Overview of Key Policies (e.g., leave, flexible working, code of conduct)
At Philea, Trust is the foundation of everything we do. Inside our organisation, Trust is not just a value we talk about – it’s something we actively build together. And one of the most important ways we do that is by having shared clarity about how we work.
To support this, we have co-created a set of HR policies that help orient everyone, align expectations, and enable confident, fair decision-making. These policies reflect our organisational culture, which is built on equity, shared values, behaviours, and meanings. they are designed to guide how we work together and support each other.
But making these policies accessible and transparent, Philea reinforces its commitment to a trust-based culture – one where people feel informed, respected, and empowered to make decisions with confidence.
This section provides a practical overview of key HR policies and procedures that line managers should be familiar with when supporting their teams. It covers essential topics such as remote work, working from abroad, insurance coverage, weekend/public holiday work, conference attendance, recuperation time, and leave.
For full details, supporting documents, and the most-up-to-date information, you can consult the HR Portal on Odoo. You also find helpful resources in the FAQs and the Onboarding Page, which are designed to guide both new and existing employees through our policies and practices.
“We believe that everyone should have a voice and equal opportunities. Inclusion and diversity are preconditions for our own organisation, and we will promote these values within the wider European philanthropy sector.”
Important Features – Working Regulations
“We see trust as the foundation of everything we do. We aim at creating and sustaining trust within our own organisation and the European philanthropy sector by being accountable to our members, our partners and European societies at large.”
Working hours
We do not badge in and out but we are confident that our staff can self-manage their time during the day.
- Normal working hours are based on a floating schedule from Monday to Friday, between 8.00 and 18.30.
- Employees are expected to work 7 hours and 30 minutes per day, not exceeding 37 hours and 30 minutes per week.
- A lunch break of minimum 30 minutes and maximum 1 hour is required but not counted as working time. We often have lunch together on the ground floor and do not miss our Tuesday's pizza ;-)
Remote Work (Working from Home)
- Eligibility: Employees may work remotely up to 4 days per week.
- Office Presence: At least 1 day per week in the office is required. Additional presence may be requested for specific events or meetings, such as the monthly Team Town Hall.
Working from Abroad
- Teleworking Allowance: Employees may telework from abroad for up to 40% of their working time. This can be combined with holidays.
- Exceptions: The line manager must discuss and approve any exceptions with a team member.
Approval Process:
- Access the SCentric portal (also used for Leave Requests).
- Select the option “Homeworking from Abroad.”
- When completing the request, indicate the teleworking address in the “Remarks” section for insurance purposes.
- The request will be automatically sent to the line manager for approval.
Insurance Coverage
You are insured while:
- Working from home or abroad.
- Commuting between home and the office.
Weekend or Public Holiday Work
- Authorisation Required: line manager must approve working on weekends or public holidays.
- Inform HR: After approval, email HR (line manager in cc).
- Compensation: Approved work will be compensated with time off equivalent to the hours worked.
Working on weekends or public holidays should remain an exception and is strongly discouraged.
Public Holidays
Employees are entitled to normal pay for the following 10 public holidays:
- January 1 (New Year)
- Easter Monday
- May 1 (Labour Day)
- Ascension Day
- Whit Monday
- July 21 (National Day)
- August 15 (Assumption Day)
- November 1 (All Saints' Day)
- November 11 (Armistice Day)
- December 25 (Christmas)
Additionally, Philea is closed between Christmas and New Year.
Leave
Requesting Holidays
- Speak with line manager before submitting a holiday request.
- Submit your request through SCentric and wait for approval.
- Instructional videos are available on how to request holidays
Informing Line Manager
- Line manager must be informed before taking leave to ensure no critical obligations are missed.
Sick Leave Procedure
- Line manager and the HR manager must be notified via email before 10 am on the day of absence.
- If absent for 2 consecutive or 2 non-consecutive days within 15 days, submit a medical certificate within 2 working days.
- Only the HR Manager is authorised to register sick leave in the Leave Request system.
Leave for compelling reasons
Employees are entitled to a maximum of 5 paid days for compelling personal reasons, such as:
- Death of a next of kin
- Marriage
Full details are outlined in Annex 5 of the Working Regulations.
Remuneration
Employees are paid monthly, typically between the 24th and 26th. Payslips can be accessed via Zoomit Basware, or requested directly from HR.
Staff may use flexible working hours, as long as they meet their contracted total hours – just coordinate with your line manager.
Extra hours are not financially compensated, but Philea encourages flexibility: you can adjust your schedule or request a rest day via HR if the extra time is event-related. For details, refer to the Time Recuperation Policy.
After receiving the first salary, an Edenred card for meal vouchers is ordered. It is delivered to the office approximately ten days after the order.