Second Coming Ministry Outreach
Policies and Procedure
2006 - 2007

Introduction

A. The Organization

This organization is a nonprofit corporation 501(c)(3) that has been serving the community since 2001.

B. Purpose of the Employee/Volunteer Handbook

This employee/volunteer handbook is designed solely as a guideline for administering this organization’s personnel policies. It is not intended to nor creates a contract of employment or continued employment, either explicitly or implicitly. The organization reserves the right to alter, amend or change these guidelines when necessary with reasonable notice.

Governing Board of Trustees

The governing Board of Trustees holds the operations, functions and the very existence of the organization in trust for the people who contribute to it and for those who benefit from it. The governing Board of Trustees’ purpose is to nurture, care for, and protect the entire organization.

Accounting For Assets

An asset is an element of the financial statements constituting economic resources as of a certain date, and expected to benefit future operations i.e. land, buildings, work-in-process, inventory, and receivables. The designated trustee is responsible for governing and overseeing the use of all such assets.

General Ledger & Journal Voucher

The designated trustee documents all activities; wherein the organization does operates i.e. board meeting decisions, accounts and accounting transactions, distribution, projects, cost codes, fundraising events and services to the community.

The designated trustee submits journal vouchers, updates the General Ledger. They may be postings of original transactions, adjustments, reversals, or corrections. The designated trustee may use journal vouchers to transfer amounts between General Ledger accounts and project cost codes in order to distribute charges, accrue, reverse, reclassify, or correct data. Entries may involve General Ledger account transfers within the same account or transfers between different accounts, projects and cost codes. Journal vouchers are entered in accordance with accounting period deadlines.

Donors & Recipients

The designated trustee oversees the directors; in their regards to the donors and recipients in order to protect the interests of the people who provide the money to support the organization’s mission. That is exactly what the donors desire the designated trustee to do so no conflict arises.

Insurance & Legalities

The designated trustee oversees the insurance and legalities of the organization. This includes members, workplace, facilities and functions. It also includes but is not limited to fire and theft, damage and liability, licenses and permits, claims and allegations.

Duties of the Executive Director

The Executive Director is responsible for the day-to-day running of the organization. The Executive Director’s specific duties include: selection of appropriate personnel; establishing clear wage and salary schedules, orienting employees to the agency as an organization and to their particular positions. This also includes appropriate supervision; evaluation, promotion, demotion, transfer, and termination of all agency staff members, administration and interpretation of personnel practices. The board shall determine the employment status of the Executive Director, including all matters related to the executive director, including appointment, salary and benefits and dismissal. The executive director reports to and serves at the discretion of the board.

Duties of the Board of Directors

Represent The Interests Of Recipients

The Board of Directors has a dual philosophy of which the first responsibility is to represent the interests of the recipients. The Board of Directors serves the constituents who benefit from the organization’s purpose.

Represent The Interests Of Donors

The second responsibility of the Board of Directors is to serve the interests of the people who provide money to support the organization’s mission.

The Board of Directors clearly must believe in, and advance the organization’s stated purpose and defend the interests of the people who put up their money to support this purpose.

Keep Things Legal

The Board of Directors must ensure that the activities of the organization are legal in all respects. (“Use common sense, ask questions and follow-through”).

Keep Things Ethical

The Board of Directors must make it their business to see that the nonprofit corporation they serve performs at the highest moral level. The conduct of all activities by all persons representing the corporation in any way, at any time, must be right and proper. The actions must be—and must be viewed as—ethical. Both the conduct and the perception of that conduct must pass the test of morality.

Approve Overall Concepts

The Board of Directors should approve the basic conceptual objectives of the organization’s strategic plan.

The Board of Directors’ principal obligation is to serve the organization’s cause, donors, and recipients. To carry out its obligation, the Board of Directors receives and digests information. The Board of Directors observes, evaluate, and consult with the specific committee they oversee. The Board of Directors keeps an open line of communication between the President, Board of Trustees and Executive Director. The Board of Directors develops an interaction among its members to achieve that wonderful condition known as synergy. The Board of Directors also makes the most of its individual and group intuitive powers. In short, a board does anything, and every thing, that is moral, ethical and legal to assist the organization.

