News and Updates

Whirley-DrinkWorks! TeamMates,

A Quick Refresher on CI Time:

• Full-time or Part-time TeamMates that have successfully completed their introductory period are eligible to earn, purchase (for themselves or others), and use Continuous Improvement Time. Continuous Improvement Time is expressed in the form of a special accrual balance and pay code that exists outside of regular hourly vacation and wellness time.

As some have requested in the past, we have been working to come up with a more streamlined process for claiming and using Continuous Improvement Time. Previously, time purchased on the Good Idea Club website was issued as a physical (and later digital during the pandemic) "Card" with a specific log number that was used for accounting purposes between GI Club administration and Human Resources reporting. Because of the disconnected nature of these systems, it was necessary to keep duplicate records between each, with the administrative processes a pain for everyone! Further down the line, it was difficult for Supervisors to keep track and communicate log numbers and ensure that balances and use limits were respected.

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Effective immediately, Continuous Improvement Time will be handled completely digitally, with purchases made on the website reflected as available accrual balances on ADP. You will see that the Good Idea Club Store page has been updated with new listings for each of the various time increments available:

 The new process is as follows:

1. Purchase the Continuous Improvement Time from the Good Idea Club Store as you always have.
2. HR is notified of the purchase and the amount is added to your (or the gifted TeamMate's) account in ADP.
3. In the ADP Time & Attendance module, Request Time Off as you would normally would for other pay codes (Wellness, Vacation, Floating Holiday).
4. The list is now updated to include the "Cont.Imp.Vacation" pay code, and your Accrual list will show any available CI TIME.
   
   
5. Modify Start and End date ranges as needed and add your Daily amount. Include a note if instructed to do so by your Supervisor, and Submit to complete your request.

Existing requirements remain unchanged:

• Increments are available for corresponding Shift schedules and can only be redeemed by TeamMates working each schedule:
  • 8-Hour TMs: 4 or 8-Hour Increments
  • 12-Hour TMs: 6 or 12-Hour Increments
• TeamMates may use up to twenty-four (24) hours of purchased Continuous Improvement Time during the calendar year (Jan 1 - December 31).
• All Continuous Improvement Time is intended to be a direct and immediate reward, and as such has an expiration date that encourages use in a timely fashion. This expiration date is one year from the issue date.
  • Continuous Improvement Time may not be cashed or refunded and should be used by the expiration date. Continuous Improvement Time is not transferable to any other TeamMate unless specified at the time of purchase, regardless of the situation. Unspent time is lost.
• Continuous Improvement Time can be used at any time with the following criteria:
  • There is no requirement for the partial use or complete consumption of any other pay code or accrual balance as a prerequisite for the use of Continuous Improvement Time.
  • You must Request Time Off through ADP at least two days prior to the requested time off. Supervisors and Managers have the authority, at their discretion, to grant Continuous Improvement Time without two days' notice.

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Additionally, this change also affects how Continuous Improvement Time that is awarded for various programs (Kaizen Card Monthly Winners, Manager Recognition Rewards, Most Outstanding Ideas, TeamMate Referral Program, Whirley Events) is handled.

Going forward, you will not receive physical cards or log numbers for this time either, but you will see an entry on your Coin Activity page for a zero-coin transaction redeeming the reward:

For ease of use, these rewards will use the same pay code and accrual type, listed as "Cont.Imp.Vacation" and "CI TIME" respectively, but will be exempt from the 24-hour limit. As the distinction is impossible to make when requesting time off, time given in reward will automatically be used before any purchased time.

Correspondingly, all requirements for purchased time apply to rewarded time as well (see bullet points above), with the addition of two aspects:

• The reward amounts for Part‑time TeamMates are halved versus Full-time TeamMates.
• There is no total time limit on Continuous Improvement Time absences that have been earned.

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This update has been applied retroactively, and any previously unclaimed Continuous Improvement Time (purchased or otherwise) has been added to your account in ADP.

The changes to this program/procedure have been updated in the Company Policies on ADP.

Please see Zack Dickerson, Operational Excellence Engineer, or Alyssa Renninger, People Operations Leader with any questions or concerns!

Thank you,

Zack Dickerson Operational Excellence Engineer - Whirley-DrinkWorks! Ph: 800-825-5575 x1173 Email: zdickerson@whirleydrinkworks.com Mail: 140 W. Harmar Street, Warren, PA 16365 Web: www.WhirleyDrinkWorks.com	Alyssa Renninger People Operations Leader - Whirley-DrinkWorks! Ph: 800-825-5575 x1152 Email: arenninger@whirleydrinkworks.com Mail: 618 4th Ave, Warren, PA 16365 Web: www.WhirleyDrinkWorks.com
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