HOBY MARYLAND POLICIES

Participant and Volunteer Non-discrimination Policy

HOBY complies with all applicable anti-discrimination laws and does not illegally discriminate against, or give preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of age, race, gender, color, economic status, ethnicity, linguistic heritage, cultural background, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability or ability, medical condition, religious creed, marital status, employment status, housing status, sexual orientation, gender identity or veterans status or any other characteristic or status or distinction that is protected by law in the selection of participants and volunteers for HOBY’s youth leadership programs and services. 

HOBY is committed to providing a balanced, safe and educational environment for all participants and volunteers. HOBY firmly believes that everyone should be treated equally and fairly.

Grievance Policy

Dear Volunteer,

The HOBY Maryland Board has many responsibilities and one of our major responsibilities is handling the oversight and functioning of our programs and volunteers. As the Board, we are responsible for hearing and addressing concerns and grievances that might arise regarding any of our volunteers. We hope to be transparent with our volunteers regarding our formal process and procedures for addressing any concerns brought our way.  If you have any questions about what to do in these situations, please contact the Board President at president@hobymd.org.

Concerns That Need Attention

It may be difficult to understand what types of concerns need to be brought to the attention of someone within the organization. The best tip is to be safe rather than sorry. When in doubt about whether something is an issue, it is best to take it to someone in leadership who can help make a determination. The Board will strive to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the involved parties.

Any violations of the HOBY Code of Conduct should be reported to the Corporate Board President. The Code can be found here:

Any violations of the HOBY Social Media Policy should be reported to the Corporate Board President. The Policy can be found here:

Any violations of the HOBY Drug and Alcohol Policy should be reported to the event coordinator or volunteer chaperone and then to the Corporate Board President. The Policy can be found here:

Any situation that involves mandatory reporting should be reported to the Program/Event Lead (such as the Leadership Seminar Chair (LSC), Corporate Board President, Alumni Association Advisor, or Community Leadership Workshop (CLeW) Advisor). The guidelines for mandatory reporting can be found here:

Who Should I Talk To About Concerns?

The first step is to determine if it is a concern that should be brought to the Corporate Board President or the appropriate Program/Event Lead such as the LSC, Alumni Association Advisor, or CLeW Advisor. If the concern is regarding the program, functioning, or planning of the seminar, go to the LSC first. If the concern is about a member of the seminar planning team, determine what the concern is regarding. If the concern is about their job and responsibilities on the planning team, go to the LSC. If the concern is about violations of HOBY’s Code of Conduct or Social Media Policy, go to the President.

If your concern is about the Corporate Board President, go to the Vice President or other Board member. You also may reach out to the Chief of Finance and Administration, Michael Carter at carterm@@hoby.org.

When in doubt about if a concern is valid, talk to the LSC or Board President and let them make a determination.

Board Grievance Procedures

The Corporate Board President or other Board member who receives a concern will determine if it needs to be brought to the attention of the Board. This is the standard protocol followed by the Board when a matter of concern is brought to the President or other Board Member.

1. When a significant concern is brought to the attention of the Board, the Board will request a written statement by the complainant to ensure the concern is not misrepresented when shared with other necessary parties.

2. Upon receipt of a written statement, the Board Member will attempt to address the situation by initiating conversations with the appropriate parties, which may include: the Board, Leadership Seminar Chair (LSC), individual(s) involved, and/or Director of National Programs (DNP).

3. If the concern needs to be brought to the attention of the Board, then the Board will discuss the concern, investigate the matter from a neutral perspective, and generate follow up questions for all involved parties.

4. The Corporate Board President (CBP) will then communicate the request for further information to the relevant involved parties on behalf of the Board.

5. Once the information is obtained, the CBP will discuss the information with the Board and continue the investigation process.

6. At this point the Board may make a determination on what actions, if any, are appropriate to address the concerns and resolve the situation.

7. The CBP will inform all relevant parties of the Board’s decisions, while maintaining the privacy of the complainant and any other affected parties, to the best of their abilities