Duties of the Committee

The committee members hold the title of officer and will carry out the strategic plans developed by the organization in order to further its vision in providing for constituents who benefit from the organization’s purpose.

RECRUITMENT AND EMPLOYMENT POLICIES

A. Nondiscrimination Policy

The Organization reaffirms its long-standing policy prohibiting discrimination in employment and the provision of services on the basis of the fact or perception of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, domestic partner status, marital status, disability or AIDS/HIV.

For more information about this policy or in the event of alleged discrimination in the organization employment or services, contact the organization’s Executive Director.

B. Policy Against Harassment

The organization is committed to providing a work environment that is free of harassment. Harassment based on an individual’s sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion or any other legally protected characteristic will not be tolerated. (The types of employee conduct prohibited by this policy are described more fully in the Rules of Conduct section of this handbook.)

C. Immigration Law Compliance

It is the organization’s policy to employ only United States citizens and immigrants who are authorized to work in the United States. In complying with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, it is against agency policy to discriminate because of an individual’s national origin, citizenship, or intent to become a U.S. citizen. In accordance with federal law, each prospective employee/ volunteer shall be required to provide documents verifying his or her identity and authorization to be legally employed in the United States. In addition, the prospective employee/ volunteer will be required to sign a U.S. Department of Justice Employee Eligibility Verification; (Form I-9) attesting that he or she is legally employable in the United States. The organization shall retain a copy of any documents submitted by the employee/ volunteer. To the extent practical and appropriate, these documents will be kept confidential.

Providing false documentation or making false statements on the verification shall be grounds for immediate discharge.

Employment Categories

1. Regular Volunteers - Those persons serving on a regular basis in permanent staff positions such as Trustees, Director and Committee members. Regular volunteers are both part-time and full-time.

2. Temporary Volunteers - Those persons serving in a predetermined limited assignment. Temporary Volunteers are obligated to the assignment that they have agreed to partake in until the assignment is complete, depending upon the length of time. Temporary Volunteers are not eligible to vote or dispute any or all-organizational matters; i.e., Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Policy and Procedures.

3. Independent Volunteer- Contractors - Those persons engaged to serve outside of the normal “Ministry- Volunteer" relationship, such as ‘in-kind donation’ in the form of ‘Editorial and (or) Technical Labor’ for the advancement of the Ministry (SECOND COMING MINISTRY OUTREACH). The key distinctions between Volunteers and an Independent Volunteer are that the independent volunteer or contractor: (a) is in a business or profession; (b) is not closely supervised; (c) does not have her or his hours set by the organization; (d) uses his or her own space and equipment to complete the work. Independent Volunteers or contractors are not eligible to vote on or dispute any or all-organizational matters; i.e., Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Policy and Procedures.

Recruitment Procedures

Responsibility for hiring and terminating staff rests with the executive director. If a new position cannot be filled from within, in the judgment of the executive director, a notice of the opening shall be posted. The agency cannot guarantee that every position will be filled from within, but it will attempt to provide a reasonable number of opportunities for existing Volunteers.

Business Hours

Regular business hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday 10 am to 4 pm.

Orientation

During orientation, a new volunteer receives a copy of the relevant job description and the agency Personnel Policies and Procedures. At this time, the volunteer completes all necessary experience and history data forms, and is encouraged to ask pertinent questions.

Personnel Records

The agency will retain a record of each Volunteer's work history, as well as the following information:

1. Volunteer's correct name, address and Social Security number.
   

2. Volunteer's birth date and sex.
   

3. Volunteer's job title.

Volunteers may inspect their own personnel file by request to their Executive Director. The organization recognizes its responsibility to protect volunteer's privacy, and so will not reveal contents of personnel files to parties outside appropriate organization officials except after prior authorization from the volunteer involved, or after service of appropriate orders from a court of law, in which case concurrent notice will be provided to the volunteer. It is the responsibility of each Volunteer to promptly notify the executive director of any changes in personal data. Personal home address, telephone number, person to be notified in the event of an emergency, and other such status reports must be accurate at all times. Failure to furnish this information or failure to keep the information current can be grounds for discharge. This policy applies to all Volunteer's, including Independent Volunteer – Contractors.

