Module 9 — Staffing, the DBM role, personnel, and contractor conduct

Section 1 · Pre-work (45 minutes)

Required reading

• Operations Manual §8 (all six subsections). 25 minutes.
• The trainee’s Franchise Agreement DBM approval and confidentiality/non-solicitation provisions. 10 minutes.
• The HiON Brand Asset Library uniform and PPE specifications. 10 minutes.

Pre-session knowledge check

Submitted via Partner Portal at least 24 hours before the session.

1. Within how many Business Days must the franchisee appoint an interim DBM if the current DBM ceases to serve, and within how many days must a permanent successor be nominated?
2. If the DBM is not an entity-level owner of the Franchisee entity, what must they execute before commencing the role?
3. May the franchisee engage a contractor that HiON has disqualified or removed from the preferred-vendor list?
4. A team member uses lawful medical cannabis on a Saturday and works a Monday shift at the HiON EV Facility. Is this a §8.6.1 violation, and on what basis?
5. New employees must complete role-specific training before what?

Bring to session

• The trainee’s current staffing roster (or, if none exists yet, a working list of named hires planned for pre-opening)
• The trainee’s draft DBM confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement template (if applicable)
• The trainee’s contractor agreements for any contractors already engaged
• The trainee’s Designated Business Manager
• A list of preferred-vendor contractors the franchisee is considering in the franchisee’s market

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Section 2 · Learning objectives

By the end of this module, the trainee can:

1. Designate and maintain an approved DBM at all times — including the 5-Business-Day interim-appointment standard and the 30-day permanent-successor nomination standard if a vacancy occurs, with HiON 15-Business-Day response.
2. Execute DBM responsibilities — operating the Franchise to Manual standard, opening and managing support tickets, overseeing site-area maintenance and security, hiring and supervising employees, managing contractors, maintaining access logs and training records, delivering required reports, representing the Franchise in the Site Host relationship.
3. Maintain a §8.2 [MANDATORY] staffing roster — name, role, start date, training completed, access tier (§1.3 / M02), required acknowledgments — producible on audit.
4. Schedule Franchisee Training Program attendance through the Partner Portal in a window that permits completion before opening; recognize that delayed training is not grounds to open late.
5. Execute continuing-training and annual-meeting obligations — every continuing-training module by HiON’s deadlines; personnel attendance at annual or convention-style meetings; role-specific training for new hires before unsupervised work.
6. Qualify, engage, and supervise contractors per §8.5 — §14 vendor qualification, certificates of insurance with HiON as additional insured, written contracts with confidentiality and lien-waiver, briefing on relevant Manual sections, no engagement of HiON-disqualified contractors.
7. Enforce personnel conduct standards — no on-duty intoxicants; harassment-/discrimination-free workplace; no off-brand or unauthorized public statements; uniform and PPE compliance; confidentiality and IP work-for-hire provisions.
8. Execute §1.3 (M02) confidentiality and same-Business-Day offboarding for every personnel change.

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Section 3 · Why this matters

Staffing is where the franchisee converts the operating standards into operating reality. Every required standard in the Manual depends on a person performing the discipline. The Manual identifies that person at the DBM level: “The Designated Business Manager is the individual who carries day-to-day responsibility for operating your HiON EV Franchise in accordance with this Manual, the Franchise Agreement, and the Master Services Agreement” (§8.1 Purpose). Without an approved DBM, the franchise lacks the operational principal HiON contracts through. The Manual’s response cadence on DBM changes (15 Business Days for HiON approval) and the franchisee’s response cadence on vacancies (5 Business Days interim; 30 days permanent successor) reflect how load-bearing the role is.

The §8.1.1 [MANDATORY] standards on the DBM are non-trivial:

• Full time and best efforts to the franchise — the DBM is not a part-time role
• Reside within reasonable commuting distance — the DBM is on-site, not remote
• Available to HiON at all reasonable times — the DBM is the institutional counterpart for HiON’s FBC and support roles
• Franchisee Training Program completion before opening — the DBM is in the room for the program the trainee is currently completing
• Confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement if the DBM is not an equity owner

These are not nice-to-haves. They are the structural reasons the §3.1.1 support cast (M01) and the §3.4.1 escalation ladder (M02) work — HiON’s institutional counterparts depend on the DBM being present, qualified, and accountable.

The other personnel roles named in §8.2 — Site Operations Lead, Marketing/Local Growth Lead, Finance/Reporting Lead — are the team the DBM builds out. Each role has its [MANDATORY] training requirements. The franchisee’s hiring discipline is not just about finding people who can do the job; it is about hiring people the franchisee can train, certify, document, and supervise to HiON standard.

The contractor framework (§8.5) is where the operating discipline most often slips. Contractors are not employees; they are not under direct franchisee supervision in the same way; they may have years of experience working for other operators on similar work. The Manual’s standards are specific and non-negotiable: §14 vendor qualification (M12); current certificates of insurance with HiON as additional insured; written contracts with confidentiality + indemnification + lien-waiver provisions consistent with HiON templates; briefing on relevant Manual sections with written acknowledgment; no engagement of HiON-disqualified contractors regardless of AHJ or third-party qualification.

The §8.6 personnel conduct framework is the brand at human scale. “Drivers, Site Hosts, regulators, and the public form their impression of HiON largely from how your team behaves on site and in communication” (§8.6 Purpose). The conduct standards are not about controlling the franchisee’s team — they are about protecting the franchisee from team behavior that creates §2.2.2 promise-breaking events, §13 incident liability, or §3.3 audit findings. The franchisee enforces the standards because the consequence of non-enforcement falls on the franchisee, not on the individual.

