Simon Wolfson
Retail Sales Director

Regional Regional Regional Regional Regional

Manager Manager Manager Manager Manager
North
Midlands
London
South
Scotland &

Ireland

Area Area Area Area Area

Managers Managers Managers Managers Managers
North East
North Wales
North London
South East
West of Scotland

North West
South Midlands
West End
South Central
East of Scotland
North Central
Staffordshire
London City
South Coast
Mid Scotland
Greater Manchester West Midlands
South London
Mid Counties Ireland South West
North Yorkshire
East Midlands
Essex
South West
Ireland North
East Yorkshire
East Anglia
East of London
South Wales
Ireland South
West Yorkshire
North Midlands Home Counties
Clearance South
Clearance North
West Counties
& Avon

Store Store Store Store Store

Managers Managers Managers Managers Managers
SECTION 1
TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

NEXT Retail Ltd is a subsidiary Company of NEXT plc.
Your contract letter forms the Principal Statement of Terms and Conditions of Employment
and together with Section 1 of your Handbook, constitutes your Contract of Employment.
If any significant changes to your Contract are proposed, the Company will consult with
you individually, or where appropriate, via your elected Your Team Voice representative.
This handbook (June 2014) supersedes and replaces any earlier edition(s) you may have.
Duties
You have a significant part to play in making the Company successful. The Company has
various policies which are detailed in section 2 of this handbook. It is your responsibility to
ensure you familiarise yourself with these policies and follow them. If you do not you may be
subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. To perform at your best you need
to be clear about what your role will be, therefore your Manager will spend time with you to
explain your duties and specific responsibilities in full, and may agree individual objectives
with you. During your working hours you are expected to devote your time, attention and
abilities exclusively to NEXTs business.
The Company reserves the right to assign you duties of a different nature on a permanent
or temporary basis either in addition to or instead of those you perform as part of your
assigned role.
Pay
Your salary is paid monthly by direct credit transfer into your bank or building society account
on the 26th of each month, or on the preceding working day if the 26th falls on a weekend or
public holiday. You will receive a pay slip each month showing your gross basic pay, any bonus,
overtime, holiday or sick pay and any deductions, e.g. Income Tax and National Insurance.
If you have any queries regarding your pay please refer them to your Manager in the first instance.
Salaries are reviewed annually, but you do not have a contractual right to any increase in your salary.
Overpayment
It is your responsibility to notify the Company if you have been overpaid by
contacting the Payroll Department without delay. Failure to notify the Payroll
Department of an overpayment could lead to disciplinary action. If we become aware
of an overpayment you will be contacted by the Payroll Department who will discuss
with you how the overpayment will be repaid.
The NEXT Employee Portal (NEP)

Upon commencement with the Company all employees receive access to the online
NEP. The NEP provides important information about your employment, you can
request Paid Leave, update your flexibility, view your rota and many other items.
Terms and conditions of employment are subject to change according to business
needs and any changes will be updated via the NEP.
7

Changes to Personal Details
It is your responsibility to inform us immediately if you change your:
Home Address
Bank or Building Society Account
Home or mobile telephone number
Surname
Next of Kin
Emergency Contact Details
Most of the above can be changed using the NEP system. Changes to surname and
next of kin must be made with your manager. You must directly inform the Pensions
Departments, Equiniti/YBS and Leeds Hospital Fund/Simply Health of any changes
to your personal details, if applicable.
It is also your responsibility to personally notify the Tax Office of any changes to
your personal details or benefits which may affect the tax you pay. The Company
will, however, provide the Inland Revenue with all relevant salary and benefits
information at the end of each tax year.
The Tax Office Address is:
Inland Revenue (East)
Leicester 1 District
Saxon House, 1 Causeway Lane
Leicester LE1 4AA
Telephone 0845 302 1442
Ref : 267/N6149
Confidentiality
In the course of your service with the Company, you may have access to confidential
information about the operation of the business, for example Company performance
or forthcoming products and designs.
This information must not be disclosed to any other party, either during your
employment or afterwards, other than in the proper performance of your duties.
You must not disclose information on the personal matters of fellow employees
and customers. If you are in any doubt, do not disclose information, which you have
acquired during or because of your work.
No employee of the Company is authorised to make statements to the press about the
Company. Any requests for comments should be forwarded to the Press Office
Telephone No: 0207 037 2462.
Place of Work
Your place of work is outlined in your contract letter, however, it may be necessary
to transfer you to another place of work on a temporary or permanent basis. This
may be due to the needs of the business, to fulfil your training requirements or
because of disciplinary action. There may also be times when you may be asked
to travel elsewhere and stay overnight. Reasonable mobility forms part of your
Contract of Employment.
8

Hours of Work
Your normal hours of work are outlined in your contract letter. It may be necessary
to change your normal hours on a permanent or temporary basis for the needs
of the business. Any permanent changes will be confirmed in writing. For any
temporary changes e.g. Sale, peak trading you will be given at least 2 weeks notice.
Sliding Shifts
All staff are required to have a flexible approach to their working hours. Your start
and finish times may slide by up to one hour forward or backward from your core
contract hours depending on work volumes and requirements. Your total contracted
hours will remain the same and will always be honoured weekly.
Flexible Delivery Contracts

Delivery staff may be requested to stay up to an hour later or leave up to an hour
earlier than your allocated shift dependant on the delivery volume. Your total
contracted hours will remain the same and will always be honoured weekly.
Start Times
Your Manager may at the beginning of your shift carry out an update briefing,
therefore, your punctuality is considered very important; your starting time is the
time you should be at your position ready to start work, not the time you arrive on
the premises. Prior to the end of your shift you are expected to have completed any
outstanding jobs, or transfer your tasks and responsibilities to another member of
staff before leaving. On occasion, subject to business needs you may be required to
work reasonable additional time at the end of your shift. Should this occur, you will
be paid for this time, in 15 minute slots.
Clocking In/Out (Time & Attendance)

Next records your attendance at work through an automated clocking in/out
system. This system automatically withholds payments where applicable for
nonattendance and lateness. The policy is known as Time & Attendance (T&A).
It is your responsibility to clock in at the start of your shift and out at the end of your
shift. If you fail to clock in/out you will be deemed not to be at work for the relevant
part of your shift and you will not be paid for that part of your shift, unless, in the
absence of a clock record, you are able to provide alternative proof of attendance.
In this case payment will only be authorised for the attendance that you can provide
evidence to support.
Your T&A compliance (lateness and failure to clock in/out) will also be addressed in
accordance with the disciplinary procedure, and is measured via a series of trigger
points. If trigger points are repeatedly hit, disciplinary action will be taken. See page
27 for more information on the T&A policy.

Eligibility to Work
You must be eligible to work in the UK. Any employee unable to provide proof of
their entitlement to work in the UK will have their contract terminated.
Breaks
Unpaid rest breaks will normally be taken on a rota basis arranged with your
Manager and the times may need to be varied. Break entitlements are shown in the
table below.
Part-Time Break Entitlements

Shift Length
(hours.min)
4.00
4.15
4.30
4.45
5.00
5.15
5.30
5.45
6.00
6.15
6.30
6.45
7.00
7.15
7.30
7.45
Unpaid Break
Entitlement
(mins)
0
0
0
15 (30)
15 (30)
15 (30)
15 (30)
15 (30)
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
30
( ) if under 18
Paid Hours
(hours.min)
4.00
4.15
4.30
4.30 (4.15)
4.45 (4.30)
5.00 (4.45)
5.15 (5.00)
5.30 (5.15)
5.30
5.45
6.00
6.15
6.30
6.45
7.00
7.15
Full-Time Break Entitlements

Store Type
Hours Open
(hours.min) (e.g.)
Very short opening
8 (09.30-17.30)
Short opening
8.30 (09.00-17.30)
High street
9 (09.00-18.00)
Shift
9.30+ (09.00-20.00)
Shift Length
(hours.min) (e.g.)
8.00 (09.30-17.30)
8.15 (09.15-17.30)
8.30 (09.00-17.30)
8.45 (08.45-17.30)
9.00 (09.00-18.00)
9.15 (08.45-18.00)
8.15 (11.45-20.00)
8.30 (11.45-20.15)
Unpaid Break
Entitlement
(mins)
30
45 + 15
60 + 30
45
Paid Hours
(hours.min)
7.30
7.45
7.30
7.45
7.30
7.45
7.30
7.45
In some cases Management shifts are 15 minutes longer and will therefore start either 15 minutes
before trade or finish 15 minutes after trade and will be paid for this time
10
Premium Pay Rates

Overtime
It will be necessary at times of peak workload or peak trading for employees to work
additional hours of overtime. You will be advised by your Manager when overtime
is necessary.
It is a reasonable expectation that a Managers working day may extend beyond the
standard 7.45 hours period and this is reflected in the salary package. Under normal
circumstances employees at Sales Coordinator and above will not normally receive
any additional payment for overtime worked.
Night Working
Staff who work at night will be paid at a premium rate of time and a quarter for hours
worked between 12.00 midnight and 5.00am.
Sunday Working
Our stores trade regularly on Sundays and selected stores will trade on Sundays
during peak trading periods particularly in December prior to Christmas.
Employees who work Sunday will be paid a premium rate as outlined below:
All employees with continuous service commencing prior to 4th November 2001,
will be paid at time and a half
For employees commencing on or after 4th November 2001 up to 31st May 2006:

Staff (up to and including Sales Coordinator) will be paid at time and a quarter
Managers (Grade 6 and above) will be paid at time and a half
For staff (up to and including Sales Coordinator) commencing on or after 1st June 2006:

Employed up to 30th September 2008 will be paid time plus 10%
Employed on or after 1st October 2008 will not be a paid premium
For managers (Grade 6 and above) commencing on or after 1st June 2006:

Employed up to 31st January 2009 will be paid time and a third
Employed on or after 1st February 2009 will not be paid a premium
11

Sunday Opt Out
All employees can opt out of Sunday working by giving 3 months written notice, this
should be sent to the Retail HR Department. The hours lost on a Sunday as a result
of opting out will not be replaced by additional alternative hours, this applies to both
contracted and non contracted hours. Managers and Sales Coordinatiors contracted
to work Sunday may have a grade reduction following a Sunday opt out.
Non Attendance and Premium Pay Rates

No premiums will be paid for hours not worked with the exception of Paid Leave.
Public Holidays
Below is a list of the current Public Holidays in the UK and Northern Ireland. This is a
guide only and changes may occur; details of the current years Public Holidays will
be available from your Manager.
If a Public Holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, it will be transferred to the
following weekday.
England
Scotland*
Northern Ireland
New Years Day