By policy, the organization will only verify dates of placement and position title at the organization. If a Volunteer wants other information released, a request must be made to the Executive Director.

Exemptions: 
The following public records shall be exempt from public inspection and copying:

1. Personal information in files maintained for employees, appointees, volunteers or elected officials of any public agency to the extent that disclosure would violate their right to privacy, including home address and phone number, date of birth, and social security number.

2. Information required of any taxpayer in connection with the assessment or collection of any tax as prohibited by RCW 82.32.330.

3. Certain police department intelligence information and investigative records which would jeopardize prosecution or the outcome of the investigation, or information identifying witnesses or victims of crimes, if disclosure would endanger any person’s life, safety or property.

4. Preliminary drafts, notes, recommendations, and inter-office memoranda in which opinions (i.e. legal opinions) are expressed or policies formulated or recommended except that a record shall not be exempt when publicly cited by an agency in connection with any given action.

5. Records which are relevant to a controversy to which an agency is a party but which records would not be available to another party under the rules of pretrial discovery for causes pending in superior court.

6. All applications for public employment, including the names of applicants, resumes, and other related materials submitted with respect to an applicant.

7. Client records maintained by an agency that is a domestic violence program as defined in RCW 70.123.020 or .075; addresses of victims of domestic violence.

8. Information, which identifies a person who, while an agency employee, seeks advice to ascertain right in connection with a possible unfair practice under chapter 49.60 RCW against the person, and requests his or her identity or any identifying information not be disclosed.

9. Information identifying child victims under eighteen who are victims of sexual assault.

10. Driving license records of individuals that show traffic violations, convictions and accidents.

11. Any record which is exempt from disclosure under state or federal law.

12. Residential addresses or telephone numbers of any public agencies’ employees or volunteers held by any public agency in personnel records, public employment records, or volunteer rosters

13. Any record exempted by RCW 42.17.310.

Background Check

For prospective employees and volunteers who will or may have unsupervised access to children under sixteen years of age or developmentally disabled or elderly person

All elected volunteers must undergo a criminal background check. The volunteer’s personal information will be kept confidential

Pursuant to the requirements of 1987 Washington Laws Chapter 486, we ask you to complete the following disclosure statement. All disclosure information will be kept confidential.

Discharge Of Volunteer Personal

1. Resignation - Volunteer’s resigning from the organization must provide written notice at least two weeks prior to departure.

2. Discharge - Volunteer’s may be discharged for a demonstrated inability or unwillingness to perform their required duties. Executive Director will counsel Volunteer’s prior to discharge in an attempt to improve task performance. The Executive Director will be responsible for discharge of Volunteer’s Personal.

Employment Responsibilities

The organization views the Ministry Volunteer relationship as a two-way commitment: The organization is responsible for providing good working conditions, and Volunteers are responsible for good work performance and for conducting themselves in a manner benefiting a community service organization

Attendance Policy

While absences may be unavoidable for some acceptable reasons, attendance is an important factor in judging a Volunteer’s value to the Ministry. If a Volunteer’s is sick or will be absent from work (Board and Staff members meeting, fundraising Events and work agreed upon by the Volunteer) for any reason, he or she must notify their Executive Director or appropriate colleague each such day (events or meeting) as soon as practically possible. Failure to call in for any three consecutive days (events or meeting) will be considered Position Abandonment and the Volunteer shall be discharged for cause.

The Volunteer must provide the organization with a telephone number where he or she can be reached during his or her absence.

Leave Of Absence

All regular and temporary Volunteer’s may be absence for a maximum of six months. Failure to comply with these conditions will be considered Position Abandonment and the Volunteer shall be discharged for cause.

Leave of absence notice must be provided: via (letter, telephone call or E-mail) by the Volunteer to the Executive Director.