Acknowledged Elephant: the trainee is currently in the Franchisee Training Program. The §8.3 content describes the program the trainee is completing. This creates a reflexive dynamic — the trainee both is the audience for §8.3 standards and is responsible for ensuring future designated personnel meet those standards. The Module handles this by emphasizing the franchisee’s role in (a) scheduling and resourcing the Franchisee Training Program for additional designated personnel; (b) maintaining the training-completion records that demonstrate compliance; and (c) executing the continuing-training cadence (§8.4) over the 10-year FA term.

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Section 4 · Core content

4.1 — The Designated Business Manager: requirement, responsibilities, vacancy (§8.1)

Five [MANDATORY] + one [APPROVAL REQUIRED] standards in §8.1.1:

1. [MANDATORY] Designate a DBM and have them approved by HiON in writing at or before FA execution; maintain an approved DBM at all times during the FA term
2. [MANDATORY] DBM devotes full time and best efforts to management, supervision, operation of the franchise; resides within reasonable commuting distance of the HiON EV Facility; available to HiON at all reasonable times
3. [MANDATORY] DBM attends and successfully completes the Franchisee Training Program before opening to the public; satisfies every §8.4 Continuing Training requirement
4. [MANDATORY] If the DBM is not the Franchisee entity-level owner and will not own equity in the Franchisee entity, the DBM executes a confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement in HiON’s supplied form before commencing the role. Executed agreement retained in the site file
5. [APPROVAL REQUIRED] Any change in the DBM requires HiON prior written approval. Submit proposed successor’s qualifications and required background documentation through the Partner Portal. HiON responds within 15 Business Days

DBM responsibilities (§8.1.2) — what the role actually does day-to-day:

• Operating the HiON EV Franchise in accordance with the Manual; ensuring every employee and contractor does the same
• Primary day-to-day point of contact with the FBC and HiON support
• Opening and managing all support tickets under §3 (M01, M02)
• Overseeing site-area maintenance (§9 / M10), site-security practices (§13 / M14), routine inspection cadence
• Hiring, supervising, training, evaluating, and terminating employees
• Overseeing contractors and vendors engaged at the HiON EV Facility
• Maintaining access-control records (§1.3 / M02), training records, acknowledgment files, incident logs, other Manual-required records
• Delivering every required report (§4.4 / M04 + §12 / M13) on time and accurately
• Representing the HiON EV Franchise in the Site Host relationship and in local-community engagement (§11 / M08)

The DBM is the institutional locus of accountability for the franchise’s operating compliance.

Vacancy and replacement (§8.1.3) — two [MANDATORY] + one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. [MANDATORY] If the DBM dies, becomes incapacitated, resigns, is terminated, or otherwise ceases to serve: appoint an interim DBM within 5 Business Days; nominate a permanent successor for HiON approval within 30 days
2. [MANDATORY] Interim DBM meets §8.1.1 qualifications and attends the next available Franchisee Training Program offering if they have not previously completed it
3. [RECOMMENDED] Maintain a documented succession plan identifying at least one team member who could be credentialed to serve as interim DBM if the primary becomes unavailable

The vacancy clock is short. The franchisee whose DBM resigns Friday afternoon does not have a week to think about it — the franchisee identifies an interim by end of next Friday at the latest, and starts the permanent-successor process immediately.

4.2 — Other personnel roles and staffing standards (§8.2)

The role framework (§8.2 table):

Role	Typical scope	Required qualifications
Designated Business Manager	Day-to-day operations, HiON compliance, primary support-channel point of contact	See §8.1
Site Operations Lead / Associate	Field duties (site visits, site-area maintenance oversight, Site Host coordination), customer-interaction logging, escalation of tickets	Able to perform physical site visits safely; trained on Manual §§2, 3, 9, 10, 13; passes any background check the franchisee performs
Marketing / Local Growth Lead	Local marketing execution, Site Host co-marketing, community engagement, ribbon-cutting logistics, creative-review submissions	Trained on §§2.3, 2.4, 11; Brand Asset Library familiarity
Finance / Reporting Lead	Required reports (§§4.4, 12), Sinking Fund management, compliance reporting	Trained on §§12, 15; Partner Portal reporting tools familiarity
Contractor / Vendor (not employee)	Specialized services (civil, electrical, signage, landscaping, snow removal, security)	Qualified under §14; written agreement with confidentiality; trained on Manual sections their work implicates

Five §8.2 standards — four [MANDATORY] + one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. [MANDATORY] Every individual performing work on the franchise — employee, independent contractor, agent — has completed any Manual-required training for their role before commencing that work
2. [MANDATORY] Maintain a current staffing roster: name, role, start date, training completed, access tier (§1.3 / M02), required acknowledgments. Producible on audit.
3. [MANDATORY] Franchisee is responsible for employee classification, wage and hour compliance, workers’ compensation, payroll tax, all other employment-law obligations. HiON provides operational training, not HR or legal services.
4. [MANDATORY] No engagement of any individual subject to an injunction, suspension, or disbarment preventing their role, or whose engagement breaches a confidentiality or non-compete obligation to a third party
5. [RECOMMENDED] Conduct background checks appropriate to the role. Site-facing personnel who interact with drivers and handle on-site incidents should meet the franchisee’s standard for public-facing staff

4.3 — Franchisee Training Program (§8.3)

The Manual’s framing: “The Franchisee Training Program is the required foundation for operating a HiON EV Franchise.” HiON provides the program at HiON’s training location or, in HiON’s discretion, virtually or at the HiON EV Facility.

Four [MANDATORY] standards:

1. Each owner with active management involvement, the DBM, and any individual HiON designates must attend and successfully complete the Franchisee Training Program before opening to the public
2. “Successfully complete” means attend every required module, pass the required competency assessments, receive HiON’s written certification of completion
3. Franchisee bears personnel travel, lodging, meals, out-of-pocket costs. These are not payable to HiON as fees but are part of the pre-opening investment
4. Schedule Franchisee Training Program attendance through the Partner Portal in a timeframe permitting completion before the targeted opening date. Delayed training is not grounds to open late.

