Green Party of the United States - National Committee Voting

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Proposal Details

Proposal ID	1116
Proposal	Approval of Severance Package for Communications Manager
Presenter	Steering Committee
Floor Manager	Diana C. Brown
Phase	Closed - Adopted
Discussion	10-11-2022 - 10-17-2022
Voting	10-18-2022 - 10-24-2022
Presens Quorum	Two Thirds of Active Accredited States/Caucuses
Consens Quorum	A Majority of Yes and No Votes

Background

We are asking for approval of the final severance package for a total of $21,482 or a lower amount per decision of the National Committee

Due to our fiscal crisis and national labor organizations stating employers should provide one week severance for every year with the organization, the Steering Committee originally calculated that the Communications Manager's three years (September 2019 to September 2022) with GPUS should be honored with eight weeks FULL TIME PAY, $8,269.76, to leave some wiggle room to bring the two remaining staff members back up to full-time immediately.

After much discussion, the staff supervisor requested that the Steering Committee increase the Communications Manager's severance to three months totalling $12,308.48 ($4,000 more) severance and to also include six months of health stipends at $375 a month for a total of $2,250. The Steering Committee stressed we should not go beyond the NC approved 2022 Budget timeline and voted to increase severance for the remaining three remaining months of the year and add three(not six) months of health stipends.

While organizations are only required to pay out sick time, the Green Party employees instead accrue Paid Time Off (PTO) at 30 days per year. The Communication Manager's accrued PTO balance was 244 hours bringing the maximum negotiated grand total to $20,357 (244 hrs of PTO at $6,923.52, three (3) months of full-time pay at $12,308.48, and three (3) months of health stipends at $1,125) but the Communications Manager declined the $20,357 and countered stating that due to the employee discussions before 250 National Committee Delegates and Alternates that he "would be willing to forego contesting" breach of employee/employer etiquette in exchange for:

- four month's severance ($4,000 more)
- cash equivalent for remaining PTO
- cash equivalent for 6 month's healthcare reimbursement ($2,250)

Termination severance weeks and health stipends are optional. Yet, the Steering Committee, due to the financial crisis, voted as a compromise to extend his health stipends from 3 months to 6 months (through March 2023 going into the 2023 Budget) adding $1,125 more for a new grand total of $21,482.

To improve transparency, Treasurer Brown has summarized our current financial status and is informing the highest decision making body that the Green Party has been spending more than we have brought in for FOUR years in a row. The party is presently dipping into savings due to having brought our 2022 earnings minus spending to -10,446.76 YTD. Please refer to the "Status" tab for our latest numbers:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YY-C4sqlcG2Bv3qJYl0Kl5LklZfD8jBxq5GXIBRGNNQ/edit?usp=drivesdk

Proposal

While Fiscal Policy Section 8-1.2 allows the second signatory to approve large payroll transactions, Treasurer Brown is asking the National Committee to decide the fiscal health of our party:

"8-1.2 The Treasurer, when authorized in an approved budget, may make expenditures from the General Operating Account up to a maximum of $2,000 for any individual payment. Except for routine payroll transactions, the Treasurer shall request and obtain an electronic approval from that SC member who, as provided for in this policy, is co-chair of the Finance Committee and is on the banking signature card, for any payment in excess of $2,000."

The Steering Committee supported 3 months severance and 6 months of health stipends for a total of $21,482. Please vote Yes or No:

The Communications Manager has received his last check and PTO for $6,923.52. This proposal is to add three months severance and six months of health stipends totaling $14,558.48. This will bring the grand total to $21,482. ($6,923.52 PTO +$12,308.48 Severance +$2,250 health stipends)

Resources

2022 Budget and Expenses
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YY-C4sqlcG2Bv3qJYl0Kl5LklZfD8jBxq5GXIBRGNNQ/edit?usp=drivesdk

CONTACT:
Diana C. Brown, Treasurer
treasurer@gp.org

References

While the Communications Manager split their time 50% Media Committee and 50% Fundraising Committee for $50,000 a year, for the last 10 months, his job description was to focus on the following for 32 hours/4 days a week (upped to 40 hours/5 days for six weeks for additional ANM duty) :

- Email Media's Greenline Newsletter
- www.gp.org/green_line
- Email weekly Fundraising Committee appeals
- www.gp.org/fundraising_messages
- Write a Fundraising letter (one mailer to large donors)
- Coordinate Fundraising Phonebanks/Textbanks
- Maintain Fundraising database
- Coordinate Zoom tech for ANM plenaries, movie screening, and fundraiser (during six weeks full-time salary)*

*Per a staff supervisor, other tasks were assigned via the Job Description bullet point "Other duties as requested" for committees not in his job description.

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