Small Business Employee Handbook Template

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Marigold & Oak

Our Team Handbook

Welcome to
the café_The plain-English guide to working here_

A neighborhood café in Asheville, run by people who care about good coffee, good food, and treating each other well. This is how we do things.

Marigold & Oak Café412 Haywood Road · Asheville, NC

Edition 2026A handbook for our 14 teammates

♥

A note from the owner

Welcome to the team

Hi, and welcome to Marigold & Oak.

I opened this café in 2019 because I wanted a place where regulars know your name, where the muffins are made that morning, and where the people behind the counter actually want to be there. None of that works without a great team — which now includes you.

This handbook isn't a legal document full of fine print. It's the stuff I'd tell you over coffee on your first day: how we work, how you get paid, how to take time off, and what we expect from each other. I've tried to keep it short and honest. If a policy ever feels unfair or just plain confusing, tell me — most of what's in here started as a conversation, and it can change the same way.

A café is a small place. What you do affects everyone on shift, and a good day for one of us tends to be a good day for all of us. Take care of our guests, take care of each other, and we'll take care of you.

I'm really glad you're here. Let's make something good.

— Dana Whitfield

Owner & Founder, Marigold & Oak

The short version

This handbook applies to everyone on the team. It explains how things work here in plain English. It isn't an employment contract, and we may update it as the café grows — we'll always tell you when we do.

What's inside

Eight short sections. Read the ones you need, when you need them.

• 01 Who we are & what we value
• 02 How we work — hours, scheduling & dress
• 03 Getting paid
• 04 Time off — PTO, sick days & holidays
• 05 What we expect of each other
• 06 Perks, benefits & staying safe
• 07 When things go wrong
• 08 Your acknowledgment

01

Section One

Who we are & what we value

We're a small café — 14 people across two shifts — serving a neighborhood we love. We're not trying to be a chain. We're trying to be the best version of a local spot. These four values are how we get there.

Hospitality first

Every guest is somebody's regular in the making. We greet people warmly, learn names when we can, and treat a $3 drip coffee with the same care as a full brunch order. Hospitality is the whole job — the coffee is just the excuse people use to come in.

Quality we'd serve our own family

We pull shots properly, we taste as we go, and we don't send out a plate or a latte we wouldn't happily drink or eat ourselves. If something's off, we remake it — no guilt, no debate.

Look after each other

A café runs on the team, not the individual. We bus each other's tables, jump on the register when the line builds, and never leave a teammate buried in the weeds. We say thank you, and we mean it.

Keep it honest

We're straight with our guests, with our suppliers, and with each other. If you make a mistake, own it early — we've all dropped a tray. Problems are easy to fix when they're small and out in the open.

The short version

Be kind, make it good, help your teammates, and tell the truth. Almost every question in this handbook comes back to one of those four.

02

Section Two

How we work

Cafés live and die by the schedule. Here's how hours, shifts, and the everyday basics work so you always know what to expect.

Hours & shifts

Café hours

Open Mon–Sun, 7:00am–4:00pm. Opening shift starts at 6:15am; closing shift wraps by about 4:45pm after clean-down.

Your schedule

Posted to the team app every Thursday for the following week. Once it's posted, those are your shifts — please plan around them.

Swapping a shift

Find your own cover from someone trained for that role, then post the swap in the team app so a manager can approve it. Approved swaps are your responsibility to show up for.

Breaks

A paid 15-minute break on shifts over 5 hours, and a 30-minute meal break on shifts over 7 hours. Take them — a rested barista is a better barista.

Running late or sick

Call or text the shift lead as early as you can — ideally two hours before open. A quick heads-up lets us call in cover. No-call-no-shows are a big deal on a small team.

What to wear

Comfortable and clean. We supply an apron and a couple of tees; pair them with your own dark jeans or trousers and closed-toe, non-slip shoes (the floor behind the bar gets wet). Tie back long hair, keep nails short for food handling, and feel free to be yourself — tattoos, piercings, and personal style are all welcome here.

The short version

Schedules drop Thursdays. Arrange your own cover for swaps. Wear your apron, closed-toe non-slip shoes, and tell us early if you can't make it in.

03

Section Three

Getting paid

No mystery here. This is exactly how and when money lands in your account.

Pay schedule

Every two weeks, by direct deposit, on Friday. Our pay period runs Monday to Sunday across two weeks; payday is the Friday after it closes.

Clocking in

Clock in and out on the tablet by the office door for every shift, including breaks. We pay from the clock, so getting this right protects your hours.

Overtime

Any hours over 40 in a week are paid at 1.5× your regular rate, as required by law. If a manager asks you to stay late, it counts — always clock the real time.

Tips

All card and cash tips go into a shared pool and are split by hours worked, paid out with your regular check. We keep the breakdown posted so it's always transparent.

Pay rate & raises

Your starting rate is in your offer letter. We review pay for everyone each January, plus whenever you take on a new role like shift lead or head baker.

Fixing a mistake

Think your check is wrong? Tell Dana or your manager within a few days and we'll sort it fast. We'd always rather fix it than have you wonder.

The short version

Paid every other Friday by direct deposit. Clock every shift. Over 40 hours a week is time-and-a-half. Tips are pooled, split by hours, and fully transparent.