Curriculum coverage — the Franchisee Training Program includes, at minimum:

• The HiON System, the FA, the MSA, the division of responsibility (M01)
• This Manual in full, with emphasis on labels, governance, exception process (M02)
• Brand standards and on-site brand execution (M03)
• Support channels, severity levels, escalation ladder (M02)
• Site acquisition, Site Host contracting, Lease Addendum (M04, M05)
• Design, permitting, construction oversight, commissioning (M06, M07)
• Site-area maintenance, fault escalation, Tesla network interface (M10)
• Customer experience and payment escalation (M11)
• Local marketing and launch (M08)
• Financial reporting, Sinking Fund, performance metrics (M13)
• Compliance, safety, accessibility, incident reporting (M14)
• Vendor management (M12) and location lifecycle (M15)

The specific number of training days, the format, and the pass criteria are in the FDD and in the current Training Program publication on the Partner Portal. That publication is the authoritative source for the current schedule.

The trainee is currently in this program. The §8.3 reflexive dynamic: the trainee both completes the program and becomes responsible for ensuring future designated personnel — interim DBMs on vacancy, new equity owners with management involvement, new HiON-designated individuals — complete it on the same standard.

4.4 — Continuing training and certification (§8.4)

Four [MANDATORY] standards plus one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. The DBM and other personnel HiON designates complete every continuing-training module HiON publishes, by HiON’s specified deadline for each module
2. Maintain training-completion records for every individual on the team for every required module. Retained per §15 (records retention; M15 territory)
3. Send personnel to any annual or convention-style meeting HiON requires. Franchisee bears travel, lodging, incidental costs. HiON does not charge a separate attendance fee unless disclosed in writing in advance
4. New hires complete the role-specific training HiON designates before performing unsupervised work on the HiON EV Franchise
5. [RECOMMENDED] Maintain a training log on the Partner Portal (or local file linked to the Partner Portal) showing every team member’s current status against each required module. The log is the first artifact requested in a field audit.

The annual or convention-style meeting is the institutional touchpoint between HiON and its franchisee base. Attendance is required, not optional. Franchisees who miss the annual meeting are not just absent from the system update — they create a compliance finding under §8.4 [MANDATORY].

4.5 — Contractor qualification and conduct (§8.5)

The §8.5 framework integrates with §14 (Vendors — full detail in M12). Five [MANDATORY] standards at the contractor-qualification level and three [MANDATORY] at the on-site-conduct level.

Contractor qualification — five [MANDATORY]:

1. Every contractor at the HiON EV Facility is licensed and insured as required for the work and jurisdiction; carries coverages meeting §13 (M14) and FA standards; operates under a written contract with confidentiality, indemnification, lien-waiver, insurance provisions per HiON templates
2. Obtain current certificates of insurance from every contractor. HiON Franchise Group, LLC named as additional insured where HiON’s templates require. Maintain certificates in the site file
3. Use contractors from the Partner Portal preferred-vendor list where a preferred vendor exists for the scope, unless HiON authorizes alternatives in writing. New-to-system contractors approved under §14 (M12)
4. Brief every contractor on the Manual sections implicating their work — particularly §2.4 (brand execution; M03), §7 (construction standards; M06, M07), §9 (site-area maintenance; M10), §13 (safety; M14). Retain their written acknowledgment.
5. No engagement of any contractor HiON has disqualified, removed from the preferred-vendor list, or otherwise identified as not approved — even if the contractor is still qualified by the AHJ or by a third party

Contractor conduct on site — three [MANDATORY]:

1. Contractors operate under the franchisee’s direct supervision or a competent foreman; comply with §13 safety standards; follow Site Host on-premise rules (parking, access, after-hours protocols)
2. Contractor vehicles, personnel, materials must not obstruct the charging bay, accessible routes, or drive aisles during any period the HiON EV Facility is open to the public. Work windows coordinated with HiON per §3 (M02) if required
3. Contractors do not communicate with drivers, media, or the Site Host about the HiON System on the franchisee’s behalf. Incidental courtesies are fine; substantive communications are the franchisee’s responsibility.

4.6 — Personnel conduct (§8.6.1)

Five [MANDATORY] conduct standards:

1. Every individual representing the HiON EV Franchise on site or in customer-facing communication behaves professionally, respectfully, safely
2. Personnel must not consume alcohol, cannabis, or other intoxicants while working on the HiON EV Facility. Lawful medical cannabis use outside working hours is not prohibited; on-duty impairment is
3. Personnel must not engage in harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against drivers, Site Host personnel, contractors, team members. Maintain and enforce harassment- and discrimination-free workplace policies consistent with applicable law
4. Personnel must not make comments, social-media posts, or public statements on behalf of the franchise that conflict with §2.3.4 (voice and tone; M03) or could reasonably be interpreted to commit HiON or Tesla to positions they have not taken
5. Personnel must report incidents, hazards, and near-miss events in accordance with §13 (M14). Failure to report is a Manual breach and may create personal liability in some jurisdictions

The §8.6.1 standards integrate with §2.3.4 (Voice), §3.2 (Severity/incidents), §11.5 (Social), §13 (Compliance). Each standard reinforces a discipline taught elsewhere.

