Office of Hearings Operations Managers Association (OHO MA)
Constitution
Article I: Name of Organization
The name of this organization is the Office of Hearings Operations Managers Association (OHO MA), formerly known as the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review Managers Association.
Article II: Policy and Objectives
The objectives of the Association are to increase the efficiency and promote the professionalism of the Office of Hearings Operations Managers Association (OHO) managerial teams to exchange information; and to promote the establishment of policies that best serve the public interest in accomplishing the mission of the Agency.
Article III: Membership
Section 1: All OHO managers and supervisors, as well as all other OHO employees with ongoing managerial responsibility, are eligible to become members regardless of grade or position.
Section 2: Potential members need only express themselves orally or in writing to become dues paying members.
Section 3: Members are defined as dues-paying individuals. All members must pay dues in accordance with the provisions of Article IX, Section 1, to keep their membership current. Only members in good standing are allowed to vote.
Section 4: Membership is voluntary and open to all OHO managers regardless of race, sex, political affiliation, age, creed, color, national origin, or handicap.
Article IV: Officers and Duties
Section 1: All members are eligible to run for the offices of President, Vice President, Legislative Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. Only Central Office members are eligible to run for Principal Executive Officer for Central Office. All field members are eligible to run for Principal Executive Officer for Field Operations, as well as other regional Executive Officers. The Executive Committee will determine the number and location of field Executive Officers annually. The Executive Committee consists of the aforementioned officers and such additional representatives as may be established.
Section 2: The President shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Executive Committee, call special meetings, appoint all committees subject to the majority approval of the Executive Committee and serve as a non-voting member of all committees. The President shall be the official representative of the Association in all matters pertaining to the dissemination of or requests for information regarding the Association.
Section 3: The Vice President shall perform those duties in assistance to the President, preside at all meetings in the absence of the President, and succeed to the office of President for the remainder of the term in the event of the President's death, resignation, or removal.
Section 4: The Secretary shall perform all those duties implied in this position, which include addressing the general correspondence of the organization and maintaining an accurate record of the meetings of the organization and of the Executive Committee.
Section 5: The Treasurer shall perform all those duties implied in this position, which include overseeing the timely collection of proper dues from all members, maintaining and dispersing funds for the organization and rendering a general accounting of funds to the membership at least annually.
Section 6: The Executive Officers shall function as membership chairman in Central Office and the field and shall perform such other duties as delegated by the President.
Section 7: The Principal Executive Officer for Field Operations will serve as the coordinator for membership activities in the field and will provide newly elected and appointed Executive Officers with such assistance and direction required as to promote continuity, consistency, and uniformity in Association operations.
Section 8: The Legislative Officer (LO) will be responsible for coordinating all OHO MA Legislative activities. The LO will keep abreast of the latest legislative agendas and will advise the President and/or Vice President on Legislative Issues. The LO will maintain a database of OHO MA members by Congressional district for the purpose of assisting member's Congressional communication efforts by preparing letters already addressed to the correct congressman. The LO will be responsible for coordinating OHO MA's involvement with all FMA legislative activities. The LO will be responsible for monitoring our legislative section on the OHO MA Web Site and ensure that it is kept current.
Article V: Nomination, Election and Appointments Regarding the Term of Office of Officers and Other Executive Committee Members
Section 1: All members are eligible to run for the offices of President, Vice President, Legislative Officer, Secretary, and Treasurer. Only Central Office members are eligible to run for the Principal Executive Officer from Central Office. All field members are eligible to run for the Principle Executive Officer for Field Operations. Only members in a Region are eligible to run for Executive Officer from that Region. All officers shall be elected by a majority of votes cast.
Section 2: Elections for President, Treasurer, and Principle Executive Officer for Central Office and Principal Executive Officer for Field Operations shall be held in even numbered years. Elections for Vice President, Legislative Officer, Secretary, and all regional Executive Officers shall be in odd numbered years.
Section 3: The terms of office shall be two years beginning January 1.
Section 4: The President shall appoint the replacements for all vacancies with approval of the Executive Committee. Such appointees shall serve the remainder of the term in the vacant position.
Article VI: Committees
Section 1: The President shall appoint standing and ad hoc committees as deemed appropriate with the concurrence of a majority of the Executive Committee
Article VII: Removal from Office
Section 1: Elected officers will be removed following a two-thirds vote of the membership. Appointed committee members will be removed following a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Article VIII: Meetings
Section 1: The Executive Committee will hold at least one regularly scheduled meeting each year, coinciding if possible, with a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner of OHO at OHO Headquarters. The Executive Committee will hold at least four quarterly meetings a year via conference calls.
Section 2: The Executive Committee may establish the time and place of regional membership meetings, as appropriate.
Section 3: The Secretary will circulate appropriate advance notice of any meetings.
Section 4: Members may submit agenda items to the Executive Committee at any time.
Article IX: Dues
Section 1: Dues will be no less than the Federal Managers Association national membership dues plus any additional assessment as may be determined by a majority of the membership. The dues will be collected semi-annually for the periods January through June and July through December and/or via payroll deduction. The fiscal year will end December 31st. All financial activities and audit reports will be reported in writing to the general membership before the end of the first quarter of each year by the prior year's Treasurer.
Article X: Expenditures
Section 1: Expenditures may include but will not be limited to costs for speakers, scholarship funds, conference, social activities, and representation.
Individual expenditures must be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee.
Article XI: Amendments and By-Laws
Section 1: The constitution may be amended by a three-quarters vote of the membership, provided that the amendment is submitted in writing to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote.
Section 2: By-laws may be established or amended by a two-thirds vote of the membership, provided that, they are submitted in writing to the membership at least thirty (30) days prior to the vote.
By-Laws
Dues Collection
1. Dues collection will be by payroll deduction, or otherwise in December for the following January through June and in June for the following July through December. There will be a 15 calendar day grace period following completion of the dues payment month before a member's dues are considered delinquent and the member is suspended from active membership. Failure to pay dues by the end of the second calendar month after the due date will result in cancellation of membership from the Association.
2. Individuals whose membership has been suspended will be reinstated immediately upon payment of past dues. Individuals whose membership has been canceled because of nonpayment of dues are eligible to rejoin at the beginning of the next 6-month period.
Quorum
1. The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting will be 50% + 1 (or the majority) of its membership.
Retiree Membership
1. Any retired or retiring member may apply to retain his/her active Association membership and will retain entitlement to all rights, benefits, and privileges of membership in the Office of Hearings Operations Managers Association and the Federal Managers Association. Retired members may vote and hold elective office. Retired members will pay dues at half the rate of non-retired members.