04

Section Four

Time off

Rest makes you better at this job, not worse. We want you to actually use your time off — here's how much you get and how to ask for it.

10

Paid days off

Per year for full-time teammates, growing to 15 days after two years.

5

Paid sick days

Separate from your PTO. For you or a sick family member.

6

Paid holidays

Plus the day after Thanksgiving, when we always close.

Requesting paid time off

Put PTO requests in the team app at least two weeks ahead so we can staff around them. We approve almost everything — the only tricky stretches are our busiest weekends and the holiday season, when we ask for a month's notice and approve on a first-come basis.

Sick days

If you're unwell, stay home — please don't bring anything contagious into a kitchen. Just message your shift lead as early as you can. We don't ask for a doctor's note unless you're out more than three days in a row.

Holidays we close

We close for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving (and the Friday after), Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. If you're scheduled on a paid holiday week, you're paid for it whether we're open or closed.

The short version

10 PTO days, 5 sick days, and 6 paid holidays to start. Request PTO two weeks ahead (a month over holidays). Sick? Message your lead and rest up.

05

Section Five

What we expect of each other

Most of this is common sense, but writing it down means we're all working from the same page. None of it is complicated.

On the floor

• Greet every guest within a few seconds, even if it's just a nod and "I'll be right with you."
• Know the menu well enough to make an honest recommendation.
• Handle complaints with grace — remake it, comp it if needed, and tell a manager.
• Keep your phone in the back; it stays off the floor during your shift.
• Follow our food-safety basics: wash hands, check dates, keep cold things cold.

With each other

We treat everyone — teammates, guests, and suppliers — with respect, full stop. Marigold & Oak does not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or bullying of any kind, whether it's about someone's race, gender, religion, age, disability, or who they love. If something crosses a line, tell Dana or any manager. We take it seriously and we protect the person who speaks up.

A few clear lines

Showing up impaired, dishonesty with the till, theft, or treating a guest or teammate cruelly are the kinds of things that put the whole café at risk. They're grounds for serious discipline up to letting someone go. We'd much rather never get here — and we almost never do.

The short version

Be warm with guests, fair with teammates, and honest with the till. Phones in the back. We have zero tolerance for harassment — speak up and we'll have your back.

06

Section Six

Perks, benefits & staying safe

Small café, but we look after our people. Here's the good stuff — and the few safety basics that keep everyone in one piece.

The perks

Free shift drinks

Any drink on the menu, on the house, while you're working. Practice your latte art on us.

Meal on shift

A free meal from the kitchen on any shift over five hours, plus 50% off any other time.

Health stipend

Full-time teammates get a $200/month stipend toward a health plan of your choice.

Bag of beans

A free bag of our house roast every month, and 40% off anything from the retail shelf.

Learning fund

$250 a year toward a barista course, a cupping class, or a food-handler cert.

Your birthday off

A paid day off in your birthday week — because nobody should pull espresso on their birthday.

Health & safety basics

A café has hot surfaces, sharp tools, and wet floors, so a little care goes a long way. Wipe spills the moment you see them, use the wet-floor sign, and never carry a knife through a crowd. The first-aid kit is by the office, the fire extinguisher is behind the bar, and exits are marked front and back.

If you get hurt, even a small burn, tell a manager so we can help and log it. If you ever feel unsafe — a difficult guest, a faulty appliance — step back and get a manager. Nothing on the menu is worth getting injured over.

The short version

Free drinks and a meal on shift, a monthly health stipend, beans, a learning fund, and your birthday off. Clean up spills, know where the kit is, and report any injury — even a small one.

07

Section Seven

When things go wrong

Sometimes things don't work out — a habit that needs fixing, or a goodbye. We handle both the same way: honestly, kindly, and without surprises.

If there's a problem with your work

We believe in fixing things early and in person. You'll almost never be blindsided — here's the usual path when something needs to change.

1

A quick chat. A manager pulls you aside, explains what they're seeing, and listens to your side. Most things end right here.

2

A clear plan. If it keeps happening, we'll write down what needs to change and by when, so there's no guesswork.

3

A final conversation. If the plan isn't working, we'll talk honestly about whether this is still the right fit — for you and for us.

Serious issues like theft or harassment can skip these steps — but for everyday stuff, we'll always try to help you succeed first.

If you decide to move on

We'd love a heads-up of at least two weeks so we can schedule around it and say a proper goodbye. Return your apron and key, and we'll get your final pay to you on the next regular payday. You're always welcome back for a coffee — and we're glad to be a reference for good work.

The short version

Problems get a chat, then a written plan, then an honest conversation — no surprises. Leaving? Give two weeks if you can, return your apron and key, and stay in touch.

08

Section Eight

Your acknowledgment

Last page. Once you've read through the handbook, sign below so we know we're on the same page. Keep a copy for yourself — there's one in the team app too.

I've read the Marigold & Oak Team Handbook and I understand how we work here. I know it explains our values, schedules, pay, time off, and what we expect of each other, and that it isn't an employment contract. I know the café may update it from time to time, and that I can ask Dana or a manager about anything that's unclear.

Your name (printed)

Role

Signature

Date

One last thing

Thanks for reading all the way through — and welcome, properly, to the team. Now go pull yourself a celebratory shift drink. You've earned it.