4.7 — Appearance, uniforms, and PPE (§8.6.2)

Two [MANDATORY] plus one [RECOMMENDED]:

1. Personnel performing site-facing work wear HiON-branded uniforms or attire meeting the Brand Asset Library specifications. Uniforms clean, unfaded, in good repair.
2. Personnel wear appropriate PPE per §13 (M14) when performing work that requires it — high-visibility vests in the parking lot, eye protection during striping work, gloves during handling of snow-removal chemicals
3. [RECOMMENDED] Badge or ID-card use for site-facing personnel. Name tags are not required but help drivers identify the team

4.8 — Confidentiality, IP, post-employment (§8.6.3)

Three [MANDATORY]:

1. Every employee and independent contractor with access to Confidential Information (§1.3 / M02) signs a confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement in HiON’s supplied form before commencing work. Offboarded per §1.3 at end of engagement
2. Personnel may not use HiON Confidential Information, training materials, or Brand Asset Library files after termination of role. The franchisee enforces this obligation including, where appropriate, by pursuing remedies for breach
3. Works, writings, photographs, video, other creative output produced by personnel in the course of franchise work that incorporates or depicts the Marks, the HiON EV Facility, or Confidential Information is subject to the IP provisions of the FA. Confirm in hiring paperwork that such output is a work made for hire or otherwise assigned, consistent with HiON templates.

4.9 — Discipline (§8.6.4) and the §8.6 audit posture

§8.6.4: employment discipline is the franchisee’s responsibility. HiON does not dictate personnel decisions. However, systemic conduct breaches the franchisee fails to address may trigger compliance escalation under §3 (M02) and corrective-action findings under §3.3.

§8.6 Metrics audit posture:

• Approved DBM on file at all times; no uncovered vacancies beyond 5 Business Days
• Training records current for every team member and every required module
• Confidentiality agreements on file for every employee and contractor with Confidential Information access
• Uniform and PPE compliance on every site audit
• No uncorrected conduct findings from prior audits

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Section 5 · Decision drills

Drill 5.1 — The DBM resigns mid-launch

The DBM submits resignation 6 weeks before the franchisee’s targeted ribbon-cutting. The DBM has completed the Franchisee Training Program. The franchisee has no successor identified.

State the next two actions and the cited basis. State the cited basis for any FA-side notification.

Drill 5.2 — The DBM who lives 2 hours away

The franchisee’s preferred DBM candidate is a strong operational manager but resides 90 minutes from the HiON EV Facility. The candidate proposes a 3-day-per-week on-site schedule with the remainder remote.

State whether this satisfies §8.1.1 and the cited basis.

Drill 5.3 — The medical-cannabis Monday

A Site Operations Lead, holder of a valid medical cannabis card, uses lawful cannabis Saturday evening for a chronic condition. The Lead arrives Monday morning at 8am for an inspection round. The franchisee learns of the Saturday use through casual conversation.

State whether this is a §8.6.1 violation and the cited basis. State what the franchisee does.

Drill 5.4 — The contractor on the disqualified list

The franchisee’s preferred contractor for snow removal has been removed from the Partner Portal preferred-vendor list. The contractor is still fully licensed and insured in the state, has a long history of competent work, and offers the most competitive pricing in the market. The franchisee’s GC offers to coordinate the contractor’s engagement.

State whether the franchisee may engage this contractor and the cited basis.

Drill 5.5 — The Site Operations Lead’s harassment incident

A Site Operations Lead is the subject of a credible harassment complaint from a Site Host’s parking-lot attendant. The franchisee receives the complaint Friday afternoon. The DBM proposes addressing it at the next weekly team meeting.

State the response and the cited basis. State the next three actions.

Drill 5.6 — The continuing-training miss

A continuing-training module published by HiON 60 days ago has not been completed by the franchisee’s DBM. The deadline was 14 days ago. The DBM was traveling on personal matters.

State whether this is a §8.4 violation and the cited basis. State the corrective action.

Drill 5.7 — The contractor briefing gap

The franchisee’s electrical contractor has been engaged and is mobilizing for rough-in work. The franchisee’s records show the contractor’s certificate of insurance is current but does not show a written acknowledgment of the Manual sections relevant to the contractor’s work.

State whether the contractor may proceed and the cited basis. State the next two actions.

Drill 5.8 — The personal social media post

The franchisee’s Marketing Lead posts on their personal LinkedIn: “Excited to be part of the team building Kansas City’s first ultra-fast charging franchise! HiON is going to revolutionize urban EV infrastructure.” The post is from a personal account, not the franchise’s official channel.

State whether this is a §8.6.1 violation and the cited basis. State the response.

Drill 5.9 — The unsigned confidentiality agreement

The franchisee’s new Finance/Reporting Lead has been onboarded and is preparing to access the Partner Portal financial reporting tools. The Lead has not yet signed the confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement; the franchisee’s HR coordinator says they’ll get it done “this week sometime.”

State the response and the cited basis. State whether the Lead may access the Partner Portal.

Drill 5.10 — The annual-meeting attendance pressure

HiON has announced the annual convention-style meeting six months in advance — three days in Kansas City, mandatory for DBMs. The franchisee’s DBM has a long-planned family wedding the same week. The franchisee asks the FBC whether the DBM can skip and the franchisee owner attends in the DBM’s place.

State the response and the cited basis. State the franchisee’s path.

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Section 6 · Common operator errors

6.1 — Letting the DBM vacancy clock slip past 5 Business Days

The DBM resigns. The franchisee waits more than a week to identify an interim while searching for the permanent successor.

• Consequence: §8.1.3 [MANDATORY] violation. Audit finding under §8.6 Metrics (“no uncovered vacancies beyond 5 Business Days”). HiON visibility into the franchise’s operational health degrades.
• Discipline: the 5-Business-Day clock starts at notice of resignation. The franchisee identifies the interim within the window — even if the interim is the franchisee owner themselves on a temporary basis — and runs the permanent-successor process in parallel.

6.2 — DBM living outside reasonable commuting distance

The franchisee selects a DBM with strong operational credentials who lives 90 minutes from the HiON EV Facility, justifying the distance with “they can be on-site when needed.”