Good Friday
Easter Monday
The first Monday in May
The last Monday in May
The last Monday in August
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
New Years Day

January 2nd
Good Friday
The first Monday in May*
The last Monday in May*
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
New Years Day

St. Patricks Day (March 17th)
Good Friday
Easter Monday
The first Monday in May
The last Monday in May
July 12th
The last Monday in August
Christmas Day
Boxing Day
*Some Scottish towns and cities have local variations please refer to your Area
Manager for confirmation of the public holidays in your town/city.
Public Holiday Working

You may be required to work on a Public Holiday, depending on the needs of the
business. If your contracted day includes a day on which a Public Holiday falls, you
will be expected to work if required.
If you are contracted to work on a Public Holiday but do not wish to work, leave must
be agreed in advance with your Manager and this will be deducted from your annual
Paid Leave entitlement (see page 15). Subject to business need, the Company may
stipulate that a contracted Public Holiday must be taken as Paid Leave.
Employees contracted to work non-trading Public Holidays will have Paid Leave
deducted from their entitlement for their normal shift. If insufficient Paid Leave
entitlement remains, the time will be unpaid absence.
12

It may be necessary to ask you to work a non contracted Public Holiday. In such
circumstances the Company will give you reasonable notice.
Staff whose contracted hours do not fall on a Public Holiday will not be paid for that
day but will not have this time deducted from their Paid Leave entitlement.
No premium is paid for Public Holiday working.
Employment References
Any offer of employment made by the Company to you may be subject to the
receipt of satisfactory references. Certain roles may be subject to criminal record
and/or credit reference checks. The Company will determine whether a reference is
satisfactory or not. All references we receive are treated in the strictest confidence
subject to the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Company may
withdraw any offer of employment made to you or terminate your employment in the
unfortunate event of your references being unsatisfactory.
Probationary Period
You are employed by NEXT subject to the successful completion of a probationary
period, as outlined in your contract.
Should your performance and/or conduct not prove to be satisfactory during your
probationary period, the Company may either terminate your employment within or
at the end of the period or extend the probationary period. During the probationary
period the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure may not apply at the Companys
discretion.
Any extension of a probationary period will be confirmed to you, detailing the reason
for and duration of the extension.
Trial Period Following Promotion/Transfer

Following a promotion or transfer there will be a trial period in your new position,
which will be confirmed in writing. Your performance will be formally reviewed by
your Manager during your trial period.
Lay Offs
In the event of a significant business disruption such as pandemic flu outbreak or
terrorist attack, Next reserves the right to lay people off.
Any lay off will be kept to a minimum and will be in line with the current Advisory,
Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) guidelines.
13

Leaving the Company
If you decide to leave NEXT, you should inform your Manager in writing as soon as
possible. Verbal notice may be accepted at your Managers discretion. The table
below gives details of the notice period you are obliged to give/entitled to receive.
No notice will be given by NEXT in cases of summary dismissal for Gross Misconduct.
Your final monies will be paid into your bank account on or shortly after your
normal pay day as stipulated in your principle statement of terms and conditions of
employment. You will receive your P45 by post.
An adjustment will be made to your final salary to take into account any money that
you owe to the Company which may result in money being deducted from your
final pay. In some circumstances it is not possible to make all necessary adjustments
to your pay before you leave the Company. The Company may therefore need to
contact you after you have left to pay to you the monies that you are owed or to
recover from you the monies that you have been overpaid.
If you have taken Paid Leave in excess of your entitlement when you leave the
Company you will be required to repay this to the Company and the Company
reserves the right to deduct this money from any money that they owe to you.
An employee is expected to give and to work their full contractual notice. Failure to
work the appropriate notice period, unless you receive authorisation to leave early, is
a breach of your Contract of Employment. Accordingly, you will not be paid for any
period of your notice that you do not work.
The Company reserves the right to pay salary in lieu of notice.
In the unfortunate circumstance of termination due to redundancy, please refer to
the Company Redundancy Policy which can be obtained from your Store Manager.
Notice Periods
Length of Service
From You to the Company
From the Company to You
Less than 3 months
1 week
1 week
3 months or more and

less than 5 years
4 weeks
4 weeks
5 years service or over
4 weeks
1 week for each completed

year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks
Senior employees may be required to work longer periods of notice as outlined in their contract letter.
Return of Company Property

Your staff discount card, name badge, security passes, any keys you may hold and any
other Company equipment remains the property of the Company and should be given
to your Manager when you leave. Documents, records, reports, manuals or other similar
items that may have come into your possession during the course of your employment
by the Company, or any copies that have been made, must also be returned.
14

Other Work or Activity
You must inform your Manager if you are engaged in any other employment or business activity
whilst working for the Company or if you are placed under suspension or dismissed from another
employer. If any such activity could damage our reputation or credibility, affect your ability to
effectively fulfil your duties or potentially create a conflict of interest, we reserve the right to ask
you to choose between your employment with NEXT and the other activity. In such circumstances
disciplinary action may be taken.
If any sporting or social commitment interferes with or has a detrimental affect on your
standard of performance, conduct or attendance whilst in our employment, you may be asked
to forego any such activity.
Health & Safety

It is a condition of your contract of employment that you will comply with the
Companys Health & Safety policy (page 40) and Health & Safety instructions that
you are given. Any breaches of Health & Safety may lead to disciplinary action up to
and including dismissal.
Serving Friends and Relatives

You must not serve yourself, your friends or relatives and must not process any such
transaction(s) through the till. You should refer them to one of your colleagues or if
the transaction is to be made through staff discount, to a Manager.
Paid Leave
All employees are entitled to paid holiday leave each year.
The Paid Leave year commences on 1st April each year and ends on 31st March. Any
crossover periods will be communicated.
The Paid Leave policy is as follows:
1. The minimum period of Paid Leave is half a day and the maximum period under
normal circumstances is 2 weeks. Any request for extended leave should be made
to your Manager, but will only be agreed in exceptional circumstances.
2. All leave requests should be made via NEP.
3. During peak trade periods Paid Leave will be limited.
4.
You must agree your leave dates with your Manager before you make any
arrangements or book any travel. This is to enable them to plan for your absence
and make every reasonable attempt to accommodate your Paid Leave request.
5. It is your responsibility to keep an accurate record of the leave you have taken and
your outstanding entitlement for the year. This can also be viewed on NEP.
6. You should have taken 50% of your annual entitlement by the end of September,
75% by the end of November, and 100% by the end of March each year.
7. During the first 12 weeks of employment, you may not take holidays in excess of that
earned to date.
15

8. It is your responsibility to ensure your full Paid Leave entitlement is booked. Any
unused entitlement, as per the timescales in point 6 will be allocated to you.
9. If your contracted hours are changed during the Paid Leave year, your entitlement
will be adjusted accordingly.
10. On leaving the Company, any unused Paid Leave entitlement earned to date will
be paid to you in your final monies. If you have taken more leave than you have
earned at the time of leaving, the excess will be deducted from your final monies.
11. If you are seriously injured or suffer illness whilst on leave, the Company may, at
its discretion, regard these days as sickness absence provided you supply a valid
doctors certificate to cover for your sickness.
12. If you are absent from work on maternity leave you will be paid in lieu of any
unused Paid Leave entitlement, usually at the end of the Paid Leave year.
13. If you wish to have leave to observe a religious festival(s) this should be requested
as part of your annual Paid Leave entitlement. All such leave dates should be given
to your Manager upon joining the Company and thereafter at the start of each
year. Authorisation is based on business need and will be granted on a first come
first served basis.
14. Paid Leave may be stipulated as an option for employees contracted to work on
non-trading days, e.g. Easter Sunday.
Paid Leave Entitlement

The entitlements below are for full time employees, if you are a part time employee you
are entitled to a direct
pro-rata
based on
your contracted
Paid
Leaveentitlement
Entitlements
England
& Waleshours (see page 18).
Start Date
On or after
1st April 2008
On or before
31st March
2008
Length of
Service (Years)
Basic
Entitlement
(Days)
Additional
Entitlement in lieu
of Public Holidays
Additional
Entitlement
in lieu of
removal of
Premium Pay
28
5 (Grades 8&9
only)
5 (Grade 7+)
7 (Grades 8&9
only)
7 (Grade 7+)
9
11
13
15
25
Total
Entitlement
(Days)
28
24
33
24
34
25
1**
34*/**
25
26
27
28
29
31
8
8
8
8
8
8
2
2
2
2
2
2
35*
36*
37*
38*
39*
41*
* = If start date is on or before 30th September 2005, an additional day is added in lieu of a customary day
for the former Christmas Shop Day
** = F
or staff at Grade 8&9 starting on or before 30th September 2004, this entitlement is increased by
one day due to previously being entitled to a higher premium rate for Public Holidays
16

Paid Leave Entitlements Scotland, Jersey & Guernsey
Length of
Service (Years)
Start Date
On or after
1st April 2008
On or before
31st March
2008
Basic
Entitlement
(Days)
Additional
Entitlement in lieu
of Public Holidays
Additional
Entitlement
in lieu of
removal of
Premium Pay
28
5 (Grades 8&9
only)
5 (Grade 7+)
7 (Grades 8&9
only)
7 (Grade 7+)
9
11
13
15
25
Total
Entitlement
(Days)
28
24
34
24
35
25
1**
35*/**
25
26
27
28
29
31
9
9
9
9
9
9
2
2
2
2
2
2
36*
37*
38*
39*
40*
42*
** = For staff at Grade 8&9 starting on or before 30th September 2004, this entitlement is increased by one
day due to previously being entitled to a higher premium rate for Public Holidays
Paid Leave Entitlements Northern Ireland & Isle of Man

Start Date
On or after
1st April 2008
On or before
31st March
2008
Length of
Service (Years)
Basic
Entitlement
(Days)
Additional
Entitlement in lieu
of Public Holidays
Additional
Entitlement
in lieu of
removal of
Premium Pay
28
5 (Grades 8&9
only)
5 (Grade 7+)
7 (Grades 8&9
only)
7 (Grade 7+)
9
11
13
15
25
Total
Entitlement
(Days)
28
24
10
35
24
10
36
25
10
1**
36*/**
25
26
27
28
29
31
10
10
10
10
10
10
2
2
2
2
2
2
37*
38*
39*
40*
41*
43*
** = For staff at Grade 8&9 starting on or before 30th September 2004, this entitlement is increased by one
day due to previously being entitled to a higher premium rate for Public Holidays
For more information on your individual Paid Leave entitlement, please see the Paid Leave
Entitlement Report from your manager or your NEP.
Some senior employees may have a different entitlement as outlined in their contract letter.
17

