Employee Handbook

ZORVENTE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

2026 Edition | HR/Legal Review Draft

This handbook is a policy draft for HR/legal review before adoption. It is not an employment contract. Requirements may vary by the employee's work location and applicable law.

1. Welcome and Company Mission

Zorvente Technology Group, LLC provides and develops technology services across IT support, AI and automation, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, business technology, and technology strategy. Employees are expected to support a culture of professionalism, security, customer service, accountability, and continuous learning.

2. Purpose and Scope

This handbook summarizes general workplace policies and expectations. Separate written agreements, benefit plans, customer requirements, and applicable law may control specific subjects. Zorvente may revise policies as the company grows or legal requirements change.

3. Employment Practices and Classification

Employment classification, schedules, compensation, exemption status, and benefit eligibility must reflect the actual working relationship and applicable law. Any final at-will language should be reviewed for the employee's work jurisdiction before adoption.

4. Equal Opportunity, Anti-Harassment, and Non-Retaliation

Zorvente is committed to lawful, job-related employment practices and a workplace free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Employees should promptly report concerns to management or the designated HR contact. Good-faith reports and lawful participation in investigations must not result in retaliation.

5. Professional Conduct and Conflicts of Interest

Employees must act honestly, respectfully, and professionally; protect company and customer interests; disclose actual or potential conflicts; and avoid falsification, theft, threats, harassment, unauthorized system use, or misuse of confidential information.

6. Attendance, Scheduling, and Remote Work

Employees are expected to report as scheduled, communicate attendance issues promptly, accurately record time when required, and meet performance and availability expectations. Remote work does not reduce security, confidentiality, customer-service, or approved-system requirements.

7. Compensation, Timekeeping, and Payroll

Employees must accurately record time when required and must not perform unauthorized off-the-clock work. Payroll, tax, direct-deposit, and identity information are confidential HR records and must be submitted only through approved secure systems.

8. Leave, Time Off, Accommodations, and Benefits

Eligibility for holidays, paid time off, insurance, protected leave, accommodations, and other benefits is governed by applicable plans, policies, and law. Employees should contact HR for requests or questions. Separate benefit schedules should be issued as programs are established.

9. Information Security and Acceptable Use

Company accounts, devices, networks, cloud services, credentials, and customer systems may be used only for authorized purposes. Credentials may not be shared. Employees must follow access controls, security updates, MFA requirements, incident-reporting procedures, and approved storage/communication rules.

10. Artificial Intelligence and Automation

AI tools may be used only under approved Zorvente policies. Employees must protect confidential information, verify material outputs, respect intellectual property, and maintain appropriate human review. High-risk actions involving security, finance, employment decisions, customer access, or production systems require authorization.

11. Confidentiality, Intellectual Property, and Customer Data

Employees must protect Zorvente and customer confidential information during and after employment as required by applicable agreements and law. Customer information may be accessed only when needed for assigned work. Intellectual property and work product are governed by applicable agreements and law.

12. Equipment, Communications, and Records

Company equipment must be protected and returned when requested or upon separation. Business communications must be professional. Business records must be retained, stored, and disposed of according to company policy and legal requirements.

13. Privacy and Personnel Records

Zorvente maintains personnel and payroll records for legitimate business, legal, tax, security, and administrative purposes. Access should be limited by role and business need. Employees should keep contact and payroll information current through secure HR processes.

14. Safety, Threats, and Emergencies

Employees must follow applicable safety requirements and promptly report hazards, injuries, threats, or emergencies. Violence and credible threats are prohibited. Worksite and customer-specific emergency rules must be followed.

15. Reporting Concerns and Investigations

Employees are encouraged to report suspected policy violations, security incidents, unethical conduct, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or legal concerns in good faith. Investigations should be handled promptly, fairly, and as confidentially as practical.

16. Corrective Action

Depending on the circumstances, Zorvente may use coaching, warnings, access restrictions, suspension, or other lawful corrective measures. Serious misconduct may warrant immediate action. No fixed disciplinary sequence is guaranteed.

