Economic Agreements EW-B1
01-09-89
East Wind
Economic Agreements EW-B1
(updated June 1986, Sept. 1989. formerly titled "labor, money and property rules")
LABOR
All members are required to do a fair share of Community work. In practice this means that members must follow a number of rules to fulfill this requirement:
1) Each members is responsible for finding work and insuring that it is creditable. Managers determine whether the work is creditable or not.
2) Each member is responsible for recording co's own hours worked on the appropriate "done time sheet". No labor credit will be given where it is not recorded.
3) Members must maintain a certain minimum labor balance as follows:
a) If off the farm, you may lose your membership, if your labor balance is more than two weeks in the hole. If such a situation arises, check with the membership manager.
b) While on the farm you must maintain a labor balance that is less than three weeks in the hole. If more than three weeks in the hole provisional members are not eligible for full membership. If full members are more than three weeks in the hole they will receive a single warning period in which they can get out of the hole. Failure to get out of the hole in this thirty day period may result in the full membership being returned to provisional membership.
Additional guidelines
Members are responsible for:
a) Being aware of their labor balance. Labor reports are posted on the work board in RB each week.
b) Abiding by the rules of the branch in which they work.
c) Take the initiative in finding satisfactory work.
d) Doing a fair share of Hard To Assign (HTA) work. You are expected to always show up for HTA
shifts or find someone else who will.
e) Being cooperative with others and helping to make our work environment better.
Visitors
Visitors who have a labor balance that is more than ten hours in the hole may find that the membership manager will recommend extending the visitor period.
Guests
Guests who are family and friends of members are not required to work during their first three weeks at E.W. After three weeks, full quota is required. Guests who are former members are required to work visitors quota starting after the first week of their stay.
Labor Exchange
Members may work at any Federation community and fulfill their obligation to E.W. Doing the full labor obligation of the other community will result in full credit at E.W. Permission must be obtained from both communities. Travel time is not creditable at E.W.
vacation
Members receive three weeks of vacation a year. This is given after one year of membership.
Holidays and Birthdays
Members get 8 hours reduced quota on their birthday and holidays. Holidays are: New Year's day, Spring Equinox, Land Day (May 1), Summer Solstice, Fall Equinox, Thanksgiving Day, and Winter Solstice.
Sick Time
On any day that sick time is claimed no more than 7 hours of the combination of done time and sick time may be claimed. No more sick time may be claimed in a week than the current quota. Health problems or medical appointments (including travel time) may be claimed as sick time. Care of the sick may also be claimed. A Medical committee member can advise on unclear cases.
Leaves of Absence
Members are not responsible for E.W. labor requirements while on a leave from community.
Personal Service Credits (PSC's)
PSC's are labor hour credits transferred from one member's labor balance to that of another member or visitor. They are to be given at the rate of one PSC per hour worked. PSC's may not be given in the following situations:
1) If the labor accountant receives the request for the transaction from anyone other than the giver.
2) When the giver has, or would have after the transaction, a negative labor balance.
3) When the transaction would drastically affect the labor flow.
4) When the transaction would be against the interests of the Community, as determined by any member of the management team, board, or the community meeting.
Adjustments in labor balances
The work manager will generally not make retroactive adjustments in labor balances. If hours are not recorded during the week in which the work was done then they may be during the next week. Special permission is required prior to claiming hours for time worked more than three weeks in the past. If a manager of Work manager disallows done-time claimed the member affected must be notified of this with the reason given for the action.
Lower Quota for Older members
At age 50 the members' quota will be reduced by five hours, then a further reduction of one hour will occur each successive year. At age 70 the member's quota will be eliminated. Other reductions can be negotiated with the social manager.
Donating labor balances
Upon leaving the community, members may donate their positive labor balances to the social area for allocation for special needs such as cultural and recreational activities.
MONEY AND SPENDING
Member entitlements
Allowance
Adult members receive a monthly allowance of $40 (children get $22). Rather than getting physically paid out the money is credited to the member's discretionary fund (DF) account which may be drawn on. If a member is more than one month in the hole with co's DF, co may be put on spending control and allowed only part of the normal allowance to spend each month.
Children born here receive $100 at birth.
If desired, accounting will keep a special account for members to help in personal budgeting.
Profit Sharing
Profit sharing occurs on March 1st of each year. At that time, funds are distributed to members who were members for part of all of the previous year for which the profit are calculated. However, one must be a member on March 1st to be eligible. The size of each members allotment is based on the amount of time of membership during the year for which the profits are calculated.
