Training Module 6:

Association Employees and Volunteers

Presented by the

Southern Early Childhood Association

Topics to be Presented…• Staff duties and responsibilities• Association employment guidelines • Manual of policies and procedures• Association employee handbook• Conflict investigation • Terminating an employee• Employee retention • Employee evaluations of the association • Volunteer programs

Association Staff Duties and Responsibilities

• Assess stakeholder needs

• Train volunteer leaders

• Maintain program records

• Prepare budget

• Monitor expenditures

• Organize fundraising

• Manage staff additions

• Support PR initiatives

• Promote Board participation

• Plan Board agendas

• Take Board minutes

• Plan committee organization

• Prepare Board materials

• Ensure implementation of Board decisions

• Formulate annual objectives

• Prepare performance reports

* DISCUSSION *

Draw an association personnel diagram and make a list of the duties and responsibilities handled by each association staff member.

Are there duties that association staff should

be handling but are not? If so, why are these responsibilities being neglected (lack of funding, lack of staff, etc)?

Association Employment Guidelines

1. Written employment policies 2. Written, detailed job descriptions 3. Attorney approval 4. Interview compliance 5. Wide recruitment 6. Employee discipline and termination 7. Disclaimer for at-will employees 8. Benefit plans9. Hotel and meeting contracts 10. Confidential personnel records

* DISCUSSION *

Review your association’s employment policies. Based on the criteria discussed in this presentation, is your association following recommended guidelines for managing its employees? What areas could your association improve upon, and how?

Manual of Policies & Procedures

• The manual is an agreement between an association and its management staff.

• The Board of Directors usually drafts, amends and adopts the manual.

• The manual should be in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws.

Items Included in Association Policy Manuals

• Activity procedures

• Lines of authority

• Employee obligations

• Dues structure

• Fees

• Political activity policies

• Membership processing

• Mailing list procedures

• Use of consultants

• Meetings procedures

• Office procedures

• Operation of committees

• Association records

• Trademarks and copyrights

• Association sponsorship

• Association insurance

• Association publications

* DISCUSSION*

Does your association maintain a manual of policies and procedures for its staff? If so, what items are included in that manual, and what items should be included that are currently omitted?

How could your organization revise its manual of policies and procedures to better protect the association and its employees?

The Employee Handbook

• Acknowledgement form

• Short history• Equal Opportunity

notice • Attendance policy• Use of company

property• Confidentiality • Dress code • Safety precautions

• Anti-substance abuse statement

• Sexual harassment policy

• Smoking policy• Performance reviews• Employee

compensation • Payroll procedures• Worker’s

Compensation

* DISCUSSION *

Does your association maintain an employee handbook? Are there issues that should be included in the handbook that are currently omitted?

How could your organization revise its employee handbook to better protect the association and its employees?

Conflict InvestigationHelpful questions to begin the discussion with

disgruntled employees or volunteers:1. How did this problem first appear?2. What responsibility do you take for creating this

problem?3. What can you stop doing in order to improve the

relationship? 4. If you could have a good working relationship

with this person, what would it look like? 5. What are you willing to do to help the

relationship reach that description?

* DISCUSSION *

Does your association have a procedure for dealing with conflict between or among association staff and volunteers? If so, describe that process in detail. If not, draft a sample procedure for investigating conflicts.

Appropriate Process for Employee Termination

1. When a problem arises, move promptly to confront and resolve it.

2. Articulate clear and specific expectations for behavioral changes, including timetables.

3. Provide continual and candid follow-up, including termination, if necessary.

4. Thoroughly document the entire process, and provide copies to the employee.

* DISCUSSION *

How does your organization confront problems with its employees and volunteers?

Is there a clearly written termination procedure that is followed consistently?

How could you improve upon your association’s procedures to better protect your association and its staff?

Tips for Retaining Good Employees

1. Provide clear expectations 2. Provide quality supervision3. Encourage input and criticism 4. Utilize employees’ unique talents5. Ensure fair and equitable treatment6. Offer necessary tools, time and training 7. Offer frequent opportunities to learn 8. Reward, recognize and appreciate staff!

* DISCUSSION *

How effective is your organization at retaining its employees and volunteers?

What improvements could be made to encourage employees and volunteers to stay with your association, and who would implement those improvements?

Employee Evaluations of the Association

• Importance of employee evaluations • Sample questions….

* I have all of the information I need to do my job.

* My supervisor keeps me well informed.

* I am able to manage the information I receive.

* Communication between co-workers is open.

* Asking questions is encouraged.

* I hear about decisions that affect me or my job.

* I understand how my work impacts the organization.

* I understand the association’s strategic direction.

* DISCUSSION *

Does your association encourage regular and frequent employee and volunteer evaluations of the association? If so, what types of questions do you ask them?

If not, draft a sample evaluation form based on the guidelines discussed in the presentation.

Volunteer Programs

• Legally, a volunteer is defined by federal statute as any individual performing services for a nonprofit organization who does not receive compensation (other than reasonable reimbursement for expenses) in excess of $500 per year.

• Maintain your volunteer program all year. • Volunteer Protection Act of 1997

Associations with Volunteer Programs Should…

1. Maintain a volunteer database

2. Involve the Board in determining overall volunteer numbers and allocation

3. Have a point person or committee

4. Review position descriptions annually

5. Involve only work that is appropriate

6. Identify and reduce risks prior to work

* DISCUSSION *

What type of system does your association have in place to manage its volunteers?

Based on the criteria discussed in the presentation, are there reforms to your volunteer program that should be taken in order to protect the association from legal risks while also making your volunteers more effective participants?

Resources Consulted for this Presentation: • Susan Heathfield. “Why Retention?”

http://humanresources.about.com/od/retention 2006 • www.humanresources.about.com/od/policysamples/ 2006• Jerald Jacobs. Association Law Handbook. American

Society of Association Executives, 1996. • Carter McNamara. “Board and Staff Responsbilities.”

www.managementhelp.org 2006 • Pfau Englund Nonprofit Law, P.C. “The Association Legal

At-Risk Test,” and “Volunteer Protection Act of 1997.” www.nonprofitlaw.com 2005

• Volunteer Today. “Conflict Management,” and “Volunteer Program Evaluation Series.” www.volunteertoday.com 2006

Any final thoughts or questions?