Any service related increases to Paid Leave entitlement become effective from the start of
the Paid Leave year after the anniversary of the date you joined the Company.
The Terms and conditions of employment mean you will be required to work Public
Holidays if needed.
If you are not required to work a Public Holiday, but are contracted for that day, this time
will be deducted from your Paid Leave entitlement (see page 12 for more information on
Public Holidays).
Calculating Paid Leave Entitlement for Part Time Staff

If you are a part time employee, you will receive a direct pro-rata of the relevant full
time entitlement. Paid Leave entitlement for part time staff is expressed in hours
rather than days to avoid any confusion which may be caused by flexible working
and changes to the number of days worked each week. The entitlement requires only
a simple calculation.
Contracted Hours
5
FT Paid Leave
entitlement
Paid Leave
hours
Example 1: A part timer has 14 months service and is contracted to work 8 hours each week.
8 Hours
5
28 Days
(44.8) 45 hours per year

(Rounded up to 45)
Example 2: A part timer has 16 years service and is contracted to work 16 hours each week.
16 Hours
5
40 Days
128 hours per year
Pre-employment Medical Questionnaire

New staff joining the Company may be required to complete a Medical Questionnaire
as part of a Health & Safety check. This will be passed on to a Company Medical
Advisor for review.
Sickness & Non Attendance

The Company has an Attendance at Work Policy. It is your responsibility to familiarise
yourself with the policy described in the
Attendance at Work Guide, available

on NEP or from your manager. If you do not follow the policy, you may be subject
to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Sick pay is also detailed within
this guide.
18

Reporting your Non Attendance
If you are unable to attend work, regardless of the reason, you must fully adhere to
the non attendance reporting procedure outlined below.
You must telephone the store to report your non attendance PERSONALLY
You must speak to your Manager or in their absence, another member of the
Management Team
You must report your non attendance as soon as you are aware you are unable to
attend work but in any event by no later than the times outlined below
You must complete a Self Certification Form upon your return to work
Start Time
Early Shifts (4.30am to 9.30am)
9.30am to 9.00pm
9.00pm to Midnight
Your Call Must be Received by

As early as possible and by no later than
30 minutes after the start of your shift
By 10.00am
By 4.00pm
Breaching the non attendance reporting procedure could result in disciplinary action
and/or Company Sick Pay being withheld.
Withholding Company Sick Pay

Company Sick Pay can be withheld under certain circumstances, for example, failure
to follow the Company reporting procedure or failure to complete a Self Certification
Form on your first shift back at work.
Withholding NEXTs Basic Sick Benefit

Basic Sick Benefit may be withheld if you have been unable to produce satisfactory
medical evidence. You need to provide a doctors certificate if your non attendance is
in excess of one working week.
Whilst you are required to provide medical evidence for the entire period of your
absence in excess of that week, this may not be accepted by the Company as
conclusive evidence of your inability to attend work. The Company may seek its own
medical opinion including that of the Companys Occupational Health Team.
You will also forfeit sick pay in the following circumstance:

You were not genuinely sick and/or the Company has reasonable grounds to
believe you were not genuinely sick
You have not taken reasonable precautions to prevent injury and/or the Company
has reasonable grounds to believe you have not taken reasonable precautions to
prevent injury
Your injury is self inflicted e.g. sports injury etc
19

You require time off because you have elected to receive treatment
e.g. cosmetic surgery
You take sick leave as a result of a pending investigation, disciplinary or grievance
or the issuing of performance review objectives
The Company deems that either the level of your absence or the reason for your
absence is unacceptable and/or not genuine
Medical Appointments
If you need to arrange a medical appointment you should wherever possible book
the appointment:

Outside contracted working hours

On a day off
Using time owing
Using holiday entitlement
Before or after work
By rearranging your working hours
Only in exceptional circumstances will authorisation be given to attend such

appointments during your shift, this is with the exception of maternity related
appointments.
Right of Search
The Company reserves the right to search your person, belongings, locker and vehicle.
Periodic and random searches will be conducted. Selection for search does not imply
suspicion and it is hoped that employees will accept the need for such checks.
You or an employee representative must be present throughout any search of your
property and you will not be required to submit to a search of clothing other than
outer garments e.g. jackets, coat. A more thorough search of clothing may, however,
be undertaken by the police where there are reasonable grounds to believe that
merchandise may be concealed about an employees person.
Refusing to a reasonable request to search your person, belongings, or vehicle may
lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
20
SECTION 2
POLICIES
POLICIES
Disciplinary Policy
The aim of the Disciplinary Policy is to ensure that employees act professionally at all
times. However, should the Company need to take disciplinary action, the Companys
procedure has been designed to provide a fair and consistent method of dealing with
disciplinary problems and to provide an opportunity for improvement in behaviour
and/or performance.
The Procedure
When a disciplinary matter arises, the Manager will establish the facts promptly,
taking into account the statements of any available witness. A record will be kept for
later reference. In exceptional cases particularly concerning misconduct, this may
need to include an investigation interview with the employee concerned, though
this will not always be the case. Where an investigation interview is appropriate this
can be conducted immediately without notice to the individual concerned.
In exceptional circumstances, the notes or witness statement may be withheld where
the Company has reasonable grounds to believe that the disclosure of a witnesss
identity or evidence could present a significant threat to their safety or well-being.
A decision to withhold notes/statements may only be made in consultation with a
member of the Human Resources Department.
Most first cases of misconduct or poor performance will be dealt with by formal
counselling. The employee will also be made aware of what action will be taken if
they fail to improve.
An employee may be suspended from work by their Manager on basic pay while an
investigation is held or during disciplinary proceedings. Suspension will be kept to
a minimum period to allow the investigation/disciplinary process to be completed
and for the employee to prepare themselves. Suspension is not a punishment and
should not be regarded as a presumption of guilt.
Stages of Disciplinary Procedure

Before a decision is reached or any disciplinary action taken there will be a
disciplinary hearing at which employees have the opportunity to state their case
and to answer the allegations that have been made.
If it is decided, following a disciplinary hearing, that disciplinary action will be
taken, the employee will be advised of the nature of that action. When the offence
is serious enough the early levels of warning within the Disciplinary Procedure
may be omitted. Employees should be aware that disciplinary action does not
always begin with formal counselling.
Written warnings are confirmed in writing and are kept on the employees file.
Usually written warnings will remain on file for 12 months from the date of issue.
The Warning Process (which may be instigated at any stage) is:
Formal Counselling
First Written Warning
Final Written Warning
Dismissal
22
POLICIES
General Principles of the Disciplinary Procedure
1. A disciplinary hearing will normally be held as soon as is practical
2. In all cases where a disciplinary hearing is required, it is Company policy that an
employee has the following rights:
(a) To be informed in writing of the disciplinary hearing and receive confirmation
of the alleged conduct/circumstances
(b) To have at least 24 hours notice of the disciplinary interview unless both parties
agree to waive it
(c) The opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged offence
(d)
To be accompanied by a work colleague of their choice, Your Team Voice
representative or Trade Union representative as a companion
The role of the companion is to support the employee where appropriate by
asking questions for clarification or being allowed the opportunity to confer
privately with the employee. It does not include answering questions on behalf
of the employee
(e) To appeal against action taken as a result of the disciplinary hearing
(f) Employees will not be dismissed for a first breach of discipline except in cases of
gross misconduct
3. Any decision to take disciplinary action must involve consultation with a member
of the Retail Human Resources Department.
4. Only individuals in the following positions are authorised to dismiss an employee:
Area Manager, General Manager, Store Manager, Commercial Manager, Operations
Manager, Assistant Store Manager, Deputy Manager.
Records of Disciplinary Action

Records will be kept of all fact finding and investigation, disciplinary and appeal hearings.
The employee normally has the right to receive a copy of any notes, audio recordings or
evidence the Company intends to rely on during the disciplinary hearing. In exceptional
circumstances, the notes or witness statements may be withheld where the Company has
reasonable grounds to believe that the disclosure of a witnesss identity or evidence could
present a significant threat to their safety or well-being. A decision to withhold notes/
statements may only be in consultation with a member of the Retail Human Resources
Department.
A copy of disciplinary warnings will be kept on the employees file but subject to satisfactory
conduct and performance would normally be disregarded for disciplinary purposes after
the time scales outlined previously.
Live warnings may be considered in assessing eligibility for performance related pay/
benefits, as part of a redundancy selection process, and may be disclosed to third parties
in reference requests.
Disciplinary records may also be considered for the purposes of objective setting,
identifying training/development needs and assessing suitability for promotion.
With the exception of reference requests, disciplinary records would normally only be
available to those directly involved in assessing and managing the employees performance.
23
POLICIES
In most cases disciplinary action will result in the withholding of sales bonus. Usually
3 months for a first written warning and 6 months for a final written warning, and
pro-ratad for any Seasonal Bonus.
Disciplinary Transfer
A disciplinary transfer may be deemed appropriate action as an alternative to
dismissal. The Company will take into account all the circumstances/precedents
including the employees general record, position, and any other relevant information.
Demotion
Where there is a substantial or sustained failure to meet the required minimum
standard for the job in performance or conduct, an employees grade or status may
be reduced. Changes to salary and benefits will be commensurate with the new
grade or status. This action may be taken in conjunction with a level of warning.
Disciplinary Action During Probationary Period

The Companys disciplinary policy may not apply during any probationary period or
extension of it.
Gross Misconduct
It is not possible to list all situations which may constitute Gross Misconduct.
However, the following provides examples of the types of misconduct which are
considered serious enough to justify summary dismissal. Summary dismissal means
that an employee will be dismissed without prior warnings and forfeits the right to
notice or payment in lieu of notice.
Theft from, or dishonesty in relation to the Company, its employees or customers
Falsification of any Company documentation or electronic records for your own or
others gain
Serious breach of trust and confidence, either in work or out of work
Serious contravention of till procedures and/or cash handling procedures
Serious breach of security
Serious breach of Company health and safety procedures
Breaching the Company smoking policy
Serious breach of Data Protection
Gross insubordination
Serious inappropriate conduct e.g. wilful damage to Company or non-Company
property whilst on Company business.
Fighting, threatening, abusive or offensive behaviour or language on Company
premises or Company social functions.
A serious breach of the Companys Equal Opportunities Policy
Consumption of alcohol on Company premises at any time, except at official Company
social functions
24
POLICIES