The percentage of profits distributed to the membership is as follows:
None of the first $30,000
10% of the second $30,000
Plus 20% of any additional profits (above $60,000)
but only to a maximum of $200 per member.
Other
Members are entitled to $40 per year in clothing allowance. Get approval from the Commie clothes manager.
Members with children who live outside the community are eligible for up to $200 per year to be used for traveling to visit their children or to pay for travel for their children to come to E.W. See the Social manager for approval.
Members may receive (but are not guaranteed) funds to attend to social emergencies. Social Manager administers this.
The community will pay for shipping up to 25 lb. anywhere per year for each member. Except for parcels all postage is paid by the community.
Leaving Fund
Upon giving up membership members with a year or more of total membership are eligible for a small amount of money to help with making the transition to a new home. The amount is $150 for up to two years of membership and increases by $100 per year of membership up to a maximum of $750 for eight or more years of membership. A request for payment is required to receive this and must be applied for no later than 10 days after giving up membership. Children who are child full members are eligible for up to $200.
To be eligible the departing member must not be in the hole with co's labor balance. A woman who is entitled for a leaving fund payment who is pregnant at the time of giving up membership is entitled to an additional $200.
Assets which are to be made available to East Wind
The following types of assets must be made available to E.W. as interest free loans by each member whose total membership time has reached one year:
-Cash
-Inheritances
-Checking and savings accounts
-Stocks and bonds
-Tax refunds
-Royalties to works produced prior to becoming a member
-Profits from the sale of assets prior to becoming a member
-Real estate and other property excluding vehicles
-Back salaries and wages
The community may decline to borrow assets when it is not in its best interest to do so.
Assets which are to be donated to the community
-Gift money in excess of $25 per year that has not been ear-marked for a specific purpose by the
giver
-Interest and dividends
-Profits from any outside holdings earning rent or interest
-Alimony payments
-Any money from government assistance programs, AFDC, Social security, pensions, etc.
-Net increase, since beginning of membership, in value of owned assets.
Money that may be spent by members for personal benefits
-Any money that is received from the community as stated in Entitlement section of this document.
-Gift money that is ear-marked by the giver.
-Gift money up to $25 per year that is not ear-marked by the giver.
-Outside work vacation money, (OWV) This is money earned by members off the farm. There are no rules on how it may be spent off the farm, however property bought with it should not be brought back to East Wind for personal use. OWV money may be deposited in a member's personal OWV account. OWV money may be spent while the member is at E.W. only for gifts for persons living elsewhere or for travel payments.
PERSONAL PROPERTY
Generally any property that can be kept in one's room with the exception of a television is acceptable. Other property can in some instances be loaned to the community for use or stored in the community.
Vehicles
Members may retain the possession of their vehicles and store vehicles at E.W. but they may not use the vehicles while an active member without special permission. Vehicles may also be loaned to the community or donated if the community wishes to accept them,. however. of ;loaned. the community assumes no responsibility for the upkeep of the vehicle. Vehicles may be used for leaves of absence.
Exceptions
Full members preparing to leave the community may be exempt from money and property rules for the final two weeks before they leave. They may also be exempt from labor quota for the final week before they leave.
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
There are four types of leaves members may take. Except when specified otherwise members on leaves are inactive members having no obligations to E.W. and likewise E.W. has no obligations to inactive members. All rights and benefits are suspended while and inactive member. (except as noted below. Upon returning to E.W. the person on leave resumes active membership having the same rights and obligations accorded all active members.
Provisional member leave "PM leave"
This leave only applies to provisional members and may be taken for up to one year if it is started within a month after becoming a provisional member. If taken later only 2 weeks are allowed. This cannot be carried over until the PM becomes a full member. This leave must be taken off the farm.
Personal Affairs leave "PA leave"
PA leaves may be taken once each five years by full members and last for up to one year. One forfeits manager-ships and all elected positions, and co's private room if gone longer than two months. The membership manager must be notified of one's departure date and expected return date. Time spent on leave does not count towards seniority of membership.
Social Emergency Leave
Social emergency leaves are intended to allow members to attend to social emergencies away from E.W. without being penalized due to not being able to fulfill one's obligations while away. The social manager may approve the SEL and will stipulate a period of time not to exceed 30 days where the member will remain an active member. If the member is away from E.W. longer than this stipulated period the member's status will change to inactive membership for the remainder of the SEL. While on the SEL, the member is exempt from co's labor obligation to E.W. The maximum time of a SEL is one year.
Education Leave
Similar to a PA leave, with the exception that the member must have been a member for three years to qualify. The course of study should be something that would benefit E.W. upon the member returning to the community. Membership Manager is authorized to approve this leave.
