Activist Group Stiffs Staff on Wages

Landlords and tax collectors also want payment—not a good position for a group that specializes in housing. 

Reporter Van Smith in the Baltimore City Paper reports that the local chapter of the nationwide activist group ACORN (Acorn Housing Corp EIN 72-1048321 Form 990) has been having trouble paying its staff.  A $250 a week intern told the paper that she hadn't been paid for eight weeks.  The reporter then checked court records and discovered that the organization had a judgment against them for $7,000 for back rent at an office location.  And a tax lien for $18,000. 

Since the group advocates for living wage legislation and sponsors housing programs, the lapses are a bit of an embarrassment. 

Local director Mitchell Klein at first blamed Katrina (ACORN had administrative offices in New Orleans), but on further investigation it turned out that the organization had simply failed to received bills after it moved it offices.  Change of address is a vexing problem for every small business owner and nonprofits are no exception. 

The article exposes the management of the organization as being unaware of the problems with payments until the reporter brought it up.  Several times the director denies or provides an excuse that he later reverses.  It would be a good case study in PR, to spark a discussion of how to handle a situation like this differently, and one in financial mangement, to discuss what infrastructure needs to be in place to make sure staff and bills get paid. 

From the perpective of the national organization, it should raise the issue of branch management.  The main Form 990 shows the housing development arm in Chicago with $5.7 million in income and a staff of 76.  But there appear to be at least a dozen other small affiliated organizations.  One of the advantages of a national organization should be the availability of tools to manage the branch operations, internal oversight to maintain a standard of performance, and an internal complaint process to address problems before people take them to the press. 

Comments

[ティンバーランド]

ティンバーランド労組への配慮も顕著だ。会社員らの厚生年金と公務員らの共済年金の一元化問題では、公務員労組から支援を受ける議員が「人事院が来年２月に公表する会社員と公務員の退職金比較調査の結果が出るまでは、共済年金の特権的な上乗せ部分である職域加算の取り扱いを決めるべきではない」と主張。時間稼ぎをして法案の中身を骨抜きにしようという意図は明白だが、骨子案はあっさりとその主張を受け入れた。

　ティンバーランド首相は年末までに、社会保障分野と消費税増税部分をあわせた一体改革素案をまとめる方針だ。古本伸一郎党税調事務局長は１２日の党一体改革?税制両調査会合同会議で、「３１日の除夜の鐘のところまで、みなさんと相談していきたい」と強調したが、抜本的な改革は先送り必至の情勢だ。