• Consequence: §8.1.1 [MANDATORY] violation (reside within reasonable commuting distance). HiON’s DBM approval is unlikely. Compounds with the “full time and best efforts” standard if the DBM treats the role as part-time.
• Discipline: the DBM is on-site, present, available. The “reasonable commuting distance” standard is not a square-foot calculation but is also not a 90-minute drive each way. If the candidate cannot be physically present on the operating cadence the role requires, the candidate is not the DBM.

6.3 — On-duty intoxicant use (including medical cannabis impairment)

A team member uses cannabis lawfully off-duty but reports for work impaired.

• Consequence: §8.6.1 [MANDATORY] violation (on-duty impairment). Compounds with §13 safety implications (M14) if the impairment affects work performance.
• Discipline: the standard is on-duty impairment, not whether off-duty use was lawful. The franchisee’s employment policy must reflect this — lawful off-duty use does not authorize on-duty impairment.

6.4 — Engaging a HiON-disqualified contractor

The franchisee, citing the contractor’s still-valid AHJ licensure and competitive pricing, engages a contractor HiON has removed from the preferred-vendor list.

• Consequence: §8.5 [MANDATORY] violation — “you must not engage any contractor that we have disqualified, removed from the preferred-vendor list, or otherwise identified as not approved, even if the contractor is still qualified by the AHJ or by a third party.” Material breach exposure.
• Discipline: HiON’s disqualification is binding regardless of other qualifications. The franchisee selects from the current preferred-vendor list or escalates to Vendor Relations for an alternative.

6.5 — Skipping the contractor briefing acknowledgment

The franchisee engages a contractor with current insurance but does not brief them on the Manual sections their work implicates and does not retain written acknowledgment.

• Consequence: §8.5 [MANDATORY] violation. Audit finding when the franchisee cannot produce the briefing acknowledgment.
• Discipline: the briefing happens before contractor mobilization. The written acknowledgment is filed in the contractor record. No mobilization without the acknowledgment on file.

6.6 — Confidentiality agreement after the fact

A new hire begins work; the confidentiality agreement is “in process” but unsigned.

• Consequence: §8.6.3 [MANDATORY] violation (“before commencing work”). §1.3 [MANDATORY] (M02) violation if the new hire has Confidential Information access without the agreement.
• Discipline: the agreement signs before the first day of work, not after. The new hire’s access to any HiON system, the Manual, or Brand Asset Library waits for the signed agreement.

6.7 — Personnel social media drift

A team member posts on personal social media in ways that drift from §2.3.4 voice/tone — climate language, comparative claims, future roadmap speculation, hype framing.

• Consequence: §8.6.1 [MANDATORY] + §2.3.4 (M03) [MANDATORY] violation. The “personal account” framing does not cure if the post identifies the team member’s role with the HiON EV Franchise.
• Discipline: the franchisee’s onboarding briefing covers personal social media discipline. Team members who post about HiON in any context follow the Voice Playbook standards. If they post in a personal capacity unrelated to HiON work, the §8.6.1 standard does not apply — but the moment they identify themselves with the franchise, it does.

6.8 — Continuing training treated as optional

The DBM misses a continuing-training module deadline; the franchisee treats it as “we’ll catch up next month.”

• Consequence: §8.4 [MANDATORY] violation. Audit finding under §8.6 Metrics (“training records current for every team member and every required module”).
• Discipline: continuing-training modules are tracked the same way [MANDATORY] standards are tracked. Calendar reminders, completion confirmations, Partner Portal log entries. Missed deadlines escalate to FBC immediately.

6.9 — Annual meeting skipping

The DBM cannot attend the annual convention-style meeting. The franchisee assumes substitution with another team member is acceptable.

• Consequence: §8.4 [MANDATORY] violation if the meeting is DBM-mandatory. HiON’s annual meeting is the institutional touchpoint; substitution is not automatic.
• Discipline: the franchisee escalates to FBC well in advance of the meeting if the DBM has a conflict, requesting either a substitution authorization or a make-up arrangement. HiON’s response is in writing.

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Section 7 · Competency assessment

Knowledge check (12 questions; 80% pass)

1. If the DBM ceases to serve, the franchisee must appoint an interim DBM within: (a) 24 hours (b) 5 Business Days (§8.1.3 [MANDATORY]) (c) 14 calendar days (d) 30 calendar days

2. A permanent DBM successor must be nominated for HiON approval within: (a) 14 calendar days (b) 30 calendar days (§8.1.3 [MANDATORY]) (c) 60 calendar days (d) 90 calendar days

3. The DBM must: (a) be available remotely during business hours (b) devote full time and best efforts; reside within reasonable commuting distance; be available to HiON at all reasonable times (§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]) (c) hold a finance qualification (d) be a HiON employee

4. A DBM who is not an entity-level owner must, before commencing the role: (a) post a personal bond (b) complete background screening through HiON (c) execute a confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement in HiON’s supplied form (§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]) (d) sign an employment contract with HiON

5. The staffing roster must contain, for each individual: (a) only name and role (b) name, role, start date, training completed, access tier, required acknowledgments (§8.2 [MANDATORY]) (c) compensation details (d) personal contact information

6. Delayed Franchisee Training Program completion: (a) is acceptable if the franchisee delays opening proportionally (b) is not grounds to open late (§8.3 [MANDATORY]) (c) is acceptable for non-DBM personnel (d) is acceptable with FBC verbal approval

7. A team member uses lawful medical cannabis Saturday and reports impaired Monday morning: (a) acceptable — Saturday use was lawful (b) acceptable if the medical card is on file (c) §8.6.1 [MANDATORY] violation — on-duty impairment is prohibited regardless of off-duty lawful use (d) acceptable if the cannabis was prescribed

