Staff Policy

Welcome aboard Otakuthon! If you’re a returning staff member, welcome back! 

We hope that everyone is looking forward to contributing and being a part of another successful year. As with every year, in the interest of moving forward and addressing concerns from previous years, we hope this document will reduce confusion. All Otakuthon staff members should read this policy carefully.

Behaviour

We expect staff to conduct themselves with the proper decorum. Even if your role is behind the scenes, to the general public you are the organization when you speak/post/comment. This can lead to a misunderstanding if multiple staff members disagree in public. If someone asks you about something and you’re not sure, please direct them to info@otakuthon.com (before the convention) or one of the Information Desks (during the convention). Further details are provided below in the Confidentiality and non-disclosure of proprietary information section.

The behaviour expected of staff is also directly related to the responsibilities and requirements of their position. Please refer to your direct supervisor (Director-level and above) for the proper decorum expected of your station as certain positions may have a specific code of conduct to follow.

Convention rules

The staff agree to follow the rules and policies of the convention (hyperlink to Convention Rules of the current edition). Failure to do so may result in the immediate termination of the individual’s involvement within the convention or expulsion and forfeiture of all benefits, depending on the severity of the incident, which includes harassment, abuse, disrespect, late arrivals and no-shows. Further measures are detailed in the Disciplinary Actions Policy (OTK-HR-03).

Confidentiality and non-disclosure of proprietary information

All information regarding the planning and organizing of Otakuthon (such as the website, the staff portal, organizational emails, meeting notes, login information, partners, supplies, etc.) is confidential and proprietary to Otakuthon. This information should not be released to individuals outside the organization without permission of the coordination committee. 

The information discussed in the Otakuthon Discord server or revealed in the Otakuthon OMAKE newsletter are confidential and exclusive for active Otakuthon staff. Anyone found to be leaking information from internal Otakuthon communication platforms will be subject to disciplinary actions as well as legal procedures.

The social media team would like to remind that all responses to attendees' questions and all Otakuthon-related posts must go through the official Otakuthon accounts.

If you are uncertain whether the information you are about to release is confidential, please ask an executive-level staff of Otakuthon, like the vice-president or senior director of your Division.

External communications

Gifts

Gifts may not be issued to outside parties without authorization from the president and treasurer, with the exception of pre-planned gifts to partnered organizations that are listed within the Otakuthon budget.

In exchange for their commitment, Otakuthon grants an array of benefits to staff and volunteers as determined by the Coordination Committee and distributed by the Human Resources Division. Any other form of compensation, commission, gratuity or other advantages must be approved by the Otakuthon Executive Committee (Vice-presidency and above).

Minimum staff hours

Staff are people who take on a specialized role, in both administrative and operational aspects, that help make the convention run smoothly.

Volunteers take care of general miscellaneous tasks that are done at-con, without having a fixed position in a single specialty. Volunteers are required to be pre registered as an attendee. The amount of hours of volunteering they’ve completed helps refund a portion up to the full purchase cost of their badge as well as their own rewards track.

To maintain consistency and fairness throughout the organization (relative to other staff and volunteers), all staff are expected to commit a minimum of 25 hours of time towards the event (before or during the convention). Staff who can only commit less than the aforementioned 25 hours of specialised work are considered Support Staff.

Minor (Under 18 years of age) Staff

All staff that are under 18 years of age at the moment of their assignment OR will be less than 18 years old by July 31st must complete a waiver signed by their legal parent or guardian.

The waiver must be filled within the next 2 weeks of a staff’s assignment OR before the start of at-door registration for the convention, whichever is the earliest. The waiver must be renewed every year of an assignment until the staff is an adult aged at 18 years old.

The waiver must be sent to hr@otakuthon.com

The legal guardian or parent may request, at any time, the minor to resign from attending and working as a staff member of Otakuthon by sending an email to the aforementioned human resources department.

Absence, Leave or Departure

Staff who cannot continue with their responsibilities, either temporarily or permanently, or cannot attend to their tasks at-con should at least do the following;

It is highly recommended and preferred that a staff gives their direct supervisor a brief explanation of the latest status or progress of the responsibilities and/or tasks that were assigned to them if needed. This is to ensure that continuity can be maintained and that their absence, leave or departure does not impede their team’s ability to continue their mandate within the organization.

Depending on the staff’s rank within the organization, it may be necessary to detail their latest progress in the form of a report.

If the absence, leave or departure is related to an unsatisfactory volunteering environment or organizational culture, the staff is invited to send their feedback, comments and complaints according to the section below.

Feedback, Comments, and Complaints

Dissatisfaction about convention procedures and processes should be handled and resolved internally. Remember that we are a team; outbursts in public and online reflect badly not only on the staff member, but also on the entire organization. Disciplinary actions and legal procedures may be taken.

If there is a personal dispute, please refer to the Staff Dispute Resolution Procedure (below).

Staff Dispute Resolution Procedure

For further escalation, the Human Resources department may assist in resolving the staff dispute, particularly if the conflict falls within existing HR policies, like the Harassment Policy (OTK-HR-01) as well as the Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity Policy (OTK-HR-02). Human Resources will demand that a form be completed to help structure the complaint and gather the details.

Resolution to the problem will be presented in writing to all parties involved following the Human Resources department procedure for resolving complaints as detailed in the policies aforementioned.

Malicious Acts

Disciplinary Action

If disciplinary action is required, Disciplinary Actions Policy (OTK-HR-03) shall be applied. The measures may be, and not limited to: 

Policies Addendum

By acknowledging the terms and conditions described above, you are also agreeing to be aware of and to have read the following policies:

Acknowledgement

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the Staff Policy. I agree to comply with this Policy and its guiding principles. Should I not act in accordance with the intentions outlined in this policy, I may be subject to the termination of my involvement within the organization or expulsion and forfeiture of all benefits or rewards, depending on the severity of each incident.

Effective Date: 14/06/2025

Last Reviewed On: 26/05/2025