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Chapter Treasurer

Chapter Treasurer Job Description

Responsible to:

  • Chapter executive board
  • Chapter members
  • Oregon School Employees Association

Job Description

  1. Meet with incoming president and outgoing treasurer to transfer books
    1. Set up an account in the chapter’s name (e.g., OSEA Chapter 1 Eugene) with Columbia Bank if not already established; the account is tax exempt under the OSEA State Office EIN (Employer Identification Number); contact the OSEA State Office for any assistance
    2. The president and treasurer should be the authorized account signers
    3. Contact the OSEA State Office for assistance in transitioning officer account signers or establishing a new account with Columbia Bank
  2. Receive and record all money for the chapter in the chapter checkbook/ledger
  3. Pay all chapter bills as authorized by the chapter; maintain records of each transaction, including copies of invoices and a description of the purpose of each invoice
  4. Keep and maintain an accurate accounting of all chapter funds; transactions should be recorded at the time of occurrence
  5. OSEA State Office will receive the chapter bank statement from Columbia Bank, reconcile the account and send copies of the bank statements and reconciliation reports to the chapter executive board. Review and discuss the statements and reconciliation reports with the chapter executive board at the time of receipt from the State Office.
  6. Keep an up-to-date record of the members’ dues
  7. Provide a copy of the membership list monthly to the president and worksite organizer/membership chair
  8. Attend the executive board and chapter meetings and prepare a written report on the chapter’s account for each meeting (click here for a sample report) including an oral explanation of each expense and receipt
  9. Active voting member of the executive board
  10. Maintain copies of the bank statements and reconciliation reports received from the OSEA State Office

Time Required

The time required will vary from chapter to chapter and from month to month based on the chapter size and duties to be performed.

Inservice Training

Training provided by OSEA staff for officers as requested

Qualifications

  1. Ability to balance a checkbook and calculate chapter budget; budgets will vary in complexity depending on the chapter size
  2. Commitment to OSEA

Comments

The treasurer is the keeper of chapter funds. The treasurer’s integrity must be beyond reproach.

Length of Service

As determined by chapter constitution/bylaws

What to do first

The chapter treasurer is the chief financial officer and adviser to the chapter executive board and members. The following suggestions are intended to assist the treasurer in their duties:

  • In setting up checking or savings accounts, use the chapter’s name and not an individual (e.g., OSEA Chapter 800 Bremerton).
  • In most cases, it is recommended to have no more than one checking account and one savings account. This keeps the financial recordkeeping much simpler.
  • Two signatures are recommended on all accounts.
  • The executive board will receive copies of the chapter bank statements along with reconciliation reports form the OSEA State Office. The executive board (president, vice president, secretary and treasurer) should all review the statements and reconciliation reports upon receipt. Transactions should be recorded at the time of occurrence in order to maintain an accurate record of chapter finances. Copies of the bank statements received from the OSEA State Office should still be reconciled to the chapter records. Once reviewed against the chapter record with the executive board, the executive board should initial the reconciliations report and bank statements.
  • Prepare a yearly budget in collaboration with the executive board
  • Prepare monthly reports based on the monthly bank statements and reconciliation report for reporting to the membership at chapter meetings. The treasurer has the responsibility of keeping members informed of the expenditures of their dues dollars. Click here for a sample monthly report. The report should describe the purpose of each expenditure and how it relates to chapter business.
  • Provide a yearly recap of expenditures and income
  • The chapter should establish a finance committee to audit the records each year and to assist in establishing the chapter budget. The committee will also help ensure accountability to the membership in the handling of chapter funds. If the chapter is unable to develop a committee for internal review, the chapter can request an audit from the State Office.
  • It is recommended that all monies go through the checking account. When money comes in from any source, deposit to the checking account and then issue checks or transfer funds to the savings account, as necessary. When withdrawing money from the savings account, transfer to the checking account and then issue checks. This method ensures there is a record of all transactions and no cash payments. The use of debit cards is not recommended as it is difficult to track the purchases or which authorized person made the purchase.
  • The chapter should keep a detailed record of each expenditure made from the chapter account. The expenditure should be made by check and not cash or debit charge. A copy of the check is recommended to confirm who it was written to and who signed. The expenditure should have an accompanying invoice or receipt. Lastly, the treasurer should attach a detailed explanation of what the expenditure was for and how it relates to chapter business. This will help with preparing monthly reports to the chapter, developing annual budgets and assisting future
    treasurers.
  • It is essential to comply with OSEA Board Policy regarding the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) by maintaining your account through Columbia Bank as a subsidiary of the OSEA State Office. The OSEA State Office is then able to review and report the chapter finances within the OSEA state financial statements and LM4 submitting monthly reports to the OSEA State Office. (Click here for a sample form.)