Safety

Establishment and maintenance of a safe work environment is the shared responsibility of the organization and its volunteers. The organization will attempt to ensure a safe environment in compliance with federal, state and local safety regulations.

Rules Of Conduct

Volunteers shall demonstrate the highest ethical and professional conduct. Volunteers shall uphold all policies of the ministry, including nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion or disability. In this regard there are certain rules of conduct that all volunteers must know and follow. These rules are designed for the protection of our volunteers, and for the good of the ministry as a whole. Where, in the judgment of the organization, a volunteer’s performance or conduct does not meet our standards, the organization will take the action that it determines to be appropriate. In addition, the organization in its sole business judgment may decide to discharge or dismiss volunteers for any other reason that the organization deems to be in its best business interests. Volunteers shall be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge without advance notice for insubordination or misconduct. Organization action will be determined by the Executive Director and will depend on consideration of, among other things, the seriousness of the infraction, the circumstances surrounding the matter, and the needs of the ministry. It is not possible to list all the forms of behavior that are considered unacceptable in the work place, but the following are examples of infractions of rules of conduct that may result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge without advance notice. In addition to these policies, federal and state laws or regulations may be in force and may take precedence over them and may result in legal action being brought against the perpetrator:

• Inability or unwillingness to work with Executive Director(s).
  

• Abusive behavior toward other volunteer’s or persons dealing with the organization.
  

• Dishonesty, including falsifying company records.
  

• Deliberate destruction or removal of property of the organization or other volunteer’s.
  

• Excessive absenteeism or tardiness that affects departmental efficiency.
  

• Negligence on the job that affects the safety of volunteers or visitors, or involves avoidable damage to organization’s property.
  

• Working under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs.
  

• Possession, distribution, purchase, sale, transfer or use of alcoholic or illegal drugs in the workplace if volunteer is unwilling to be referred to rehabilitation.
  

• Sexual harassment or other unlawful harassment.
  

• Unsafe driving/moving violations while driving on the job.
  

• Unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, including client lists.
  

• Violation of personnel policies

Drugs And Alcohol

The company supports a zero tolerance policy with regard to drugs and alcohol use within the workplace. Substance use and abuse is not only a national concern but also potentially creates performance, productivity, health, safety and problems for the organization,

Under this policy, the organization prohibits the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession or use of controlled substances, including alcoholic beverages, inhalants and illegal drugs, in the workplace or when conducting organization business off premises. The policy requires that employees be free from the influence of illicit drugs or alcohol when entering organization-owned or leased property, while in organization-owned, operated or leased vehicles and while driving a personal vehicle on organization business.

Definitions

The following definitions apply under this guideline:

• Illicit drugs: Any and all illegal drugs, including so-called look-alike and designer drugs, legally obtained drugs that are used in a manner or by anyone other than the person for which they were prescribed and any substance that can adversely affect a person’s perceptions or motor functions.
  

• Possession/Use: The presence in the body system of an illegal drugs or alcohol and bringing illegal drugs or alcohol onto the organization premises or property,

Volunteer Discipline

The executive director may respond to a volunteer’s improper behavior with one of the following:

• oral reprimand
  

• written reprimand
  

• discharge
  

• legal action

In addition to these policies, federal and state laws or regulations may be in force and may take precedence over them.

The organization recognizes its responsibility to gather all pertinent facts prior to taking disciplinary action. All discharges and legal action must have prior approval from the Board of Directors, and the Executive Director to execute the decision.

Grievance Procedures

In the course of normal business operations, communication breakdowns often lead to work-related problems. It is important that all work-related problems be promptly discussed and resolved. The organization will make every effort to evaluate volunteer grievances fairly. The following grievance procedure applies to all volunteers.

• The volunteers discusses the problem with her or his executive director in a calm and unhurried atmosphere. If still unsatisfied, the grievance is to be discussed (brought before the board of directors. The board of director will meet with the executive director to discuss the grievance and with the aggrieved volunteer’s individually if needed.)
  