Being unfit for work as a result of the consumption of alcohol, controlled
substances/illegal drugs or possession thereof on Company premises
A serious breach of the Companys Computer and Email Usage Policy or Internet
Conduct Policy

Fraudulent processing of Company Promotional Materials e.g. Next Directory
Application Forms
Abuse or breach of staff discount, staff uniform or staff shop rules

Removal of Company property/merchandise without authorisation or prior
payment in full
Conviction, formal charge or caution for a criminal offence which directly affects
the employees ability to carry out their job, or has serious implications concerning
the propriety of them continuing in their job

Unauthorised non attendance e.g. unauthorised holiday leave or absence over
peak trade

Knowingly providing false or misleading information during the application
process
Serious breach of clocking in and out procedures e.g. clocking in or out for an
individual other than yourself
Appeals
You have the right to appeal against disciplinary action should you feel that there
are sufficient grounds to do so. If so, you should lodge your appeal within 7 days
of the disciplinary hearing to the appropriate Senior Manager. This needs to be
in writing stating the reasons for the appeal and dates of your availability and
addressed c/o The Retail Human Resources Dept., Next Retail Ltd, Desford Road,
Enderby, Leicester LE19 4AT.
The appeal will be heard by a Senior Manager who has not previously been involved.
This will whenever possible be held within 2 weeks of receiving the appeal notification.
Employees will be informed of the arrangements for appeal hearings and the right
to be accompanied. It may be appropriate to adjourn the appeal to investigate or
consider any new evidence.
The employee will be informed of the results of the appeal and the reasons for the
decision as soon as possible and this will be confirmed in writing.
An employee raising an appeal has the right to be accompanied at the appeal
hearing by an employee of the Company, Your Team Voice representative or a
Trade Union representative. No provision is made at any stage for a legal
representative to be present.
A member of the Human Resources Department will normally be present at the
appeal hearing. The Manager who hears the appeal will be impartial. They will
investigate the reasons for the warning or dismissal and consider the grounds for the
action taken. After hearing the appeal, the Manager may:
(a) dismiss the appeal thereby upholding the disciplinary action
25
POLICIES
(b) reduce the penalty level
(c) hold that no offence was committed and that no record should be maintained,
thereby overturning the disciplinary action
Once concluded there will be no further right to appeal.
Civil Recovery
In circumstances where the Company suffers financial cost or loss as a result of an
employees actions, it may seek to recover the loss and the cost of doing so through
the civil courts.
Disciplinary and Appeal Process
Establishing the facts regarding

performance/conduct possibly via a fact
finding exercise or formal investigation
hearing
No further action
Possible suspension during

and/or following investigation
Notice in writing of the Disciplinary

hearing, confirming details of the issue
and the right
to be accompanied
Disciplinary hearing
No further action
Disciplinary action taken in the form
of counselling/warning/demotion/
transfer/dismissal
Decision confirmed in writing

If employee feels there are sufficient
grounds, they can appeal against the
decision in writing to the appropriate
Senior Manager within 7 days
Employee decides to
take no further action
Appeal hearing held within 2 weeks

of appeal letter being received, if
practical. Will have the right to be
accompanied
Reduce the penalty
Uphold the disciplinary action
26
Decide that no offence

was committed and
overturn the action
POLICIES
Grievance Procedure
Employees may have problems or concerns about their work, working environment
or working relationships that they wish to raise and have resolved. The Grievance
Procedure provides a mechanism for these to be dealt with fairly and speedily, before
they develop into major problems.
It is in everyones best interest to ensure that employees grievances are dealt with
quickly and fairly and your Manager will endeavour to respond within 2 weeks.
Grievances regarding unfair treatment e.g. discrimination or bullying and harassment
are dealt with under the Equal Opportunities Policy.
The Procedure
Most complaints and grievances are best resolved informally in discussion with the
employees immediate Manager. Both Manager and employee may find it helpful to keep
a note of the informal meeting.
Where the grievance cannot be resolved informally it should be dealt with under the
formal grievance procedure as follows.
Stage 1: Employees who have a grievance should put it in writing and send it to their
immediate Line Manager. Should the grievance be about your immediate Manager, then
it is appropriate to raise the issue with your Managers Line Manager. Within 2 weeks (if
practical) of receipt of the employees grievance, the Manager will invite the employee in
writing to attend a formal meeting to discuss the grievance, a meeting will then normally
be held within a further 2 week period. An employee has the right to be accompanied by
a work colleague, a Your Team Voice representative or TU Representative.
Stage 2: If the matter is not resolved to the employees satisfaction in Stage 1, they will be
permitted to appeal in writing to a more Senior Manager within 7 days. The Manager will
whenever possible hear the grievance within a 2 week period. Following the meeting the
Manager will endeavour to respond to the grievance in writing within 2 weeks.
There will be no further right of appeal.
Grievance letters sent directly to Directors or very SeniorManagers will be redirected and
dealt with under the formal grievance procedures. Following the grievance procedure
above will enable problems and concerns to be resolved promptly and effectively.
Anonymous letters are difficult to investigate and cannot be effectively acted upon.
Anonymous letters will not be treated as a grievance under the Grievance Procedure.
Time and Attendance Policy (T&A)

All employees are required to clock in and out. This involves entering your payroll
number into a till or PC. The Time and Attendance system directly links your clocking
in and clocking out data to your pay. It is therefore vital you clock in at the start of
your shift and clock out at the end of your shift.
27
POLICIES
The system accurately records all work carried out by you, allows you to view your
own rota up to 2 weeks in advance and query any rota data you believe is not correct.
Following the Time and Attendance procedure accurately ensures you receive
prompt payment for additional hours, and gives visibility of your attendance data to
your managers to enable them to answer any pay queries you may have.
The system is designed to pay you in quarter of an hour intervals. Any adjustment to
paid time will be based on these 15 minute intervals.
Non-compliance
If you have an occasion of the following it will result in late or reduced payments:
Failure to clock in
Failure to clock out
Late clock in
Early clock out
The Company may pay you for hours that you work where you genuinely fail to clock,
however, we will only pay what can be evidenced.
Acceptable forms of evidence will include:
Till Transaction Logs
Managers Visual Recall
If you forget to clock you should clock as soon as you remember and highlight the
error to your Manager along with how it can be evidenced that you were on your shift.
Whilst you may receive payment for occasions that can be evidenced, this will still be
recorded as an occasion of failure to comply with the Companys Time and Attendance
procedure and will be documented on your Time and Attendance Record card.
T&A Disciplinary Process

If you persistently fail to clock, clock in late, or clock out early you may
be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
The process is based on a trigger point system, if 3 occasions of
non-compliance occur within any period of 20 shifts rotad, the trigger point is reached.
Any occasion of failure to comply with the Companys Time and Attendance
procedures will be recorded on your Time & Attendance Record Card. It is not
necessary for you to sign the record card after each occasion of poor compliance,
however, you will be informed when a Trigger Point is hit.
A level of action will be issued following the appropriate meeting
Notification Letter
Trigger Point Letter
First Written Warning
Final Written Warning
Dismissal
28
POLICIES
Action will remain on the Record Card for a 12 month period. If a previous level is still
live, the outcome will escalate to the next level. Bonus will be withheld according to
the Companys disciplinary procedures.
T&A Security
The principles of the Companys Computer Use and Data Protection Policies apply
to this process, and breaches constitute Gross Misconduct.
Asking another employee to clock you in or out, or clocking in or out for another
employee is a Gross Misconduct offence and considered serious enough to justify
summary dismissal.
Maternity
All pregnant employees qualify for maternity leave irrespective of their length of service
or contracted hours.
Notification
As soon as you find out you are pregnant and no later than the 15th week before
the expected week of childbirth (if this is reasonably practical), you must notify your
Manager and the Payroll Department. You can request a copy of the Maternity Guide,
this sets out the Companys Maternity Policy and will give you further information
with regard to your rights. The Payroll Department will be happy to assist you with
any query you may have.
Miscarriage or Stillbirth
Unfortunately there may be instances where an employee loses a baby during
pregnancy due to miscarriage/stillbirth.
Prior to the 25th week of pregnancy there is no eligibility to maternity leave or pay.
However the Company will support employees as appropriate and if reasonable time
off is necessary this may be either covered by Compassionate Leave or under the
Company Sickness Policy.
Where a miscarriage/stillbirth occurs after at least 24 weeks of pregnancy employees
would still be eligible for Maternity Leave and Maternity Pay (or just Statutory Maternity
Payand Maternity Allowance).
Advice and support is available from the Miscarriage Association on 01924 200799.
Adoption Leave
Employees who meet certain eligibility criteria, including a minimum of 26 weeks
continuous service as at the end of the matching week, (or at the start of the
Statutory Adoption Pay if adopting from overseas) can take up to 52 weeks Adoption
Leave and may also be entitled to receive Adoption Pay (providing certain earnings
criteria are met). Please see the Adoption Leave Policy for more details.
29
POLICIES
Paternity Leave
If you have continuous 6 months service or more at the 15th week prior to the
expected week of childbirth, you are entitled to take up to 2 weeks leave at full pay
in the 8 weeks following the expected date of birth or actual date of birth if earlier.
Paternity Leave cannot be split and must be taken in 1 continuous block. A copy of
your partners Maternity Certificate (MAT B1) must be provided at least 3 weeks in
advance of taking Paternity Leave. For children born or adopted on or after 3rd April
2011, Additional Paternity Leave can be taken, providing your partner has returned to
work. Please see the Paternity Leave policy for more information.
Time Off for Dependents