Chapter Report of Receipts and Disbursements

Disbursements

For each expense, a receipt or expense voucher should include the following information and must be retained in your chapter records:

  • Date expense or voucher received
  • Check number (make a copy of the check to attach with the invoice)
  • Date paid
  • Amount paid
  • Purpose and description of the expense (what it is for and how it relates to chapter business)
  • Approval signatures (chapter treasurer or chapter president)

Additionally, disbursements will need to be identified as either chargeable or nonchargeable expenses. Chargeable disbursements are expenses used to implement OSEA’s duties as the exclusive bargaining representative for members and fair-share-fee payers (or nonmembers). These include costs of bargaining, grievances, contract administration and representation, union governance and other matters affecting terms and conditions of employment.

Nonchargeable disbursements are expenses not directly related to OSEA’s representational duties. Ideological, political and lobbying activities are nonchargeable. Charitable contributions, scholarships and member-only benefits are also nonchargeable.

“Chargeable” and “nonchargeable” are legal terms that determine which expenses fair-share-fee payers can be required to pay and which expenses they cannot be required to pay within the dues structure. OSEA, with our auditors, will determine the overall chargeable portion. Chapters will not be required to do anything more than report their expense totals in each category.

Your members have a right to know how their dues dollars are expended. You should make available at chapter meetings a copy of these reports and any other financial information requested by your members, including lists of all itemized income, expenses and account balances. The chapter treasurer should be detailing each transaction made to the membership at each chapter meeting.

Your chapter should establish a finance committee to periodically review your reports and records and to add another level of assurance to your members of the accountability of their dues dollars. It is recommended that the chapter have an outside audit completed every one to three years.

Chapter funds, as all funds, may be subject to audit for several reasons outlined in the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA). Some of these reasons include: Chapter funds are member funds and need to be disbursed in accordance with chapter member authorization; and records of such disbursements and receipts must be properly maintained. Proper accounting and disclosure practices should eliminate any potential misappropriation of funds.

Records to be maintained by the chapter

You must maintain permanent files of your financial records for at least seven years. It is important to document every expense. A paper trail of each item is the best way to assure accountability of our members’ dues dollars.

  • Bank account reconciliations and statements received from the OSEA State Office should be reviewed and reconciled by the chapter treasurer and executive board
  • Documentation to support the amounts reported (receipts and disbursements) should be provided to the executive board at the time of review

OSEA will spot check, on a random basis determined by sound accounting principles, the original chapter documentation from time to time. Keep all originals in a safe location known to all chapter officers.

Chapter expense and receipt tracking to reconcile against bank statements and reconciliation reports:

Examples of chargeable and nonchargeable expenses for including in the detail expense sheet

  1. List each expense with an explanation as well as if it is chargeable or nonchargeable. Some examples of chargeable chapter expenses are:
    • Expenses (food, travel, supplies) for negotiation teams or any other management committees, chapter meetings, chapter officers, worksite organizers, grievance committees, contract ratification and similar meetings
    • Supplies for basic union operations and governance, such as paper, pens, notebooks, checkbooks and similar supplies
    • Costs of running union elections
    • Costs involved in grievance procedures or other procedures protecting employee rights
    • Advertising the union’s position on matters relating to contract bargaining and terms and conditions of employment, including costs of taking issues to school board meetings
    • Defending the union against raids
    • Chapter informational newsletters
    • Social activities open to members and nonmembers
    • Membership recruitment and chapter building costs
    • Conference expenses
  2. List each chapter expense for the month that are nonchargeable. Some examples of nonchargeable chapter expenses are:
    • Scholarships and gifts
    • Member-only benefits
    • Voter registration, political campaign expenses
    • Charitable contributions
    • Political or ballot measure support
    • Lobbying
    • General public event support or participation

Note: This list of chargeable and nonchargeable expenses should answer most of your questions on how to divide your chapter expenses; however, if you have any doubt, call the director of fiscal operations at the OSEA State Office for advice.

Certification

The best practice is to have the executive board (president, vice president, secretary and treasurer) all initial each report: detailed expense and receipt report list completed by the treasurer, bank statement and reconciliation report received from the OSEA State Office. Having the executive board initial will help protect the treasurer, executive board and chapter members by confirming several points of review over the chapter finances.