17. Separation and Offboarding

Separating employees must return company property, preserve business records, transfer work as directed, and stop using company/customer systems when authorization ends. Zorvente should promptly disable access, recover devices and credentials, and complete final-pay and benefits steps according to applicable law.

18. Digital Records and Electronic Signatures

Zorvente may provide onboarding, employment, policy, and acknowledgment records electronically. Electronic records may include typed names, drawn signatures, timestamps, document versions, consent records, and audit history. Employees should review documents before signing and retain copies made available to them.

19. Handbook Acknowledgment

I acknowledge that I received access to the Zorvente Technology Group, LLC Employee Handbook and am responsible for reading and following applicable policies. I understand that this handbook is not an employment contract and may be revised subject to applicable law.

20. North Carolina Workplace Standards and Family-First Policies

This section supplements the general policies above for employees working in North Carolina. It is designed for a growing small business and should be reviewed by qualified employment counsel and the company's insurance/benefits advisers before final adoption.

20.1 Workplace Safety and Health

Zorvente is committed to providing a safe and healthful workplace. Employees must follow applicable safety rules, use required protective equipment, complete assigned safety training, and immediately report hazards, injuries, illnesses, near misses, unsafe conditions, and damaged equipment.

No employee will be required to conceal a work-related injury or safety concern. Employees should immediately call 911 for an emergency and then notify management as soon as practical.

Because Zorvente employees may work remotely or at customer locations, employees must also follow customer-site safety requirements and maintain a reasonably safe remote workspace.

Security incidents involving customer systems, company systems, lost devices, suspected malware, credential exposure, phishing, or unauthorized access must be reported immediately through the approved incident-reporting process.

20.2 Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination

Zorvente prohibits unlawful discrimination in recruiting, hiring, compensation, assignment, promotion, training, discipline, termination, and other terms and conditions of employment. Protected characteristics under applicable law include race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, sexual orientation, and transgender status), national origin, age where protected, disability, genetic information, and any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable accommodations will be considered as required by applicable law for disability, religion, pregnancy/childbirth-related limitations, and other legally protected needs. Employees and applicants may contact HR or management to request an accommodation.

20.3 Anti-Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Harassment based on a legally protected characteristic is prohibited. Zorvente also prohibits inappropriate workplace conduct that violates company standards even when the conduct does not meet the legal definition of unlawful harassment.

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other unwelcome verbal, visual, electronic, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It may also include offensive conduct based on a person's sex. Harassment may involve a supervisor, coworker, applicant, contractor, customer, vendor, or other person encountered through work.

Examples of prohibited conduct can include unwanted touching, sexual propositions, repeated unwelcome comments about a person's body or sex life, sexually explicit images or messages, sexual jokes directed at or around an unwilling recipient, slurs, threats, degrading stereotypes, or conditioning a workplace benefit on romantic or sexual conduct.

An employee who experiences or witnesses harassment should report it promptly. A report may be made to the employee's manager, another manager, the designated HR contact, or the Founder/CEO. An employee is not required to report a concern to a person accused of misconduct or to someone in that person's chain of command.

Zorvente will respond promptly, conduct an impartial investigation appropriate to the circumstances, protect confidentiality to the greatest practical extent, and take corrective or preventive action when warranted.

20.4 Non-Retaliation and Good-Faith Reporting

Retaliation is prohibited against an applicant or employee for making a good-faith report of discrimination, harassment, safety concerns, wage concerns, suspected legal or policy violations, or security concerns; requesting a legally protected accommodation or leave; or participating in an investigation or proceeding. Knowingly false statements made in bad faith are not protected by this policy, but an allegation does not become bad faith merely because it is not substantiated.

20.5 Workplace Violence, Threats, and Emergency Response

Zorvente has zero tolerance for workplace violence, credible threats, intimidation, stalking, fighting, deliberate property destruction, or other conduct that creates a reasonable fear of physical harm.

Employees must report threats or warning signs promptly. In an immediate danger, employees should move to safety and call 911 before contacting company management.

