Members that have taken a Leave of Absence

[Guest Irish Chuck]

If a member has taken a Leave of Absence and we have our annual meeting to elect officers are members that are on a Leave of Absence permitted to vote? 

[Richard Brown]

That is almost certainly a matter of bylaws interpretation and will probably be determined by your bylaws. There is no such thing in RONR as a "leave of absence". What , exactly, do your bylaws say about it?

[Guest Irish Chuck]

They don't address voting relative to a member on a leave of absence.

[Hieu H. Huynh]

A member has all the rights of membership unless your bylaws say otherwise.

[Weldon Merritt]

1 hour ago, Guest Irish Chuck said:

They don't address voting relative to a member on a leave of absence.

Do they address "leave of absence" at all? If not, there's no such critter. One is either a member or not a member.

[SaintCad]

Assuming RONR is in play it sounds like it was a Request to be Excused from Duty.  It would be up to the body to decide if the duty were that as an officer (i.e. still a member but not performing the duties of their office) or a member (i.e. temporarily withdrawing from membership).  A couple of things, the former would not reduce the number of members so a quorum based on total members or a majority of the membership vote would remain the same but the latter reduces the number of members by one.  Also, do your bylaws allow for temporary resignations from membership? 

 

[Richard Brown]

Even If there is such an animal as "temporarily being excused from the duties of membership", I question whether that would affect the quorum requirement. As Weldon Merritt said, a person is either a member or not a member. 

I think for that to happen, the bylaws would have to specifically provide for it in some fashion.

[Josh Martin]

1 hour ago, SaintCad said:

Assuming RONR is in play it sounds like it was a Request to be Excused from Duty.  It would be up to the body to decide if the duty were that as an officer (i.e. still a member but not performing the duties of their office) or a member (i.e. temporarily withdrawing from membership).  A couple of things, the former would not reduce the number of members so a quorum based on total members or a majority of the membership vote would remain the same but the latter reduces the number of members by one.

There is no ability in RONR to “temporarily” withdraw from membership. You’re either a member or you’re not. A member could request to temporarily be excused from some of the duties of membership, but even if such a request is granted, the person remains a member and still counts in determining the number required for a quorum. And to the OP’s question, such a person would retain all of the rights of membership.

50 minutes ago, Richard Brown said:

Even If there is such an animal as "temporarily being excused from the duties of membership",

There certainly is such a thing.

”Occasionally the bylaws of a society may impose specific duties on members beyond the mere payment of dues. Members may be obligated to attend a certain number of meetings, to prepare talks or papers, to serve on committees, or even to accept office if elected. In these cases, a member cannot, as a matter of right, decline such a duty or demand that he or she be excused from it, but the assembly —except as the bylaws may provide otherwise—can grant the member's request to be so excused. The request can be granted by unanimous consent, or a motion to grant it, which is debatable and amendable, can be offered.” (RONR, 11th ed., pg. 289)

 

Edited November 22, 2017 at 09:57 PM by Josh Martin