End of Life Plan

End of life Plan: Free geek needs to be prepared if it is ever forced to close.
List of Policies - Policy Development

Policy

If cash on hand drops under six weeks of operating expenses, then Free Geek will shift to shutdown mode to clear out hazardous e-waste from building.

Cash on hand: The amount of money in the Free Geek's safe, bank accounts, and all other liquid assets.
Shutdown mode: The main activities of the organization would be redirected to terminating the day to day business of the organization, emptying the building of all hazardous and non-hazardous material. Some of Free Geek's regular activities could continue during this phase as long as they further the aim of ending the organization's activities. Sales, refurbishment, and disbursements could continue as needed, or items could be processed for recylcing.
Six weeks of operating expenses: This should typically be calculated by first determining the last calendar year's actual operating expenses and multiplying by 11.54%. Other circumstances that affect expected expenses should be taken into account if there are known and significant changes.

empty the building of all hazardous and non-hazardous material
identify material that can be sold (without compromising our mission or principles)
identify material that can be given away (without compromising our mission or principles)

Day 1: Cash on hand drops below trigger amount. Layoffs of all bargaining unit staff are announced to the union. Notification to board of directors and key volunteers are sent.
Day 2: Hardware donation receiving ceases. Workers re-oriented to shutdown activities.
Day 8: Union has until this day to respond, requesting a meeting to discuss options. This meeting should be scheduled a soon as feasible, even if before this date.
Day 30: Target date for an empty building.

As decided Board of Directors meeting October 2008 the plan was simply "If cash on hand drops under $75,000 shift to "shutdown mode" to clear out hazardous e-waste from building". The board also approve a one time budget expense of $1000 to have staff to estimate/refine cost of shutdown (in 3-6 months) and policy. This work was never completed.
As Free Geek has grown and changed, it has become apparant that the $75,000 trigger amount is too little. For example, Article 21 of the Collective Bargaining Agreement requires 30 days notice of layoffs, and a shutdown would almost certainly be considered a layoff situation. $75,000 represented about three weeks of operating expenses in 2010 and 2011. Management suggests doubling this amount and re-phrasing the amount to be a formula. --RfS 19:52, 17 March 2012 (UTC)