• If the matter is not resolved or the employee is still dissatisfied, the aggrieved may appeal in writing to the President/Chairman of the organization, which acts as a final arbiter in grievance situations. The President/Chairman will reply to the grievance in timely fashion, not to exceed 30 days.

Purpose

The purpose of these policies is to outline the responsibilities of Second Coming Ministry Outreach, and its personnel, regarding the organization's Information Technology resources. In addition to these policies, federal and state laws or regulations may be in force and may take precedence over them.

Definitions

Personnel: Refers to all of Second Coming Ministry Outreach's employees, volunteers, Board Directors, members and program participants.

Information Technology (IT) Resources: Refers to all the hardware, software, networks and data of this nonprofit organization.

Assertions

Second Coming Ministry Outreach owns all of the data that resides in, is sent from, or is received by its resources.

Acceptable Use

It is only acceptable to use Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources for purposes that are approved by the management and are directly related to the mission and business of the organization.

Unacceptable Use

The following are selected examples of unacceptable uses of Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources. Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources must not be used for personal or recreational use. Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources must not be used for campaigning purposes. Second Coming Ministry Outreach‘s IT resources must not be used for any purposes that would threaten Second Coming Ministry Outreach's tax-exempt status. Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources must not be used for solicitation, other than approved requests for membership, fundraising or other resources on behalf of the organization. Second Coming Ministry Outreach 's IT resources must not be used to perpetrate any form of harassment. Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources must not be used for viewing or transmitting unacceptable material, including material of a pornographic, violent or hateful nature. Second Coming Ministry Outreach 's IT resources must not be used for any illegal purposes. Second Coming Ministry Outreach 's IT resources must not be used for intentionally disrupting or "hacking" the IT systems of this or any other organization or individual.
Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources must not be used for any form of advocacy that is not within the organization's mission.

Responsibilities

Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources will be used by all personnel in a responsible manner that reflects these and Second Coming Ministry Outreach's other organizational policies. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will ensure that the organization's data, including medical, clientele, financial and personnel records, is kept confidential according to the procedures defined in the organization's policy manual. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will ensure that the headers of email messages that are sent to groups of clients or members do not reveal the private email addresses of the individual recipients. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will use only software and hardware that is provided by the organization. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will adhere to all software license provisions. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will never transfer the organization's data to a computer that is not owned by the organization unless authorized to do so. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will adhere to copyright restrictions on all materials obtained from outside of Second Coming Ministry Outreach. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will safeguard the organization's intellectual property including, but not limited to, publications and Web sites. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will procure software and hardware according to Second Coming Ministry Outreach's purchasing policy. It is the responsibility of all Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel to use only their own identity and ids and passwords while using the organization's IT resources. A personal ID and password must not be shared with anyone else, either inside or outside the organization, except as allowed in Second Coming Ministry Outreach's policy. All Second Coming Ministry Outreach personnel will conduct their electronic communications in a professional manner according to the formats prescribed in the organization's Policies.

Second Coming Ministry Outreach will not accept donated computers that fall below criteria defined by management staff.

Expectation Of Privacy

All data that the personnel of Second Coming Ministry Outreach store transmit or receive using the organization's IT resources belong to the organization. All information owned by Second Coming Ministry Outreach is to be accessible according to access.

Integrity

All of Second Coming Ministry Outreach's data will be backed up monthly according to the schedule prescribed in organization's handbook. Second Coming Ministry Outreach's policies follow its data regardless on which computer system the data actually resides. Virus protection will be employed on Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources at all times and updated at least monthly as described in organization’s policies.

Handbook procedures by which information integrity is maintained are to be documented in Second Coming Ministry Outreach 's operations manual.

Security

No IT services shall be provided to external organizations or individuals without the express permission of Second Coming Ministry Outreach. This includes file-sharing, Web services, and Internet access.

Passwords that grant any access to Second Coming Ministry Outreach's IT resources from outside the organization will be at least eight (8) characters in length and contain letters in upper and lower case, numbers and at least one symbol.

All passwords granting any access to Second coming ministry outreach's IT resources will be changed.