In case of family illness or emergency you may be entitled to reasonable unpaid time
off work to make arrangements in relation to the illness/emergency.
A dependant may be:
A child for whom you have legal parental responsibility i.e. as mother or father
(including adoptive parents)
Elderly or infirm parent
Spouse/partner
Person living in your household who is not an employee, tenant or lodger.
Time off must be agreed after discussion with your Manager. You are required to
notify your Manager of the need for time off and the likely duration as soon as
possible.
Where a situation is ongoing, you are expected to take appropriate steps to ensure
that your time off is kept to a minimum.
Time off for dependants is available to support you in unforeseeable circumstances. If
you know in advance that time off is needed, this should be dealt with under normal
annual leave provisions, or, where applicable, parental leave.
Time taken off for dependents will be unpaid.
Please note that there are separate arrangements for compassionate leave and
parental leave, which are detailed in the following section.
Flexible Working
Whilst employees do not have an automatic right to flexible working, requests from
eligible employees to change their hours or place of work will be considered in line
with the Flexible Working Policy. Please see your manager for a Flexible Working
Application Form.
30
POLICIES
Parental Leave
Parents with younger children may be entitled to Parental Leave. This will be subject
to how much time is required and taking into account the needs of the business.
You should refer to the Attendance at Work Guide for more details.
Compassionate Leave
During times of close family bereavement or severe personal trauma/crisis, your
Manager may authorise up to one weeks paid leave on compassionate grounds.
Leave of more than one week may only be authorised by your Area Manager.
Weddings/Civil Partnership
You are entitled to one days additional Paid Leave immediately before your
wedding/ceremony.
Court Attendance
If you are required to attend Jury Service or attend Court as a witness, you should
inform your Manager as soon as possible. You will be eligible to claim compensation for
any loss of earnings from the Court. Please ask the Summonsing Officer for an Earnings
Statement Form and ask your Manager to return it to the Payroll Department. For Jury
Service or Court attendance on behalf of the Company, Next will undertake to make
up any shortfall if your basic earnings exceed the compensation level set by the Court.
Military Duties
Employees wishing to take time off to undertake Territorial or Reserve Forces duties
(this does not apply where an employee is called up for military services) will be
encouraged to take it as part of their annual holiday leave. Where this is not possible,
it may be arranged as unpaid leave. Please notify your Manager of any dates or
events as soon as possible.
Magistrate Duty
Employees wishing to carry out the duties of a magistrate (Justice of the Peace) are
entitled to reasonable unpaid time off work in order to fulfil these duties. This time will
not be paid by the Company.
Other Absence
Please note that other absence not specified above will normally be unpaid, and
authorisation must be sought from your Manager before taking any time off.
Bad Weather Payments

During bad weather conditions e.g. heavy snow, you are expected to make every effort
to travel to work.
If you are genuinely unable to reach work, you should telephone your Manager.
31
POLICIES
The absence may be taken from your holiday entitlement. Alternatively and subject
to your Managers authorisation, you may make up the lost time at a later date.
Employees who do not attend work will not normally be paid. Employees who arrive
for work late will be paid for the first hour of any absence provided your Manager
is satisfied that the delay was genuine and unavoidable. If you are sent home early
because of weather conditions by your Manager you will be paid to the end of your
normal day.
Bonus Schemes
The Company operates a sales related bonus scheme, depending on your position,
responsibilities and the store achieving sales targets. Please speak to your Manager
for further details.
To qualify for any bonus earned by your store, you must be employed on the day
payment is made (or be on authorised Paid Leave). Bonus is paid as a loyalty bonus
and therefore employees who are not employed on the day the bonus is paid or
who do not work their full contractual notice will forfeit their eligibility to bonus.
If you are absent from work (other than on authorised Paid Leave) you will not be
eligible to receive bonus during this period. Bonus payments are subject to all normal
deductions of tax and national insurance.
Please refer to the disciplinary process section of this handbook for further
information on the withholding of bonus following disciplinary action.
Please remember that payment of bonus is discretionary and non contractual and
is dependent upon your performance and conduct, as well as the store achieving its
sales targets and may be withdrawn or varied at any time. Bonus will not be paid for
periods of absence from the business e.g. Sickness, Maternity/Paternity Leave.
Staff Discount
You and your immediate family can receive a staff discount allowance, currently
25%, on most NEXT and Lipsy merchandise and 15% on Special Purchase items from
Clearance stores, once you have received your Discount Card. You will receive your
card within approximately 6 weeks of joining the Company and you will be asked to
sign a declaration to say that you have received your card. Please read the contents of
this before signing; it will explain the Discount Policy in full. You will find a copy of the
Staff Discount Family Tree on the staff room wall, this is helpful if you are unclear which
relations are entitled to discount. If, however, you are unclear on eligibility, please speak
with your Manager before making any purchases.
It is your responsibility to ensure that any refund or gift cards given to you, or
those individuals who are entitled to receive your staff discount have been
obtained legitimately.
Abuse of the staff discount benefit will be regarded as a disciplinary matter and
disciplinary action will be taken up to and including dismissal. The staff discount facility
is noncontractual and discretionary, and may be withdrawn or varied at any time.
Records of purchases made using your staff discount facility will be recorded and
monitored on an ongoing basis.
32
POLICIES
If your card is lost or stolen you should immediately request a replacement via your
NEP. This will ensure that the previous card is cancelled and provide you with a new
one. Your first re-issue will be free of charge. Any re-issue over and above this will be
charged at 5 per re-issue, deducted directly from your pay.
Your discount card must be returned at the end of your employment.
NEXT Clearance and the Staff Shops

NEXT Clearance and the Staff Shops provide goods at marked down prices therefore further
discount is not available (with the exception of Special Purchase items at 15% discount).
The Staff Shops are for the exclusive use of you and your immediate family (as defined on
your Discount Declaration Form). Family members must be accompanied at all times by you.
Branded Goods
No staff discount is available on branded goods.
Presenting your Card

Once you have a Discount Card it should be presented for all purchases you make as
a Next employee, even if a discount is not obtained.
Working Wardrobe Policy

All employees have regular contact with customers, members of the public and visitors
to the Company and must dress in accordance with the Working Wardrobe policy.
If you report for work failing to meet acceptable standards of grooming or cleanliness
or inappropriately dressed, you will be sent home and will not be paid until you report
to work properly presented.
The Company provides you with the option of a Working Wardrobe allowance twice
a year where you can purchase clothing and footwear to be worn at work at 75%
discount. This is an optional benefit.
If you choose to receive a Working Wardrobe allowance, you are required to wear
current season NEXT merchandise and you should always wear your staff badge when
on duty, (except when wearing stockroom uniform). Your Manager will oversee the
selection of working wardrobe to ensure that the overall look of the current season is
represented in the store.
If you choose to opt out of receiving this allowance you may only do so at the start
of the season. You will be required to wear dark well presented bottoms and a plain
white shirt or blouse, with black smart shoes. Managers are not permitted to opt out
of Working Wardrobe.
Stockroom employees are allocated free tops and a reduced allowance to purchase
appropriate bottoms and footwear. This uniform is not optional and must be worn
33
POLICIES
when carrying out stockroom duties. If protective clothing is provided for particular
duties it must be worn when these duties are carried out. Failure to do so will be
regarded as a disciplinary offence.
Long Term Temporary Staff

Such staff receive a Working Wardrobe allowance pro-rated of their total contract
at the start of the season (i.e. including time already worked) upon completion of 13
weeks service.
Short Term Temporary Staff

Such staff are not entitled to receive a Working Wardrobe allowance and must attend
work in smart business dress (black/white shirt and smart trousers or skirt).
Returns
An item of Working Wardrobe may only be returned or exchanged if it is genuinely
faulty and must be returned to your own store. Authorisation for a refund or
exchange must be obtained in advance from your Store Manager. Store Managers
must obtain authorisation from their Area Manager. Items of Working Wardrobe must
not be removed from the store or worn for work before payment has been made
under any circumstances.
Leaving the Company

If you resign from the Company with less than 3 months service, you will be required
to pay the difference between the amount you paid for your Working Wardrobe
and the amount you would have paid for the items with normal staff discount. This
amount will normally be deducted from your final monies.
If you resign from the Company with more than 3 months service, you will be required
to pay the difference between the amount you paid for your Working Wardrobe and
the amount you would have paid for the items with normal staff discount for any
uniform purchased within a month of your leaving.
In addition to the above you will be required to pay 50% of the difference for any
uniform purchased within two months of you leaving.
As well as the above applying to Stockroom employees you will also be required to
return the Stockroom tops issued in that season to the store. If you fail to do this the
cost price of these tops minus 25% will be deducted from your final monies.
Further Information
For full details of the Working Wardrobe policy, please speak to your Manager, who
will refer to the guidelines detailed in the Retail Salary Pack.
Abuse of the staff Working Wardrobe rules will be regarded as Gross Misconduct and
may result in summary dismissal.
34
POLICIES
Pension Scheme
From November 2012 NEXT are required to automatically enrol employees into a
pension scheme as long as they fulfil age and salary criteria (subject to change each
year). All employees subject to automatic enrolment will be notified, once enrolled
you will be able to opt out.
Alternatively, after 6 months service you will be eligible to join the Next Group
Pension Plan (the Next Plan) provided you are a minimum age of 18 years and were
under 65 on your date of commencement of employment with the Company.
The Next Plan operates under Salary Sacrifice for qualifying employees who wish
to join, with contributions being made by the Company. For further information
on how the Next Plan and the Salary Sacrifice scheme work, please contact
the Pensions Department.
Life Assurance
The Company offers all employees free life assurance cover, which guarantees a
payment equivalent to 1 years basic salary, payable in the unfortunate event of your
death in service. The life assurance cover is increased to 3 times basic salary for
members of the Next Group Pension Plan.
You should complete an Expression of Wish Form (available from your Manager) to
indicate who you would like to receive the life assurance payment in the event of
your death.
Retirement
The Companys full Retirement Policy can be obtained from your Manager.
Sharesave Scheme
NEXT offers employees the opportunity to join Sharesave Schemes. Sharesave is
a simple way of saving money over 3 or 5 years and then to buy NEXT shares on
favourable terms. Alternatively, you can choose to take all your savings in cash.
Childcare Vouchers
The Company offers the opportunity to purchase Childcare Vouchers that are exempt
from tax and National Insurance deductions, up to a maximum value. Please visit
www.kuvouchers.co.uk/parentapp and enter the security code NRETAIL1.
Alternatively, please call 0845 365 2929.
Training and Development

It is the Companys policy to train all employees to be able to carry out their duties
successfully. To help you we will ensure that you are able to learn and develop your
skills from the first day you join us. You will attend an orientation session which
includes a familiarisation with your store, with the fire and emergency procedures and
35
POLICIES
with basic health & safety. During this session your job role will be explained to you
in detail together with the Companys expectations of you.
The Company operates a formal training programme, which you will be required to
undertake. Full details of this training are available from your Manager. Management
training comprises the in-store training programme followed by on-going management
skills training delivered via regionally based or residential courses at Head Office.
These are supplemented with specialist skills and systems training organised on a
regional basis.
Communication
The Company wishes to encourage you as an employee to express your point of view and
to put forward suggestions and comments for improvement in all areas of the business.
Your Manager will regularly update you with Company news, business performance and
significant forthcoming developments via the staff notice boards. It is your responsibility
to ensure that you are kept up to date regarding Company information.
Your Team Voice