Weapons and dangerous items are prohibited in company-controlled work areas to the extent permitted by applicable law and any separate company policy. Rules at customer locations must also be followed.

Employees should not attempt to physically intervene in a violent situation unless necessary to protect themselves or another person from imminent harm.

20.6 Substance Impairment and Fitness for Duty

Employees may not work while impaired in a manner that creates a safety, security, performance, or customer risk. Lawfully prescribed medication should be handled privately; employees should request an accommodation if a medication or medical condition affects the safe performance of essential job duties.

20.7 Wage, Hour, Payroll, and Deductions

Zorvente will maintain written pay practices and will pay employees in accordance with applicable federal and North Carolina wage-and-hour requirements. Nonexempt employees must accurately record all time worked and may not perform off-the-clock work.

Any deduction from wages will be handled only as permitted by applicable law and with required written authorization or notice. Employees should promptly report suspected payroll errors.

Upon separation, final wages will be paid according to applicable North Carolina requirements. Treatment of accrued PTO or other promised wage benefits will follow the written policy in effect when the benefit is earned.

20.8 North Carolina School-Involvement Leave

For employees covered by North Carolina law, Zorvente will provide at least four hours of leave per year for a parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to attend or otherwise be involved at a child's school, preschool, or qualifying child-care facility. The time will be mutually agreed upon. Zorvente may require at least 48 hours' written notice and written verification from the school as permitted by law. This statutory leave is not required to be paid; Zorvente may permit available paid family/PTO time to be used under the current Benefits Schedule.

20.9 Workers' Compensation and Work-Related Injuries

Zorvente will maintain workers' compensation coverage when required by North Carolina law. Employees must report work-related injuries and illnesses promptly so that required notices, medical direction, and claim procedures can be completed.

21. Family-First Benefits Philosophy

Zorvente intends to build a family-first workplace in which employees can succeed professionally without treating normal family responsibilities as a lack of commitment. The company will consider affordability, business sustainability, employee needs, applicable law, and plan-provider requirements when establishing benefits.

IMPORTANT BENEFITS RULE: This handbook describes Zorvente's benefits philosophy and recommended program. A benefit is not active, vested, or promised solely because it appears in this handbook. Eligibility, effective dates, employer contributions, waiting periods, exclusions, and plan terms are controlled by the current written Zorvente Benefits Schedule and the applicable insurance or retirement plan documents. Once Zorvente formally promises a wage benefit such as paid PTO, the company will administer earned benefits according to the written policy and applicable North Carolina law.

21.1 Recommended Full-Time Benefits Package

21.2 Recommended Eligibility Framework

For internal consistency, Zorvente should define 'full-time' in its Benefits Schedule. A practical starting point is employees regularly scheduled to work at least 30 hours per week, subject to the terms of each benefit plan and applicable law.

Insurance waiting periods should be clearly stated and must comply with applicable plan and legal limits. North Carolina group health guidance notes that eligible employees may be subject to a waiting period of up to 90 days.

Part-time employees may be offered selected benefits, but differences between full-time and part-time wage benefits should be stated clearly in writing.

Independent contractors are not employees and are not eligible for employee benefits unless a specific written program expressly provides otherwise.

21.3 Suggested Family-First Leave Design for Budget Planning

For planning purposes, Zorvente can phase in benefits instead of promising everything on day one. A strong small-business starting design would be: medical coverage plus dental/vision options; an EAP; basic life insurance; a SIMPLE IRA; written PTO and sick leave; paid parental leave; bereavement leave; family-care flexibility; school-involvement time; remote/hybrid flexibility where the job permits; and a professional-development allowance. Exact days, dollar amounts, employer premium percentages, and effective dates should be adopted in a separate Benefits Schedule after quotes and budget review.

22. Small-Business Compliance and HR Administration

North Carolina generally requires workers' compensation coverage for businesses with three or more employees, subject to statutory exceptions.