8. The franchisee may engage a contractor HiON has removed from the preferred-vendor list: (a) yes, if the contractor is still licensed by the AHJ (b) yes, if the contractor offers the most competitive pricing (c) no — §8.5 [MANDATORY] prohibits engaging HiON-disqualified contractors regardless of other qualifications (d) yes, for non-electrical scopes

9. Before a contractor mobilizes for work at the HiON EV Facility, the franchisee must: (a) verify insurance only (b) brief the contractor on Manual sections implicating their work and retain written acknowledgment (§8.5 [MANDATORY]) (c) review the contractor’s safety record (d) execute a master services agreement

10. New hires with access to Confidential Information must sign the confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement: (a) within 30 days of starting (b) at the end of their first week (c) before commencing work (§8.6.3 [MANDATORY]) (d) when they first access the Partner Portal

11. Continuing-training modules and the annual convention-style meeting are: (a) optional for established franchisees (b) mandatory; failure is a §8.4 violation (§8.4 [MANDATORY]) (c) replaced by quarterly FBC touchpoints (d) waived after the franchisee’s third year

12. A team member’s personal social-media post that identifies them with the HiON EV Franchise and makes a comparative claim about another network: (a) is acceptable — it’s a personal account (b) is acceptable if the comparison is factually accurate (c) violates §8.6.1 + §2.3.4 — personnel must not make comments that conflict with the voice and tone standards (d) is acceptable if the post does not name the franchise specifically

Application demonstration — the staffing audit

A 45-minute live exercise. The trainee receives a Staffing Pack containing:

• A draft staffing roster with 3 gaps (missing access tier; missing training completion; missing acknowledgment)
• A DBM vacancy notice received 7 Business Days ago — the franchisee has not yet appointed an interim
• A contractor engagement proposal for a contractor on the HiON-disqualified list
• A continuing-training module overdue by 14 days
• A new hire who has begun Partner Portal access without a signed confidentiality agreement
• A personal LinkedIn post from a team member with comparative messaging
• A medical-cannabis-impairment incident report from yesterday’s shift

The trainee must:

1. Fix the staffing roster gaps and explain the §8.2 [MANDATORY] basis
2. Identify the §8.1.3 [MANDATORY] DBM vacancy violation and execute the corrective action (interim DBM appointment + permanent-successor nomination)
3. Decline the disqualified contractor engagement and offer the §8.5 alternative path
4. Identify the §8.4 [MANDATORY] continuing-training violation and execute the corrective action
5. Pull the new hire’s Partner Portal access until the §8.6.3 [MANDATORY] confidentiality agreement is signed
6. Address the §8.6.1 + §2.3.4 (M03) personal-social-media violation with the team member
7. Address the on-duty impairment incident per §8.6.1 and §13 (M14)

Pass criteria: trainee correctly identifies every violation, executes the corrective action, cites the basis. Citation of section numbers preferred but not required if substantive actions are correct.

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Section 8 · Job aids

Job Aid 8.1 — DBM vacancy response checklist

The §8.1.3 5-Business-Day interim + 30-day permanent successor sequence as a checklist with calendar reminders. Includes the Partner Portal submission template for the permanent-successor nomination + 15-Business-Day HiON response.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-dbm-vacancy-checklist.md

Job Aid 8.2 — Staffing roster template

The §8.2 [MANDATORY] staffing roster fields as a fillable template. Each row: name, role, start date, training completed (per module), access tier (§1.3 / M02), required acknowledgments, status. Producible-on-audit format.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-staffing-roster.md

Job Aid 8.3 — Franchisee Training Program scheduling tracker

A tracker for scheduling Franchisee Training Program attendance for each required attendee. Inputs: who, when, where, completion status, certification reference. Built to align with the §6.4 opening deadlines (M04) so training-driven delays surface early.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-itp-scheduling.md

Job Aid 8.4 — Continuing training log

The §8.4 [RECOMMENDED] training log — every team member, every required module, status, completion date, evidence reference. Integrates with the Partner Portal training log.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-continuing-training-log.md

Job Aid 8.5 — Contractor engagement checklist

The §8.5 [MANDATORY] contractor onboarding sequence: license verification; insurance verification with HiON as additional insured; written contract per HiON templates (confidentiality + indemnification + lien-waiver + insurance); §14 preferred-vendor verification or new-vendor approval; Manual-section briefing + acknowledgment; contractor on-site conduct briefing.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-contractor-engagement.md

Job Aid 8.6 — Personnel conduct briefing template

A pre-formatted onboarding briefing for new personnel covering the §8.6.1 conduct standards (on-duty intoxicants; harassment-free workplace; voice/tone alignment; incident reporting), §8.6.2 appearance and uniforms, §8.6.3 confidentiality and IP, §8.6.4 discipline framework. Briefing acknowledgment captured and filed.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-personnel-briefing.md

Job Aid 8.7 — DBM succession plan template

The §8.1.3 [RECOMMENDED] succession plan as a documented artifact. Identifies the interim-DBM candidate with current qualifications, the gap-filling training the candidate would need, the timeline to credential. Updated quarterly.