Employees will be invited to elect Store and Area staff representatives. The Company
will notify the elected representatives of any proposed important policy changes
which may affect your employment. The representatives will receive training to
provide them with the skills and knowledge to act on your behalf and to represent
you effectively.
The elected representatives will put forward your opinions and wishes in respect of,
not only the changes proposed by the Company, but also any significant Company
issues which are concerning you, or suggestions you may have for the development
of the Company. They may also attend any Company meetings as an employees
companion, e.g. disciplinary hearings.
Promotion Policy
It is the Companys policy to recognise your potential as an individual and we want
to encourage personal development and career progression. We will therefore usually
promote internally wherever possible except in circumstances where to do so would
breach our Equal Opportunities Policy or initiatives. Equally we recognise that it may
be necessary or appropriate to bring new skills or experience into the Company via
external recruitment.
Your manager can provide you with the criteria for promotion.
Equal Opportunities
NEXT is committed to equality of opportunity in employment. The Company does
not discriminate on the grounds of age, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national
origin, disability, religion, sex, marital status or sexual orientation.
In Northern Ireland we are further committed to ensuring the fair participation in
employment for both sections of the community. This means that we will ensure that
36
POLICIES
job applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the grounds of
their religious beliefs or political opinions.
The Company will not tolerate any form of discrimination, victimisation or harassment.
The fact that you may have meant no offence does not prevent your behaviour from
breaching the Companys Equal Opportunities Policy.
Any employee, who breaches the Equal Opportunities Policy, will be subject to
serious disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. Please refer to the Equal
Opportunities Policy for further details.
Expenses
You are able to claim reasonable expenses incurred in the course of your duties, in
accordance with the companys Travel and Expense Policy available from your Manager.
Trade Union Membership

The Company does not recognise any Trade Union for the purposes of collective
bargaining within our Retail Stores, Head Office and Directory. Membership is a matter of
personal choice for the individual and no employee will be discriminated against for being
a member of any Trade Union. If you are a member of a Trade Union, a representative
may attend Company meetings with you (e.g. grievance/appeal).
Security
You should be alert and conscientious regarding Company security. You should make
yourself aware of security arrangements; following Company security procedures
can minimise the risk of theft and ensure your safety and that of your colleagues. If
you suspect someone of shoplifting you should report the matter to a member of
management as soon as possible or to the store Security Officer. If the suspected
person becomes violent, do not risk your own safety. Raise the alarm when it is safe
to do so and on no account follow a suspected shoplifter out of the store.
If you are entrusted with keys to the store, safe or other property, always keep the
keys on your person. Never leave keys lying around or give them to another person,
unless authorised by your Manager. A breach of these rules or the loss of keys
through negligence may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
Reporting Security Issues

All employees have a duty to report any act of theft or dishonesty, which they either
suspect, or are aware of, within the Company, regardless of who is involved. If you fail
to alert management or the Retail Security Department about an incident or suspected
incident you may be subject to disciplinary action.
Staff Security Hotline

There may be occasions when you might wish to discuss, in confidence, matters involving
potential dishonesty by a colleague(s) or manager. A hotline has been provided for the
37
POLICIES
use of all staff and management, to report any suspicions you may have.
The telephone line is staffed by completely impartial individuals and all calls will be
treated in the strictest confidence and will always be investigated.
HOTLINE NO: 0116 284 8980

Please do not use this hotline number for any other reason. Calls cannot be
transferred to other Head Office departments.
Whistle Blowing Policy

NEXT conducts its business with high standards of integrity and honesty and expects the
same standards from all employees, suppliers and contractors.
The aim of this Policy is to ensure that you are fully aware that you should report concerns
or suspicions about any wrong doing or malpractice and be assured that NEXT will treat
this information seriously and, where possible, confidentially. The procedure that you
should follow is set out below:
You should report circumstances where you reasonably believe any one or more of the
following matters has, may have or will take place:
A criminal offence
A failure to comply with a legal obligation
A danger to the health and safety of an individual
Breach of environmental protection laws
Dishonesty
Inappropriate relationships with suppliers
A breach of NEXTs rules or policies e.g. Business Expense Policy, Staff Discount Policy
Breaches of financial controls, false accounting or reporting irregularities
A deliberate concealment of any of the above matters
NB: Concerns or grievances about an individuals personal position or situation or
matters relating to harassment, bullying or victimisation should be dealt with through the
Grievance Procedure.
In the first instance you should normally discuss the matter with your immediate Manager.
If your concerns involve your immediate Manager or you would prefer not to speak to him/
her then you could speak to your Senior Manager or your HRDepartment. Alternatively, a
telephone line is provided for individuals to report concerns to the NEXT Legal Department,
Telephone No 0116 284 8980.
Victimising individuals or deterring them from raising a concern in good faith under this
Policy will be a disciplinary offence and could result in action up to and including dismissal.
Deliberately raising false or malicious allegations is not acceptable and anyone making
such allegations will be subject to disciplinary action and possible dismissal.
38
POLICIES
Telephone Calls
The Companys telephones are provided for conducting Company business. However,
there may be times when you need to make a personal telephone call; in such a
situation you must obtain permission from your Manager prior to making a call.
Personal mobile phones are not permitted for use in areas other than the staff room.
During working hours personal mobile phones are not to be carried upon your
person, unless authorised to do so.
Lost/Left Property
Any lost property found on the premises, including goods or property left by visitors,
should be handed immediately to your Manager or the store Security Officer. Lost
property will remain the property of the Company until such time as it is reclaimed
or destroyed.
Personal Property
We cannot accept responsibility for your personal property including private vehicles
on Company premises. You should take sensible precautions to safeguard your
own property and use the areas provided to secure your belongings while you are
working. Do not bring valuables or large sums of money to work with you and under
no circumstances should personal money, payment cards or your discount card be
taken onto the sales floor whilst you are working.
Computer and E-mail Usage Policy

NEXT relies on its computer systems to conduct its business, these systems must
only be used for legitimate business purposes. All store employees who use any of
our computer systems, equipment or PC functions (for example, till, back-office PCs,
HHTs, Home Department PCs, laptops, email, mainframe personnel/payroll systems,
sales figures, stockroom/warehouse applications) are governed by the Company
Computer Use Policy for Store Based Employees. The Policy describes the guidelines
for acceptable use of our systems and is in existence to reduce the risk of misuse and
to protect the Companys reputation and business. The Policy can be found in the
Store Security File, it is every employees responsibility to read the Policy before using
any company computer systems and keep an up to date knowledge of any changes
in the policy. Next supports this by issuing team talks and a poster for display in
the store whenever the policy is changed. It should be noted that employees MUST
NOT share or allow anyone else to use their Passwords/PINs for access to any of our
computer systems. Violation of the Policy will be taken very seriously and may result
in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal and civil or criminal liability.
Internet Conduct Policy

As part of NEXTs commitment to our employees, customers and shareholders, we
have a duty of responsibility to ensure our standard of conduct remains professional
at all times with regards to comments made by employees in relation to the Company,
our product, its Managers and all other employees. Employees should not make or
permit any detrimental or derogatory statements about the Company, its Managers,
39
POLICIES
employees or customers to be distributed or published in any form on the internet,
including on Social Networking websites.
Data Protection
As an employer, NEXT is committed to following the rules of the Data Protection Act
1998. These are that personal data must be:
Fairly and lawfully processed
Collected and used for limited purposes
Adequate, relevant and not excessive
Accurate and up to date
Not kept for longer than necessary
Processed in accordance with individuals rights
Kept secure
Not transferred to countries without adequate protection
Under the Act, you are entitled to know what personal data NEXT is keeping relating
to you. You have the right to see the information NEXT hold about you have to have
it corrected if it is inaccurate.
The information held may include details of performance, training, disciplinary records
and personal details. The information is used to enable us to pay you, account for tax,
national insurance and other deductions, make analysis for management purposes
and statutory returns, ensure compliance with Company policy and/or legislation in
relation to health, safety and other employment matters. It is also held to enable us to
make decisions about your training, development and employment. If you would like
a copy of your information you should make a request in writing to the Group Data
Protection Manager in the Legal Department at Enderby.
All employees who use or maintain information in any format have an obligation to
comply with the Act by following the eight data rules principles. If any individual is
found to have committed a breach of the Act, they as well as the Company, could
face prosecution. A breach of the Act is also a disciplinary matter within NEXT.
A copy of NEXTs Data Protection Policy is available in your store. You should also
read the Guide to the Data Protection Act, available on staff notice boards to make
sure you understand your rights as well as NEXTs obligations under the Act.
Some of your personal information may be transferred outside the European
Economic Area for processing. Please be assured, however, that strict rules regarding
the confidentiality of security of your information are in place to safeguard it.
You must not use data obtained for purposes other than business use. If you have
any concerns regarding Data Protection, about information concerning yourself or
details relating to others that you have access to, contact the Group Data Protection
Manager in the Legal Department at Enderby.
40
POLICIES
Health and Safety

The Company Safety Policy and Health & Safety guidelines are on notice boards and
Storenet. You must follow all training guidelines, risk assessments, safe systems of
work and procedures relevant to your work.
If you are unsure how to complete tasks safely, stop and consult your Sales
Coordinators or Manager.
Health and Safety Statement

The board of Next Group PLC is committed to the achievement and maintenance
of high standards of health and safety in all Group companies. The Groups Health &
Safety Policy is based on our desire to comply with the spirit as well as the letter of
health and safety legislation, codes of practice and other relevant standards.
The management of health and safety is a fundamental part of our business and is
designed to contribute to improving business performance. Managers must manage all
aspects of our business, for example cost, productivity, service and product in a safe
manner and take practical measures to ensure our activities and products do not harm
our customers, employees, contractors, sites or equipment.
The Group Board has overall responsibility for providing sufficient resources and
support to meet its health and safety objectives.
The Human Resources Director (HR) is responsible for the coordination and
development of this policy and will report to the Group Health & Safety meeting
regularly on its achievements.
Divisional responsibility for ensuring the Policy is implemented rests with Divisional
Directors:
NEXTRetail
Retail Sales & Marketing Director
NEXTDistribution
Operations Director for the NEXT Group
NEXTDirectory
Operations Director for the NEXT Group
Head Office
Human Resources Director
Product Areas
Group Product Director
Lipsy Ltd
Lipsy Chief Executive
Each Director listed above, will provide the necessary resources to implement this
Policy and associate improvement programmes.
Appropriate safety systems must be implemented and appropriate safety equipment
provided to enable work to be undertaken in a safe manner. All employees are
under duty to work safely at all times and to place a high priority on the safety of
themselves, their colleagues and third parties.
Every employee has the right and is obliged to raise safety concerns and issues with
their Manager and/or the Health and Safety Department. If an employee is asked to
41
POLICIES
carry out something that they believe is dangerous, they must bring this urgently to
the attention of their Manager and/or the Health and Safety Department and they
should not undertake the activity until such times as their concern has been resolved.
There must be a system to ensure that all relevant health and safety information is
circulated to managers and employees.
All employees and managers, including temporary staff, will receive suitable and
sufficient training to ensure that they are aware of Health & Safety Policies and safe
working practices required to carry out their job safely.
Accident/incident reporting and investigation procedures must be in place.
Senior managers and directors will periodically discuss health and safety performance
with employees.
Simon Wolfson
Chief Executive
Doing your job safely