North Carolina employers must make required workplace labor-law posters available in a conspicuous place, including the Wage and Hour Notice to Employees and the Occupational Safety and Health Notice to Employees.

Newly hired and rehired employees must generally be reported to the North Carolina New Hire Directory within 20 days.

Federal FMLA generally applies to private employers with 50 or more employees for at least 20 workweeks in the current or preceding year; employee eligibility has additional service, hours, and worksite requirements. Zorvente may voluntarily provide family/medical benefits before federal FMLA coverage applies, but voluntary benefits should not be mislabeled as statutory FMLA.

Federal EEO laws have different employer-size thresholds. Zorvente's internal anti-discrimination and anti-harassment standards are intended to apply as company policy regardless of whether a particular federal statute has reached its employee-count threshold.

As Zorvente hires employees outside North Carolina, HR must review the law of the state/locality where each employee works and issue location-specific supplements when necessary.

23. Benefit Plan Research Notes for Management

Health insurance: North Carolina treats employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees as small businesses for small-group coverage. Many group policies allow dependent coverage. Small employers may also explore SHOP coverage.

Small-business health tax credit: a qualifying small employer with fewer than 25 full-time-equivalent employees may be eligible for a federal tax credit if other requirements are met, including employer premium contributions and wage limits.

Retirement: IRS small-business options include SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, and 401(k) plans. A SIMPLE IRA is specifically designed for small employers and generally has lower administrative burden than a conventional retirement plan, but it requires an employer contribution.

Benefits administration: before launch, Zorvente should obtain written plan documents, enrollment materials, eligibility rules, payroll-deduction authorizations where needed, required notices, and an annual Benefits Schedule. Insurance and retirement plan documents control if they conflict with a handbook summary.

24. Zorvente Timekeeping, Attendance, and Separation Procedures

24.1 Verified Time Clock Procedure

Employees who are required to track working time must use the Zorvente Employee Portal to clock in when work begins and clock out when work ends. Official employee punches use the system's server-recorded timestamp. Employees may not manually create or alter official punch times.

Employees must record all time actually worked and may not perform work off the clock. Employees should not clock in for another employee, ask another person to clock in or out for them, falsify time records, or intentionally misstate working time. Suspected timekeeping errors should be reported promptly rather than hidden or ignored.

If an employee misses a punch or believes a time record is inaccurate, the employee must submit a Time Correction Request through the Employee Portal describing the affected date and the correction needed. Only authorized management or HR may make a manual adjustment. Management adjustments must include a reason and are retained in the audit history. A timekeeping policy or disciplinary rule will not be used to avoid paying for time the company knows or has reason to believe was actually worked.

Employees must review submitted timesheets for accuracy. Management approval confirms the record for payroll processing but does not eliminate the company's obligation to correct a discovered wage or timekeeping error.

24.2 Attendance, PTO, Vacation, and Sick-Time Requests

Employees should follow their assigned schedule and notify management as soon as practicable of lateness, absence, or an inability to report to work. PTO, vacation, and sick-time requests should be submitted through the Employee Portal when available. Approval, available balances, notice expectations, and whether time is paid are controlled by the current written Zorvente policy and Benefits Schedule. Employees should not assume a request is approved until the portal or management confirms approval.

24.2A Zorvente Rest Break and Meal Period Policy

For North Carolina employees age 16 or older, state law generally does not require an employer to provide rest or meal breaks. Zorvente nevertheless may schedule reasonable rest and meal periods as a company practice based on the employee’s shift, workload, customer obligations, and staffing needs.

Authorized short rest breaks of 20 minutes or less are treated as paid working time and must not be clocked out or deducted from hours worked. Employees remain responsible for returning from an authorized rest break on time.

A bona fide meal period is ordinarily 30 minutes or more and may be unpaid only when the employee is completely relieved of work duties for the meal period. If an employee is required to work, answer work communications, monitor systems, assist customers, or otherwise perform duties during a meal period, the employee must report that time so it can be treated as working time as required by applicable law.

