Responsibilities of the Members' Council (MC) to Staff

Because staff are employed by the Members' Council (MC) there are certain points the MC must bear in mind in relationship to staff. Alfalfa House has a 'flat' hierarchy, that is, there is not a classic hierarchy. Rather, a system of checks and balances is in place to ensure the smooth running of the co-op. This means that while the MC is the employer of all the staff, the MC is not their boss. Here are a few general guidelines in respect to this relationship. With effective communication and mutual respect this system can work.

It is not the place of individual members of MC to direct the work of individual staff members, i.e., specifically telling a staff member to do some particular task or not to do some particular task, as would usually be the case in the traditional boss-worker relationship.
Staff members support individual MC members by helping them find resources and information as well as informing and helping them as they are able.
It is the place of the MC as a whole to direct the work of the staff member. Generally this is carried out by agreeing on the staff job descriptions and then allowing staff to get on with carrying out those job descriptions. If the MC feels that a staff member is straying from the duties listed in the job description, it is the job of the MC as a whole to raise the matter with the relevant staff member. While the approach may be made by one individual, it should only be made with the full backing of the entire MC.
Because it is in the job description of each of the office staff that they are to report to the MC on a monthly basis, the MC should expect to read and/or listen to these reports attentively. In essence, this is one important method for staff to let their employer, the MC, know how things are going, based on their job descriptions. Any matters identified in an office staff member's report should then be taken up by the MC. The reports do not exist as 'a piece of paper' to be rubber-stamped for approval. They are built into the system of checks and balances as a vital form of communication between employer and employee. Using these reports, the MC can assess the direction staff are taking with their work. The MC also expects to hear reports of staff meetings, specifically recommendations, policy proposals, comment on policy proposals and any other matters for which MC is responsible, e.g., funding for projects, extra staff, extra hours.
Assessment is one of the most important parts of a system of checks and balances. It is the responsibility of the MC to ensure there is an assessment of each staff member after three months of employment and then annually or as requested by the staff or MC thereafter. These staff assessments are carried out by the Co-op Coordinator (CC) and, in the case of the CC, by the MC.
When the employment of a staff member ends after more than two months, at minimum, the CC should write a Certificate of Employment saying how long the staff member worked and what the position was, which would be co-signed by a member of MC on behalf of the MC. While this is not a reference, it does not preclude a written reference, which would usually be written by the CC. A reference for the CC would be written by the MC.

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