Employee Benefits and Services
      Back to home
      1. Help Center
      2. Employee Handbook
      3. Employee Benefits and Services

      eXpress badging® Employee Lifestyle Plan

      At eXpress badging®, our Employee Lifestyle Plan reflects our core value of Family First, emphasizing flexibility, trust, and mutual respect. It is designed to support work-life balance while maintaining operational excellence.

      Holiday Time

      We value time spent with family and friends, especially during the holidays. In addition to offering paid time off (PTO) for recognized holidays, we often extend paid time surrounding those dates to allow for meaningful and uninterrupted time away from work.

      Observed Holidays:

      • New Year’s Day

      • Memorial Day

      • Independence Day

      • Labor Day

      • Thanksgiving Day

      • Christmas Day

      This typically results in approximately 10 paid days off per year.

      Paid Time Off (PTO)

      Our PTO policy is designed with life in mind. While vacation time is structured, PTO is flexible and granted at management’s discretion—without a fixed limit—because we understand that life is unpredictable.

      What qualifies as PTO:

      • Illness (e.g., cold, flu, COVID)

      • Health-related appointments or emergencies (e.g., dental, optical, injury)

      • Family emergencies or responsibilities (e.g., funerals, pregnancy-related)

      • Vehicle or home-related issues

      • Personal-issue mental health or reset days

      Guidelines:

      • PTO may be denied during high-demand business periods unless it’s an emergency.

      • We will always strive to accommodate requests and clearly communicate if a request must be declined.

      • Overuse or misuse will prompt a direct conversation to reset expectations.

      Vacation

      We encourage all employees to take real vacations to unplug and recharge.

      Vacation Accrual:

      • After 6 months of employment: 40 hours of vacation time per calendar year

      • Requests should be made at least 30 days in advance for proper coverage planning.

      Lifestyle Remote Time

      While we are not a remote-first company, we offer a structured remote work benefit as a lifestyle perk—starting at the 2-year tenure mark.

      Eligibility & Allotment:

      • 2 Years: 1 week per quarter

      • 4 Years: 2 weeks per quarter

      • 5 Years: 3 weeks per quarter

      NOTE: Remote Work Credits do NOT rollover, so plan accordingly!

      Requirements:

      • Must attend all L-10 meetings.

      • Must log a minimum of 30 hours/week during remote time.

      • One remote team member per department at a time.

      • Remote weeks do not accrue—use them or lose them.

      • Requests must be made at least months in advance and approved by the Integrator/HR Director and your Director.

      • Remote workers must ensure reliable internet (minimum 50 Mbps) and test all tools at least 7 days prior.

      If traveling internationally:

      • Confirm internet speed and time zone alignment at least 3 weeks in advance.

      • Configure and test all work systems and devices beforehand.

      Production Role Remote Options

      Production-based employees whose tasks are primarily on-site can still participate in remote time through:

      Option 1: Partial Remote Schedule
      Create a list of remote-capable tasks and delegate on-site duties with a clear process guide. Your schedule will outline all of your responsibilities. It will also specify another employee, present in the office, who will take care of the in-office tasks. Examples include badge printing, order packing, shipping, and slotting. Additionally, this schedule will function as a process guide, instructing both you and the assisting employee on how to complete tasks, such as printing an order from start to finish. 

      Option 2: Role Swap
      Temporarily exchange duties with an equally trained colleague. Two weeks of advance documentation and training are required.

      A complete position swap can be considered if your position is not transferable to a work-remote setup. In this case, you would take on the role of another peer. Each employee must compile a document detailing all daily responsibilities, including necessary programs and login credentials. Training will take place two weeks before the remote employee departs, during which the roles will be exchanged with another employee for the first week, then swapped back for the second week.  

      Scheduling and Approval Process

      • Submit remote time requests two to three months in advance, and worst case, with at least 1 week for last-minute plans and emergencies.

      • No more than 30% of the team may be remote at any given time (e.g., max 3 of 13 employees).

      • Remote time is tracked by the Integrator/HR Director for archival.

      • Approved Remote Work Days are shared on Teams for all employees to view. Unless absolutely necessary, it is advisable to plan these requests well in advance rather than making last-minute arrangements.


      Remote Work Tech Guide

      eXpress badging® – Remote Setup Instructions

      Before beginning remote work, your laptop and all required software (VPN, file server access, QuickBooks, etc.) must be tested and verified as functional at least 7 days before departure.

      🧳 Pre-Departure Checklist

      ✅ Work laptop issued (if needed)
      ✅ ZeroTier VPN installed and configured
      ✅ File explorer access tested
      ✅ Remote Desktop configured (if applicable)
      ✅ Internet connection ≥ 50 Mbps (for international work)
      ✅ QuickBooks Remote Access tested (if applicable)

      🔌 Step-by-Step Remote Laptop Startup Process

      1. Start Your Laptop

      • Power on your laptop.

      • Wait for the ZeroTier VPN to auto-connect to the EBS network.

      2. Connect to the Server

      1. Open File Explorer.

      2. In the left sidebar, scroll down and click on the Network icon.

      3. Look for the expresssvr icon.

      4. Double-click it to initiate the connection.

      3. Sign In

      • You’ll be prompted to enter your login credentials.

      • Check the box for “Remember my credentials” – this is essential.

      • After signing in, your network drives should appear and be accessible.

      💡 Troubleshooting Tips:

      • If prompted to run diagnostics, cancel and try again.

      • If errors persist after 3–4 attempts, close and reopen File Explorer.

      • A full laptop restart often resolves lingering issues.

      • If you continue to experience issues, call Olive Branch Support.

      💼 Accessing QuickBooks via Remote Desktop

      If you use QuickBooks and require access to a virtual desktop:

      1. Open Remote Desktop Connection

      • Search for Remote Desktop Connection in the Start menu and open it.

      2. Enter the Assigned IP Address

      Enter the correct IP based on your user:

      Name Assigned IP
      Nick 10.147.20.241
      Luke 10.147.20.242
      Deb 10.147.20.243
      Dalton Use in-office PC
      Neil Use in-office PC
      Michael Use in-office PC
       

      3. Login Credentials

      • Computer: Enter your assigned IP

      • Username: EXPRESS\yourPCusername

      • Select Connect

      • When prompted, enter your password

      Once connected, launch QuickBooks as you normally would.

      ✅ Final Notes

      • All systems must be tested before the start of your remote time.

      • Notify support of any setup issues immediately.

      • Once connected, you may proceed with your workday as usual.

      Quarterly Fun-Time

      To create a fun and active work place, we encourage the scheduling of one event a quarter where all employees can get together in a social atmosphere outside the office. 

      Examples of fun-time:

      • Extended lunches (Food truck to the office)
      • Inter-office social/sport engagements 
      • Drinks and snacks at favorite places
      • Launch time
      • Use of eB fun room
      • Holiday parties

      Edited by Joe French 6/10/2025