Staff Policies Summary

Last updated December 22, 2023.

1. Get permission before spending money.

All spending is budgeted. Staff may not spend money for Kumoricon without prior approval from their director or supervisor. Reimbursement requires written approval and itemized receipts.

2. Don't make promises without prior approval.

Staff may not sign contracts or make verbal or written promises to outside parties without prior approval from their director or supervisor. This includes negotiations beyond an introduction, and reaching out to other businesses, industry, guests, or press.

3. Avoid speaking on behalf of the con without permission.

This rule can be tricky, and staff need to be careful. Staff are not allowed to speak as representatives for the convention without permission. This includes speaking to the press and making any statement visible to the public, in whatever format, including web posts and social media comments. Even if you are not using any official organization resources, if it is known to the public that you are staff, your statements can be interpreted as official statements. If in doubt, please ask your director or our Publicity department for guidance.

4. Keep confidential information private.

It's ok to talk to people outside the con about the work you do for the con, and what your job is like. But certain information is sensitive and should only be shared with staff who have a genuine need to know. If you aren't sure, it's your responsibility to ask your supervisor about what is sensitive. Certain things are always treated as very sensitive:

Personally identifiable information about attendees, including but not limited to attendee or member databases, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, or birthdates
Disputes or incident reports involving staff or attendees
Department or organization budgets
Identities or details of guests of honor, industry guests, or partners which have not been publicly announced
The existence or details of venue contracts which have not been publicly announced
Any type of information planned for announcement at a later date or time
Any type of information that we are treating as sensitive or confidential

5. Honor your staff commitment.

Joining staff means you're pledging a commitment that lasts through the next upcoming convention. Some of your work obligations might be pre-con, and some might be at-con. You're also promising to be available during emergencies and shortages during the times you are on site. If you hold more than one position, then it's your responsibility to make sure you communicate time conflicts in advance.

6. Keep in contact.

Keep in communication with your supervisor or director. Not sure about something, or what to do next? Ask!

7. Set a good example.

People will make judgments about the entire convention based on the actions of a single staff member. Show the world—and your fellow staff—your best.

8. Follow the code of conduct and staff policies.

The full staff policies are available to registered staff on the website, along with additional staff training and resources. The attendee code of conduct is publicly available on the website. The board may change these rules without prior notice. You will be notified if we make changes that change any expectations we have of you.

9. For managers only…

All supervisors (staff members with any person reporting to them in the org chart) and executives are subject to additional policies and required training. After you register, you may be given a date by which you must complete these to maintain your active status in one of these staff positions.

Privacy notice

Staff members may be listed publicly by name and position. Staff member names, positions, email addresses, phone numbers, and cities are listed in a directory only accessible to current staff members. We may take your photo when you register as staff, or when you check in at the convention. Your photo is displayed to all staff up and down your chain of command, and to all convention executives. You may change a privacy setting to make your photo visible to the entire staff. Staff members who have positions reporting to them may also access the email addresses of previous staff to ensure registration invitation emails are sent to the correct address.

Registration requirements

You have completed and signed the form.
You are signing up for a specific position, initialed by the director for each position.
The staff quiz (see pages 3 and 4) is attached, unless you took it in a previous year.
You are at least age 16 at time of registration. (We sometimes make exceptions.)
If under age 18 at time of registration, you have submitted a parent permission and liability release form.
The Secretary ratifies your registration.

A few other things…

You can change or add staff positions later, provided you have the permission and approval of each director.
Staff registration covers your convention entrance. You don't need to pay or register as an attendee separately.
If you previously registered for Kumoricon 2024 as an attendee, then your staff registration is an upgrade and you are eligible for a refund. Please contact membership@kumoricon.org to request this.
All Kumoricon staff are unpaid volunteers—even the top executives and board of directors.

Resignation

A staff member may resign from one or more staff positions by delivering written notice to either the Secretary or to the director to which the staff member reports. Because it is possible for a staff member to hold more than one position, the resignation should specify the exact position(s) the member is resigning from. Resignation from all current staff positions will result in resignation as a member of Altonimbus Entertainment.

Removal

Unfortunately, it is occasionally necessary to remove a staff member from a position. The director to which a staff member reports for a specific position will make such a decision if it becomes necessary. The staff member may request an appeal from the director or the whole board regarding a removal. The director or the whole board will decide whether to hear an appeal on a case-by-case basis.

Also, occasionally, an individual will be barred from becoming staff either indefinitely or for a certain period of time. Such an individual may request an appeal to lift this status. The board will decide whether to hear such an appeal on a case-by-case basis. Appeals will usually not be heard in the 90 days leading up to the convention. In hearing an appeal, the board will decide whether the appeal will be heard by the whole board, or only by certain directors. The board, among other factors, may consider the amount of time that has passed since the individual's offenses in deciding either whether to hear an appeal or in considering a specific appeal. The board may contact the individual with questions prior to deciding whether to hear an appeal. If the board decides to lift the status barring an individual from becoming staff, understand that this does not mean the individual has now been granted a staff position; it only means that the individual may now apply for positions. It is possible that an individual will be unbarred from staff but will then not, in fact, be appointed to any staff positions.