File: modules/M09-jobaids/M09-dbm-succession-plan.md

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Section 9 · Facilitator notes

Pacing — 135 minutes (2h 15min, two 10-minute breaks built in)

Time	Section	Notes
0:00–0:10	Opening — the 5-Business-Day clock	Read aloud a redacted version of an actual DBM resignation scenario. Walk through the calendar math. Most operators do not realize how short the §8.1.3 window is.
0:10–0:35	§4.1 (DBM requirement, responsibilities, vacancy)	Heaviest section. Walk all six §8.1.1 standards and the vacancy procedure. Distribute Job Aids 8.1, 8.7. Run Drills 5.1, 5.2.
0:35–0:50	§4.2 (Other roles + staffing standards)	Walk the role framework and the five §8.2 standards. Distribute Job Aid 8.2.
0:50–1:05	§4.3 (Franchisee Training Program)	The reflexive section — the trainee is IN the program described here. Emphasize the franchisee’s responsibility for future designated attendees.
1:05–1:15	BREAK
1:15–1:30	§4.4 (Continuing training)	Walk the four [MANDATORY] standards. Distribute Job Aid 8.4. Run Drills 5.6 (overdue continuing training) and 5.10 (annual meeting conflict).
1:30–1:50	§4.5 (Contractor qualification + conduct)	Walk the five qualification standards + three conduct standards. Distribute Job Aid 8.5. Run Drills 5.4 (disqualified contractor) and 5.7 (briefing gap).
1:50–2:00	BREAK
2:00–2:15	§4.6–4.8 (Personnel conduct + uniforms + confidentiality/IP)	Walk the standards across appearance, conduct, post-employment. Distribute Job Aid 8.6. Run Drills 5.3 (medical cannabis), 5.5 (harassment incident), 5.8 (personal social), 5.9 (unsigned confidentiality).
2:15–2:15	Close + application demonstration brief	Distribute the Staffing Pack brief for the post-session 45-minute exercise.

SME handoffs

• §4.1 (DBM requirement + responsibilities): Joe Lewis (COO) per the Training Matrix is the right SME. Jim Frank (CEO) on the FA-level DBM approval.
• §4.2 (Other roles): Joe Lewis (COO).
• §4.3 (Franchisee Training Program): Will Frank (Dev) on the program structure (the trainee is in the program; the meta-discussion is best run by the program’s content owner).
• §4.4 (Continuing training): Joe Lewis (COO).
• §4.5 (Contractor qualification): Joe Lewis (COO) on the §14 vendor framework integration; Joe Frank (Ops) on the operating-side contractor management.
• §4.6–4.8 (Conduct, appearance, confidentiality): Joe Lewis (COO) on the legal compliance framework; the franchisee’s own employment counsel adds operational value.

Decision drill — model answers (abbreviated)

Drill 5.1 — DBM resigns mid-launch. Next two actions:

1. Within 5 Business Days, appoint an interim DBM. If no team member is qualified, the franchisee owner serves as interim (if they meet §8.1.1 — full time, commuting distance, ITP completion). Open Partner Portal ticket to FBC notifying of the resignation and the interim appointment.
2. Within 30 days, nominate the permanent successor for HiON approval. Submit qualifications and background documentation. HiON responds within 15 Business Days. FA-side notification: the FA’s notice provisions govern formal notice of the DBM change; route through the FA-specified channel in addition to the Partner Portal.

Drill 5.2 — DBM 90 minutes away. Does not satisfy §8.1.1 “reasonable commuting distance.” HiON unlikely to approve. The candidate may serve in another role; the DBM role requires daily on-site presence. If the franchisee has no closer alternative, the franchisee owner serves as DBM or the franchisee hires/relocates.

Drill 5.3 — Medical-cannabis Monday. §8.6.1 violation if the Lead is on-duty impaired. The Saturday lawful use is not the violation; Monday impairment is. The franchisee assesses whether the Lead is impaired Monday morning — observable performance issues, slurred speech, motor coordination, judgment. If impaired, the Lead is sent home immediately and the incident is documented. The franchisee’s employment policy reinforces the standard: lawful off-duty use does not authorize on-duty impairment.

Drill 5.4 — Disqualified contractor. Decline. §8.5 [MANDATORY] — no engagement of HiON-disqualified contractors regardless of AHJ qualification or pricing. Offer the §8.5 alternative path: use the current Partner Portal preferred-vendor list; if no preferred vendor exists for the scope, submit a new-vendor approval request to Vendor Relations under §14 (M12).

Drill 5.5 — Harassment complaint. Decline the “next weekly meeting” framing. §8.6.1 [MANDATORY] — harassment-free workplace enforced consistent with applicable law. Next three actions:

1. Open immediate investigation per the franchisee’s harassment policy. Suspend the Lead pending investigation if the complaint warrants. Document the complaint in writing.
2. Consult employment counsel. The franchisee’s employment-law obligations are the franchisee’s responsibility (§8.2 [MANDATORY]).
3. Notify the FBC + Compliance and Risk through Partner Portal of the incident per §3.2.5 (M02) — substantive personnel matters that could affect the franchise’s reputation or Site Host relationship require HiON visibility.

Drill 5.6 — Continuing training miss. §8.4 [MANDATORY] violation. Corrective action: the DBM completes the module within 5 Business Days of return. Open a Partner Portal ticket to FBC documenting the late completion, the reason (personal travel), and the corrective commitment. The personal-matters reason is not a defense, but a transparent acknowledgment + immediate cure is the right posture.

Drill 5.7 — Contractor briefing gap. Stop mobilization. §8.5 [MANDATORY] — briefing acknowledgment required. Next two actions:

1. Schedule the briefing immediately; cover the Manual sections relevant to the electrical contractor’s work (§2.4 brand execution at the post; §7 construction standards; §9 site-area maintenance interaction; §13 safety). Capture written acknowledgment.
2. File the acknowledgment in the contractor record. Authorize mobilization once the acknowledgment is on file.

Drill 5.8 — Personal social post. §8.6.1 + §2.3.4 (M03) [MANDATORY] violation. The post uses “excited,” “revolutionize,” “ultra-fast” without context — three Voice Playbook concerns. The post also identifies the team member with the franchise. Response: address with the team member; explain the §8.6.1 standard and the Voice Playbook discipline; request the post be edited or removed. If edited, the corrected post follows Voice Playbook voice — no climate language, no hype, no comparative. Document the conversation as a personnel coaching event.