Employees should use the Zorvente timekeeping process designated for their role and promptly submit a Time Correction Request if a meal or break record does not accurately reflect time actually worked. Location-specific law may provide greater protections and will control where applicable.

24.3 Resignation and Voluntary Separation

Employees who decide to resign are encouraged to provide written notice to their manager or HR with the intended last day of work. Zorvente may accept a shorter notice period or determine an earlier separation date when lawful and appropriate. Before departure, employees should complete outstanding time records, return company property, transfer company information as directed, and cooperate with reasonable offboarding steps.

24.4 Involuntary Separation and Termination

Employment may end through termination, layoff, end of assignment or contract, retirement, or another lawful reason. Nothing in this handbook creates a guarantee of progressive discipline, a fixed term of employment, or a contract of employment. Zorvente will document separation decisions and administer them consistently with applicable law and company policy.

At separation, HR may review final timesheets and outstanding time corrections, PTO/vacation/sick balances under the written policy then in effect, benefits and required notices, company property, confidential information, and company-system access. Employee Portal and other company-system access may be revoked immediately when offboarding is completed or earlier when needed to protect company, customer, or employee information.

24.5 Final Pay and Continuing Obligations

For North Carolina employees, final wages due will be paid on or before the next regular payday as required by applicable law. Treatment of earned vacation/PTO and other promised wage benefits will follow the written policy in effect and applicable law. Sick-leave payout is not promised unless a current written Zorvente policy or applicable plan specifically provides for payment at separation.

Confidentiality, intellectual-property, data-security, customer-information, and other obligations that by their nature survive employment continue after separation to the extent stated in the applicable agreement and permitted by law.

25. Payroll, Pay Methods, Leave and Compliance Procedures

Payroll schedule. Zorvente's standard payroll configuration is biweekly unless HR publishes a different written schedule. A biweekly cycle is based on consecutive 14-day periods rather than the number of weeks in a calendar month, so leap years and varying month lengths do not change the cycle. The current pay-period and payday settings are shown in the Live Handbook Policy Summary below.

Pay methods and statements. Employees may be offered direct deposit or check according to the current payroll setup. Direct-deposit information is confidential payroll data and must be entered only through an approved secure process. Employees will receive or have access to an itemized pay statement showing applicable earnings, deductions, taxes, and net pay. Payroll corrections must be reported promptly to HR.

Time and manager adjustments. Employees must report all hours actually worked. Employees may submit a missed-punch or time-correction request, including the requested time and explanation, but the requested time does not become an official adjustment until authorized management approves it. Authorized managers may add or adjust hours only with a documented business reason and audit history.

Leave categories. Zorvente may administer PTO, vacation, sick leave, paid leave, unpaid leave, paid birthday, holiday, bereavement, jury duty, short-term disability leave, long-term disability leave, and FMLA-designated leave when applicable. Availability, eligibility, pay status, certification requirements, benefit-plan terms, and approval rules vary by leave type. Listing a category here does not itself promise paid leave or insurance benefits.

Hiring paperwork and Form I-9. HR will track required onboarding documents and verification. Employees must complete Form I-9 Section 1 no later than the first day of employment. The employer or authorized representative generally completes Section 2 within three business days after the employee's first day of work for pay; if employment will last fewer than three business days, Section 2 must be completed no later than the first day. Zorvente may require other lawful pre-employment paperwork before marking an employee Ready to Start, but the system will track I-9 timing separately so the policy does not misstate the federal deadline.

Year-end payroll records. HR will maintain payroll and tax-document status records needed for wage reporting, including employee withholding elections and year-to-date wage/tax totals. Employees should promptly update Form W-4 information when appropriate. Year-end forms and deadlines are administered under then-current federal and state requirements.

26. Employee Acknowledgment

I acknowledge that I received access to the Zorvente Technology Group, LLC Employee Handbook. I understand that I am responsible for reading and following applicable company policies and should ask HR about any policy I do not understand. I understand that this handbook is not an employment contract and that benefit eligibility and plan terms are controlled by applicable plan documents and the current written Benefits Schedule.