Transparency Policies, Kolot Chayeinu

Adopted by the Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our LIves Board of Directors  2-12-12

Transparency Policies for Kolot Chayeinu/Voices of Our Lives

These policies are focused on two areas:

1)  Actions of the Board and Communication by the Board to the Congregation

•        Kolot’s website should have a Board Bulletin Board (“Board’s Board”) on which we post major Board decisions immediately following the meeting at which we make them

•        Until we have “member-only” capability on the website, the Board’s Board should carry a notice, within one week following their approval, that Board minutes are available from the senior administrative staff member.

•        The Board should approve minutes at the meeting immediately following that at which the minutes were taken.

•        The Board’s Board should carry a notice, with contact information, that we are available to speak with members about anything.

•        The Board’s Board should carry a notice of items expected to be included in discussion at the next Board meeting.  The notice should carry a note inviting members to contact any Board member regarding an item a member wishes to bring to the Board.

2) Employment Opportunities at Kolot Chayeinu and Equality of Opportunity for Employment by Congregation Members

•        Kolot will post at minimum on the congregational website an announcement for any paid position or project that is (1) expected to last for the duration of the congregational year or (2) repeatable and ongoing or (3) for an essential service or (4) one that pays more than $1360.  The Executive Committee should have discretion to hire without a posting for positions or projects not meeting the stated criteria.  In exercising that discretion, the Executive Committee should consider such factors as the length of the engagement, the amount of money at issue, the exigency, the uniqueness of the work and the peculiar suitability of the candidate to perform it.  The Executive Committee will report such hires to the Board and through the Board to the Congregation. 

•        Emergency circumstances may require an exception to the policy stated above.  Such hires should be unusual and short- term. If it is not reasonably practical to follow the posting procedure given the circumstances, the Executive Committee would need to agree to the exception and perform due diligence to assure that multiple candiates, wherever possible, have been considered for the position. The Board will inform the Congregation of any such hire.

•        Kolot will assess the propriety of posting and hiring internally on a case-by-case basis, depending on factors such as the need for confidentiality of member information versus the need for intimate knowledge of the Congregation.  Generally, job opportunities will be open to the membership unless the Board determines there is a compelling reason to restrict the candidate pool. 

•        These policies apply to all hires.