Drill 5.9 — Unsigned confidentiality. Pull Partner Portal access. §8.6.3 [MANDATORY] + §1.3 [MANDATORY] (M02) — confidentiality agreement before commencing work + before Confidential Information access. The HR coordinator’s “this week sometime” framing is not adequate. The agreement signs today, before the Lead accesses any Partner Portal financial reporting tools. Access is restored after the signed agreement is on file.

Drill 5.10 — Annual meeting conflict. Decline owner-substitution unilaterally. §8.4 [MANDATORY] — DBM-mandatory meetings cannot be informally substituted. Path: the franchisee escalates to FBC well in advance, requesting either HiON authorization for the franchisee owner to attend in lieu of the DBM, or a make-up arrangement for the DBM. HiON’s response is in writing. The DBM does not assume substitution authority.

Recommended visual aids

• The §8.1.1 [MANDATORY] standards table projected during §4.1
• A real (redacted) DBM approval request from the Partner Portal during §4.1
• The §8.2 staffing roster template populated with a real (redacted) example during §4.2
• The §8.5 contractor engagement workflow during §4.5

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Section 10 · Cross-references

Modules

• M01 (System and Role Split) — the DBM is the franchisee’s institutional locus of accountability described in M01
• M02 (Governance, Manual, Support, Escalation) — §1.3 access tier framework + same-Business-Day offboarding integrate with personnel onboarding here; §3 escalation ladder is the path for staffing-driven compliance matters
• M03 (Brand Promise and Brand Execution) — §2.3.4 voice/tone applies to personnel social posts; §2.4 uniform/PPE compliance is the §8.6.2 standard
• M04 (Site Acquisition and Feasibility) — Marketing/Local Growth Lead and Finance/Reporting Lead are roles named here; their training requirements include M04 content
• M08 (Launch and Local Marketing) — Marketing/Local Growth Lead training requirement
• M10 (Site-Area Maintenance, Monitoring, Fault Escalation) — Site Operations Lead training requirement; DBM oversees site-area maintenance per §8.1.2
• M11 (Customer Experience) — Site Operations Lead training requirement
• M12 (Vendors, Technology, Network Boundaries) — §14 vendor framework integrates with §8.5 contractor qualification
• M13 (Finance, Sinking Fund, Reporting) — Finance/Reporting Lead training requirement
• M14 (Compliance, Safety, Insurance, Risk) — §13 incident reporting + safety standards + harassment-free workplace integrate with §8.6
• M15 (Lifecycle) — DBM successor approval cascades into transfer events

External documents

• Operations Manual §8 (Staffing, Personnel, Training — all subsections)
• Operations Manual §1.3 (Confidentiality and Access)
• Operations Manual §14 (Vendors)
• Franchise Agreement (DBM approval; confidentiality and non-solicitation form; FA-side notice provisions for DBM changes)
• FDD Item 11 (Franchisee Training Program schedule and pass criteria)
• HiON Brand Asset Library (uniform and PPE specifications)
• Partner Portal preferred-vendor list (contractor qualification)
• Partner Portal training log

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Section 11 · Source verification log

Claim	Manual reference	Status
DBM designated and approved by HiON in writing at or before FA execution; maintained at all times	§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
DBM full-time + best efforts + reasonable commuting distance + available at all reasonable times	§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
DBM completes Franchisee Training Program before opening; satisfies §8.4 Continuing Training	§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
Non-equity DBM executes confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement before commencing role	§8.1.1 [MANDATORY]	verified
DBM change [APPROVAL REQUIRED]; HiON 15 BD response	§8.1.1	verified
DBM responsibilities (9 items)	§8.1.2	verified
5-BD interim DBM appointment + 30-day permanent successor nomination	§8.1.3 [MANDATORY]	verified
5-role staffing framework (DBM + Site Ops Lead + Marketing Lead + Finance Lead + Contractor)	§8.2 table	verified
4 [MANDATORY] + 1 [RECOMMENDED] §8.2 standards	§8.2	verified
4 [MANDATORY] Franchisee Training Program standards	§8.3	verified
ITP curriculum coverage (12 areas)	§8.3	verified
4 [MANDATORY] + 1 [RECOMMENDED] §8.4 continuing-training standards	§8.4	verified
5 [MANDATORY] contractor qualification standards	§8.5	verified
Disqualified-contractor prohibition regardless of AHJ qualification	§8.5 [MANDATORY]	verified
3 [MANDATORY] contractor on-site conduct standards	§8.5	verified
5 [MANDATORY] §8.6.1 personnel conduct standards (intoxicants, harassment, public statements, incident reporting)	§8.6.1	verified
Medical cannabis on-duty impairment standard	§8.6.1	verified (verbatim)
2 [MANDATORY] + 1 [RECOMMENDED] §8.6.2 appearance/uniforms/PPE	§8.6.2	verified
3 [MANDATORY] §8.6.3 confidentiality/IP/post-employment standards	§8.6.3	verified
§8.6.4 discipline framework	§8.6.4	verified
§8.6 Metrics audit items	§8.6	verified

Outstanding unverified items

#	Claim	Primary source	Resolver
M09.OUT.01	FA-side DBM approval mechanics	FA primary	Jim Frank / counsel
M09.OUT.02	HiON’s confidentiality and non-solicitation agreement form for non-equity DBMs	FA / HiON templates	Jim Frank / counsel
M09.OUT.03	FDD Item 11 specific ITP schedule and pass criteria	FDD primary	Jim Frank / counsel
M09.OUT.04	Current Training Program publication on Partner Portal	Partner Portal	Will Frank
M09.OUT.05	HiON contractor agreement templates	HiON templates	Joe Lewis / counsel

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Section 12 · Change log

Version	Date	Author	Changes
v0.1	2026-05-19	Claude (draft)	Initial draft against Operations Manual v1.0 Working Draft. All Manual citations verified. Opens Phase D (Operate). Five outstanding items defer to FA / FDD / Partner Portal / HiON templates primary.