At NEXT we take Health and Safety very seriously. You are a critical part of our safety
mission. In order for each place of work to have a good safety record you and your
colleagues need to be constantly aware of your surroundings and the way you do
things, you must act safely and follow any safety rules you have been given.
All employees will receive a Health and Safety Induction Training programme with
regular refresher training and on the job safely training.
Risk Assessment
Your Manager will show you any risk assessments which relate to your work and make
you aware of any risk assessment you have to comply with to do your job safely.
Your Manager will show you any safe working practices/procedures you have to
comply with to do your job safely.
The Health and Safety Statement and Health and Safety guidelines are displayed
on notice boards. It is important that you familiarise yourself with all guidelines and
procedures relevant to your work.
You must take care of your own health and safety and ensure that anything you do
or fail to do does not endanger others.
You must notify your Manager immediately if you discover something unsafe which
cannot safely be rectified by you.
Any improper interference with any Health and Safety procedures will be regarded
as Gross Misconduct.
Any individual raising a grievance or complaint relating to health and safety will not
be discriminated against in any way.
42
POLICIES
Your Team Voice Representatives and Health & Safety
Representatives Duties
To communicate on potential hazards within the workplace by establishing good
links with management, the Health & Safety Team and through regular Your Team
Voice or safety meetings
To communicate with colleagues and managers on general matters affecting the
health and safety of their constituency
To represent the workforce in consultations with any external enforcement body,
e.g. Environmental Health Officers
What to do if you see a Hazard

Dont ignore it; if ignored it will remain a hazard until it causes an accident
If safe remove the hazard immediately
In the case of a large or serious hazard organise a colleague to keep guard and
inform management immediately
Health and Safety Information

All Company Health and Safety policies and procedures are contained within the
Health & Safety Resource file, the Retail Risk Assessment and the Health and Safety
document. If you wish to review these, ask your Manager.
Accidents and Safety Incidents at Work

You must report all accidents and safety incidents immediately to your Manager,
however minor they are. This will allow your manager to complete a thorough
investigation of the accident/incident and allow them to take whatever action is
necessary to prevent it re-occurring.
Your Manager is responsible for forwarding a copy of the accident/incident
investigation to the Health and Safety Department.
If you are injured, you must let your Manager know on the day of the accident (if able).
If you are ill or absent as a result of the work you do, you must inform your Manager immediately.
Failure to report an accident immediately is a serious disciplinary offence and may
result in action up to and including dismissal.
First Aid
All locations are provided with First Aid Boxes, and have a person appointed to provide
assistance or a qualified First Aider. Details can be found on staff notice boards.
43
POLICIES
Fire Procedures
You will receive full training in fire evacuation procedures. In addition fire procedures are
displayed on notice boards. It is important that you familiarise yourself with the details.
If you discover smoke or an outbreak of fire, raise the alarm immediately. Leave the
premises and assemble at the appointed place. Wait there until you are told it is safe to
return. Do not stop to collect personal possessions. The evacuation procedure will also
be used for bomb evacuation.
All fire exits are clearly signed. During working hours they must never be locked or
obstructed. Any improper interference with the fire fighting equipment will be regarded
as Gross Misconduct.
Manual Handling
Operations involving significant manual handling activities will be assessed to reduce
the risk. You will be given the appropriate level of manual handling training and
instruction to be able to do your job safely. You are expected to follow the principles
of this training.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Policy

Our Policy aims to minimise the likelihood of habitual users suffering injury or discomfort.
Display Screen Equipment means any alphanumeric or graphic display screen,
regardless of the process. Please refer to the DSE Policy for further information.
Personal Protective Equipment

Certain activities in your store will require the wearing of protective equipment e.g.
safety shoes, high visibility jackets. You will be informed by your manager if this
applies to you or tasks that you carry out. You must comply with any requests to
wear protective equipment.
Appropriate Footwear
Certain tasks e.g. stockroom, replenishment delivery, require the wearing of sensible
shoes. These are defined as closed toe, no open backs, no kitten or stiletto heel, max
heel height 3cm, a rubber sole with an element of grip. You must comply with any
request to wear sensible shoes.
Faulty Equipment
Never use faulty equipment
Ensure you always complete a safety check of equipment before use
Any safety defects must be reported to your Manager ASAP and the equipment
withdrawn from use
44
POLICIES
House Keeping
Next operates a clean as you go policy. This means that you must:
Always dispose of waste in the bins supplied.
Never walk past litter or waste, pick it up.
Avoid creating a fire hazard by ensuring Managers are aware of any accumulation
of process waste
Smoking Policy
As a Company, NEXT has taken positive steps to provide a healthy and safe working
environment for you and visitors.
Smoking is not permitted in any area within the store or associated buildings
e.g. off-site stockrooms, training rooms, etc... Smoking is only permitted in designated
break times. Any breach of the smoking Policy will be regarded as serious misconduct
and will lead to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
Visitors
All visitors must sign in and out and be informed about any Health and Safety requirements.
Report unaccompanied strangers in non customer areas to a Manager or the store
Security Officer immediately.
Alcohol and Substance Abuse

The risks that you pose both to yourself and others if you carry out your job under
the influence of alcohol or drugs is very high, you should therefore not underestimate
the dangers you could cause.
Employees must not attend work under the influence of drink, drugs or other
substances. All employees are expected to exercise responsibility for their own
behaviour and maintain a level of fitness to undertake their duties.
Illegal drugs and substances are prohibited on work premises at all times, including
venues used for officially organised company events, e.g Christmas parties.
The consumption of alcohol on work premises is prohibited at all times, with the
exception of organised Company events approved by your Area Manager.
Use of Private Cars on Company Business

The use of private cars for Company business is acceptable for short journeys. Public
transport should be used where possible and pool or hire cars will be made available
for longer or difficult journeys.
If you have to use your car on Company business, expenses will be reimbursed at the
appropriate mileage allowance rate. You must ensure that your vehicle is adequately
insured and covered against risk when used for business purposes. The Company
45
POLICIES
cannot accept liability for damage to the car or property, injury or to third parties, or
any other claims that might be made as a result of the inadequacy of the insurance
cover. Details of the mileage allowance rates are given in the Company Expense Policy.
Mobile Phones and Driving Policy

Remember: Never use a hand-held phone while driving
You are not in full control of your vehicle if you are holding a mobile phone while driving.
Doing so will risk the safety of yourself, your passengers and other road users.
If any of the following options applies to you, then you must refer to the Mobile Phone
and Driving Policy in the Company Car Guide:
A Use of a Company mobile phone whilst driving a Company or private vehicle
B Use of a private mobile phone whilst driving a Company vehicle
C Use of a private mobile phone whilst driving a private vehicle on Company business
SECTION 3
GENERAL INFORMATION
GENERAL INFORMATION
Simply Health
The Company offers you the opportunity to contribute to a healthcare scheme,
which is operated by Simply Health (formerly known as Leeds Hospital Fund). The
Scheme offers a contribution towards routine dental, optical and selected hospital
treatment for yourself and your family. Once you have joined the Scheme appropriate
deductions will be made from your salary. Full details and application forms are
available through the helpline on freephone 0800 591 993.
Staff Emergency Hotline: 0800 002 020

In the event of a major disruption to the Companys business operations, staff should
telephone the Staff Emergency Hotline number for information. During an emergency,
the hotline will be regularly updated with a brief statement of the current situation.
Apprenticeships
The Company offers an Intermediate Apprenticeship in Retail, awarded by City
& Guilds and equivalent to five GCSEs or Standard Grades A-C. Please ask your
Manager for more details.
Useful Telephone Numbers

The Retail Trust
If you or someone you know require help with the following issues, the Retail Trust
could help.
Career Support, Depression, Alcoholism, Coping with Stress, Drug Abuse, Residential
Care, Bereavement, State Earnings, Respite Care and Retirement.
The confidential help line is 0808 801 0808.
Macmillan Cancer Support

Employees can access a comprehensive cancer support service from the charity
Macmillan Cancer Support by calling the helpline on 0808 808 00 00 or visit their
website at http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx.
Head Office Numbers

Retail HR Department (North) ................................................................................. 0116 284 6647
Retail HR Department (Midlands) ........................................................................... 0116 284 6660
Retail HR Department (London) ............................................................................. 0116 284 6648
Retail HR Department (South) ................................................................................. 0116 284 6649
Retail HR Department (Scotland & Ireland) ...................................................... 0116 284 6865
Retail Payroll Help Desk ............................................................................................... 0116 284 6669
Travel Desk .......................................................................................................................... 0116 284 2244
Press Office ...................................................................................................................... 0207 034 2470
Pensions ................................................................................................................................ 0116 284 2857
48
General Information
Hotlines
Staff Emergency Hotline ............................................................................................. 0800 002 020
SecurityHotline ................................................................................................................ 0116 284 8980
Health & Safety Hotline ................................................................................................ 0116 284 8980
Whistle Blowing Line ..................................................................................................... 0116 284 8980
Other Useful Numbers

NEXT Directory ............................................................................................................ 0844 844 8000
Head Office ...................................................................................................................... 0844 844 8777
Simply Health ..................................................................................................................... 0800 591 993
Kids Unlimited ................................................................................................................. 0845 365 2929
Sharesave Scheme Helplines:
2008 and before Equiniti ......................................................................................... 0871 384 2170
2009 onwards YBS ................................................................................................... 0845 1200 300
Staff Shop Numbers

