Anime Boston 2008: Staff Rules and Guidelines

Benefits:
1. Although all staff positions are unpaid, there are a number of benefits to being a member of the Anime Boston 2008 staff:
  1. access to the Anime Boston staff forums with a staff icon ( for regular staff, for executive staff and their assistants)
  2. free membership (for yourself) to attend Anime Boston 2008
  3. one free Anime Boston 2008 Staff T-shirt (additional staff T-shirts may be purchased at-cost)
  4. free hotel stay in a room shared with no more than three other staff members from Thursday night through Sunday morning (with a room until Monday if requested in advance)
  5. access to the private staff suite for rest and relaxation during off-duty hours
  6. two free meals on Friday and Saturday, one free meal on Sunday
  7. access to the "Dead Dog Party" after the convention is over
  8. the pleasure of knowing that you helped to pull off New England's largest anime convention and one of the largest anime conventions in the western hemisphere
Requirements:
1. Qualifications:
  1. Staff members must be at least 18 years of age as of their date of application.
  2. Staff members must be hard workers and team players who are willing to dedicate large amounts of time before, during, and after the convention in fulfillment of their duties. (Planning a convention is no easy job!)
  3. Staff members must be able to attend Anime Boston 2008 from the late afternoon/early evening of Thursday, March 20 through the evening of Sunday, March 23, 2008.
2. Participation:
  1. Staff members must notify the Convention Secretary when there are changes to contact information.
  2. Staff members must respond to e-mails in a timely manner.
  3. Staff members should read the Anime Boston 2008 Staff Forum and the forum of their division at least once a week to keep up on current convention planning activities.
  4. Staff members must attend all mandatory staff meetings unless they contact their supervisor with a valid excuse (illness, distance, prior commitment, etc.)
  5. All staff members should make an attempt to attend as many non-mandatory staff meetings as possible.
  6. All staff members are required to help with the post-con pack-up after the convention ends on Sunday evening, unless they are pre-approved to leave early by their division/department head.
3. Acceptable Behavior:
  1. Staff members are required to add their real name and the name of their staff position to their signature on the Anime Boston forums so that everyone reading posts and replies can easily determine who the staff member is and what position they hold.
  2. When the public may view a staff member as a representative of Anime Boston prior to, during, or after the convention, that staff member is expected to conduct him or herself in a courteous and professional manner. This includes participation in any online forums, chat rooms, or blogs. Even if the staff member is not acting in an official capacity, others may view him or her as a representative of Anime Boston (especially if a staff position at Anime Boston is indicated in some manner such as a staff T-shirt or forum signature).
  3. Staff badges must display the staff member's real name and job title.
  4. Staff members must not abuse the privilege of having a staff badge. This includes using the staff badge to access guests when it is outside their duties as a staff member or helping friends skip ahead in a line.
  5. When not on duty, staff members are welcome to enjoy the convention. However, they should realize that their staff duties must always be their highest priority and should take precedence over other activities (i.e.: attending a panel, getting an autograph, sitting in artists' alley, etc.)
  6. Staff members are not permitted to allow non-staff in staff hotel rooms or the staff suite.
  7. Alcohol and illegal substances are not permitted in staff hotel rooms or the staff suite.
  8. Parties are not permitted in staff hotel rooms.
  9. Staff hotel room doors must not be left open or propped open.
4. Dress Code:
  1. Staff members are not allowed to cosplay while on duty, with the following exceptions:
    - Performers who need to cosplay as part of their duties (mascots, game show hosts, emcees, etc)
    - Masquerade staff at specific, stationary events where it is obvious that they are staff (ie: masquerade registration, but not at cosplay photo shoots or backstage at the masquerade)
    - Any other pre-approved event or position as determined by the division head
  2. When off duty, staff members are free to dress how they wish within the policies set forth for the general attendees.
  3. We encourage all staff members to use their best judgment with regard to their attire during the convention. All staff members will be provided with one Anime Boston 2008 staff T-shirt that may be considered appropriate attire while on duty. Staff members will be given the opportunity to purchase additional staff T-shirts at-cost.
  4. During the convention, staff T-shirts should only be worn by staff members. If you wish to give your shirt to someone else, please wait until the convention is over.
  5. If working for a vendor while off-duty, staff members should not wear an Anime Boston staff T-shirt.
  6. After leaving staff, staff members are discouraged from wearing their Anime Boston staff shirt to future Anime Boston conventions. (You don't want to be mistaken for staff if you're not staff, do you?)
5. Reporting:
  1. Staff members must commit to staying in touch with their supervisor.
  2. Department heads will submit a bi-weekly report to their supervisor. In January 2008, this will become a weekly requirement. (Note that even "There's nothing new to report" is a valid report if there is really nothing new.)
  3. Staff members should not transfer to or take on the additional task of another department or division unless approved by both their current supervisor and the head of the new department.
6. Each staff position may have its own unique requirements in addition to those listed above.
Confidentiality:
1. Privacy and Non-Disclosure
  1. Any information shared or conversations conducted in staff meetings or staff forums should be considered private and confidential and not shared with anyone who is not a staff member until such time that the convention is ready to make a public announcement or statement. This includes guest announcements, event announcements, and details of Anime Boston's convention planning process.
  2. Anime Boston must protect the personal information of its staff and attendees. Personal information should not be shared with third parties at any time.
2. Conflict and Disagreement
  1. Staff members should not publicly express disagreement or dissatisfaction with the official position or policy of the convention. If a staff member is dissatisfied or has other issues, it should be addressed internally.
Disciplinary Action:
1. In the event a staff member has shown himself or herself to be incapable of performing his or her required duties, the following series of disciplinary actions may be enacted:
  1. First offense: Warning from direct supervisor
  2. Second offense: Warning from Convention Chairman, Vice Chairman, or Division Head
  3. Third offense: Demotion with another staff member taking over the position
  4. Fourth offense: Removal from staff with loss of all staff benefits
2. Depending on the severity of the offense, the Convention Chairman, Vice Chairman, or Division Head may choose to enact a more severe penalty for each offense.


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