WHO CAN HIRE AND FIRE EMPLOYEES?

[Guest gigimorales79@gmail.com]

Good Afternoon everyone - There has been much discussion on our Board as to who has the authority to hire and fire employees. We are an established Board since 1983. Since then, an Administrative Assistant has always been hired by the President, voted on and passed. Now, we have a few new Board members who don't feel this is the way we should do it. They feel the position should be posted to give others in the community to apply if they are interested and then hold interviews. Then discuss those candidates with the Board.

I would like some feedback as to what authority the President has to hire and fire employees.

Thank you.

 

[Dan Honemann]

2 minutes ago, Guest gigimorales79@gmail.com said:

Good Afternoon everyone - There has been much discussion on our Board as to who has the authority to hire and fire employees. We are an established Board since 1983. Since then, an Administrative Assistant has always been hired by the President, voted on and passed. Now, we have a few new Board members who don't feel this is the way we should do it. They feel the position should be posted to give others in the community to apply if they are interested and then hold interviews. Then discuss those candidates with the Board.

I would like some feedback as to what authority the President has to hire and fire employees.

Thank you.

 

Nothing in Robert's Rules of Order gives the President any such authority. 

[Rob Elsman]

Take a look at RONR (12th ed.) 47:20.

[Josh Martin]

10 minutes ago, Guest gigimorales79@gmail.com said:

Good Afternoon everyone - There has been much discussion on our Board as to who has the authority to hire and fire employees. We are an established Board since 1983. Since then, an Administrative Assistant has always been hired by the President, voted on and passed. Now, we have a few new Board members who don't feel this is the way we should do it. They feel the position should be posted to give others in the community to apply if they are interested and then hold interviews. Then discuss those candidates with the Board.

I would like some feedback as to what authority the President has to hire and fire employees.

"All of the duties of the presiding officer described above relate to the function of presiding over the assembly at its meetings. In addition, in many organized societies, the president has duties as an administrative or executive officer; but these are outside the scope of parliamentary law, and the president has such authority only insofar as the bylaws provide it." RONR (12th ed.) 47:20

So the President has no authority to hire and fire employees (or for that matter, any authority outside of presiding at meetings) unless the organization's own rules grant the President such authority.

Since there appears to be disagreement among board members about what procedure should be used to hire the Administrative Assistant, it would seem the most logical solution is for the board to adopt its own rules on this matter.

[Rob Elsman]

Before taking Mr. Martin's suggestion "to adopt its own rules on this matter", it must be ascertained from the bylaws or other governing instruments whether the board can delegate its authority (assuming it has the authority to hire or terminate employees).