Enderby (Head Office) ................................................................................................. 0116 284 2398
Gedding (NEXT Directory) ........................................................................................... 0116 273 1622
Ventura (Wath) ................................................................................................................... 01709 316 231
Ventura Leeds ................................................................................................................... 01132 340 426
Elmsall Way .......................................................................................................................... 01332 651 321
49
INDEX
A
Accidents at Work ................................................................................................................................... 42
Adoption Leave ......................................................................................................................................... 29
Alcohol and Substance Abuse ........................................................................................................... 44
Appeals ............................................................................................................................................... 25 & 26
Apprenticeships........................................................................................................................................... 47
B
Bad Weather Payments .......................................................................................................................... 31
Bonus Schemes ........................................................................................................................................... 31
Branded Goods............................................................................................................................................ 32
Breaks .............................................................................................................................................................. 10
C
Macmillan Cancer Support..................................................................................................................... 47
Change to Personal Details .................................................................................................................... 8
Childcare Vouchers ................................................................................................................................... 35
Your Team Voice Reps Health & Safety Duty ............................................................................ 42
Civil Recovery.............................................................................................................................................. 26
Clocking In/Out ................................................................................................................................. 9 & 27
Communication .......................................................................................................................................... 35
Your Team Voice ....................................................................................................................................... 36
Compassionate Leave ............................................................................................................................ 30
Computer and E-Mail Usage Policy ................................................................................................ 38
Contract of Employment ......................................................................................................................... 7
Confidentiality ............................................................................................................................................... 8
Court Attendance ....................................................................................................................................... 31
D
Data Protection ......................................................................................................................................... 39
Demotion ....................................................................................................................................................... 24
Disciplinary Procedure ................................................................................................................ 22 & 26
Disciplinary Process for Time and Attendance .......................................................................... 28
Disciplinary Transfer ................................................................................................................................. 24
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Policy ...................................................................................... 43
Duties ................................................................................................................................................................ 7
E
Eligibility to Work in the UK ................................................................................................................ 10
Employment References ......................................................................................................................... 13
Equal Opportunities ................................................................................................................................ 36
Expenses ....................................................................................................................................................... 36
50
INDEX
F
Faulty Equipment ..................................................................................................................................... 44
Fire Procedures ......................................................................................................................................... 43
First Aid ......................................................................................................................................................... 43
Flexible Delivery Contracts ..................................................................................................................... 9
Flexible Working ....................................................................................................................................... 30
Footwear, Appropriate ........................................................................................................................... 43
G
General Information ................................................................................................................................ 46
Grievance Procedure .............................................................................................................................. 26
Gross Misconduct ...................................................................................................................................... 24
H
Health and Safety ........................................................................................................................... 15 & 40
Holiday (see Paid Leave) ........................................................................................................................ 15
Hotlines .......................................................................................................................................................... 48
Hours of Work ............................................................................................................................................... 9
House Keeping ........................................................................................................................................... 44
I
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Internet Conduct Policy ........................................................................................................................ 39
L
Lay Offs ........................................................................................................................................................... 13
Leaving the Company .................................................................................................................. 14 & 34
Leeds Hospital Fund (Simplyhealth) ............................................................................................... 47
Life Assurance ............................................................................................................................................ 34
Lost/Left Property ................................................................................................................................... 38
M
Magistrate Duty ........................................................................................................................................... 31
Manual Handling ....................................................................................................................................... 43
Medical Appointments ........................................................................................................................... 20
Maternity ....................................................................................................................................................... 29
Military Duties .............................................................................................................................................. 31
Miscarriage or Stillbirth ......................................................................................................................... 29
Mobile Phones and Driving Policy ................................................................................................... 45
51
INDEX
N
NEXT Clearance and the Staff Shops ............................................................................................. 32
NEXT Employee Portal (NEP) ............................................................................................................... 7
Night Working ............................................................................................................................................... 11
Non Attendance .......................................................................................................................................... 18
Non Attendance and Premium Pay Rates ..................................................................................... 12
Notice Periods ............................................................................................................................................. 14
O
Other Work or Activity ............................................................................................................................ 15
Overpayment ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Overtime .......................................................................................................................................................... 11
P
Paid Leave ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Paid Leave Entitlement ............................................................................................................................ 16
Paid Leave Entitlement for Part Time Employees ..................................................................... 18
Paternity Leave .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Parental Leave ............................................................................................................................................ 30
Pay ...................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Pension Scheme ........................................................................................................................................ 34
Personal Property ..................................................................................................................................... 38
Personal Protective Equipment ......................................................................................................... 43
Place of Work ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Pre-employment Medical Questionnaire ........................................................................................ 18
Policies ............................................................................................................................................................. 21
Premium Pay Rates .................................................................................................................................... 11
Private Cars on Company Business, The use of ....................................................................... 45
Probationary Period ....................................................................................................................... 13 & 24
Promotion Policy ...................................................................................................................................... 36
Public Holiday Working ........................................................................................................................... 12
Public Holidays ............................................................................................................................................ 12
R
References ..................................................................................................................................................... 13
Reporting your Non Attendance ........................................................................................................ 18
Retail Trust .................................................................................................................................................... 47
Retirement .................................................................................................................................................... 35
Return of Company Property .............................................................................................................. 14
Risk Assessment ......................................................................................................................................... 41
52
INDEX
S
Search, The Right of ............................................................................................................................... 20
Security .......................................................................................................................................................... 37
Security, Time and Attendance .......................................................................................................... 28
Serving Friends and Relatives ............................................................................................................. 15
Sharesave Scheme .................................................................................................................................... 35
Sickness ........................................................................................................................................................... 18
Simplyhealth ................................................................................................................................................ 47
Sliding Shifts .................................................................................................................................................. 9
Smoking Policy .......................................................................................................................................... 44
Staff Discount .............................................................................................................................................. 32
Staff Emergency Hotline ........................................................................................................................ 47
Staff Shops ....................................................................................................................................... 32 & 48
Start Times ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
Sunday Opt Out .......................................................................................................................................... 12
Sunday Working ........................................................................................................................................... 11
T
Tax Office ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Telephone Calls .......................................................................................................................................... 38
Terms and Conditions of Employment ............................................................................................. 6
Time and Attendance ..................................................................................................................... 9 & 27
Time off for Dependants ...................................................................................................................... 30
Trade Union Membership ..................................................................................................................... 36
Training and Development .................................................................................................................... 35
Trial Period following Promotion/Transfer ..................................................................................... 13
U
Useful Telephone Numbers .................................................................................................................. 47
V
Visitors ........................................................................................................................................................... 44
W
Weddings/Civil Partnerships .............................................................................................................. 30
Whistle Blowing ......................................................................................................................................... 37
Withholding Company Sick Pay ......................................................................................................... 19
Withholding NEXTs Basic Sick Benefit .......................................................................................... 19
Working Wardrobe ................................................................................................................................... 33
53
RETAIL STAFF HANDBOOK
APPENDICES
The Retail Staff Handbook may need to be amended or
updated over time.
This may be due to changes within the Company,
simplifying/clarifying wording, deletions and/or new
additions to the Handbook.
The Appendices contents supersede the published
Handbook in store.
Any changes that affect Terms & Conditions of
employment will be fully communicated where applicable.
The most up-to-date version of the Handbook will

always be available in full on NEP and Storenet.
Please attach this page and any subsequent appendices

at the back of the published Handbook(s) in store
APPENDIX
JANUARY 2013
Amendments highlighted in bold

Page 23 | General Principles of the Disciplinary Procedure
1. A disciplinary hearing will normally be held as soon as is practical
2. In all cases where a disciplinary hearing is required, it is Company policy that an
employee has the following rights:
(a) To be informed in writing of the disciplinary hearing and receive confirmation
of the alleged conduct/circumstances
(b) To have at least 24 hours notice of the disciplinary interview unless both parties
agree to waive it
(c) The opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged offence
(d)
To be accompanied by a work colleague of their choice, Your Team Voice
representative or Trade Union representative as a companion
The role of the companion is to support the employee where appropriate by
asking questions for clarification or being allowed the opportunity to confer
privately with the employee. It does not include answering questions on behalf
of the employee
(e) To appeal against action taken as a result of the disciplinary hearing
(f) Employees will not be dismissed for a first breach of discipline except in cases of
gross misconduct
3.
Any decision to take disciplinary action must involve consultation with a
member of the Retail Human Resources Department.
4.
Only individuals in the following positions are authorised to dismiss an
employee: Area Manager, General Manager, Store Manager, Commercial Manager,
Operations Manager, Assistant Store Manager, Deputy Manager.
Page 35 | Retirement
The Companys full Retirement Policy can be obtained from your Manager.
Page 35 | Childcare Vouchers

The Company offers the opportunity to purchase Childcare Vouchers that are
exempt from tax and National Insurance deductions, up to a maximum value.
Please visit www.kuvouchers.co.uk/parentapp and enter the security code
NRETAIL1. Alternatively, please call 0845 365 2929.
Please attach this page in the Appendices section at the back of the published
Handbook(s) in store.
Please also make a note on any revised pages to reference this appendix.
Staff Handbook
COMPANY GUIDE FOR RETAIL STAFF
JUNE 2014
NEXT RETAIL LTD

DESFORD ROAD
ENDERBY
LEICESTER
LE19 4AT

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STAFF HANDBOOK

COMPANY GUIDE FOR RETAIL STAFF

Section 3 : General Information

Useful Telephone Numbers

NEXT Distribution Ltd

Retail Sales Director

Greater Manchester West Midlands

Mid Counties Ireland South West

North Midlands Home Counties

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The NEXT Employee Portal (NEP)

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Flexible Delivery Contracts

Clocking In/Out (Time & Attendance)

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Part-Time Break Entitlements

Full-Time Break Entitlements

Very short opening

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Premium Pay Rates

Managers (Grade 6 and above) will be paid at time and a half

Employed up to 30th September 2008 will be paid time plus 10%

Employed on or after 1st October 2008 will not be a paid premium

Employed up to 31st January 2009 will be paid time and a third

Employed on or after 1st February 2009 will not be paid a premium

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Non Attendance and Premium Pay Rates

New Years Day

New Years Day

New Years Day

Public Holiday Working

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Trial Period Following Promotion/Transfer

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

From You to the Company

From the Company to You

Less than 3 months

3 months or more and

5 years service or over

1 week for each completed

Return of Company Property

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Health & Safety

Serving Friends and Relatives

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Paid Leave Entitlement

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Paid Leave Entitlements Northern Ireland & Isle of Man

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Calculating Paid Leave Entitlement for Part Time Staff

(44.8) 45 hours per year

128 hours per year

Pre-employment Medical Questionnaire

Sickness & Non Attendance

Attendance at Work Guide, available

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Your Call Must be Received by

Withholding Company Sick Pay

Withholding NEXTs Basic Sick Benefit

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

Outside contracted working hours

Only in exceptional circumstances will authorisation be given to attend such