All HFES elected positions are non-paid volunteer positions. Those elected must be able to attend two in-person meetings of the Executive Council annually and participate in periodic teleconferences – generally one time per month for one hour for each meeting. Failure to attend at least part of two consecutive face-to-face Executive Council meetings for other than good cause shall be sufficient cause to consider that an incumbent may be failing to perform the duties of office. Officers and at-large Executive Council members must abide by the HFES Code of Ethics.
Officers and Executive Council members at-large are reimbursed for travel and lodging related to their participation at the in-person meetings. Registration fees are waived for the annual meeting. All other meeting-related expenses are the responsibility of the individual.
Legal Responsibilities
Under well-established principles of nonprofit corporation law, those in positions of responsibility and authority in the governance structure of a nonprofit owe certain fiduciary duties to the organization. They are legally required to act reasonably, prudently and in the best interests of the organization to avoid negligence and intentional misconduct, to avoid conflicts of interest that are harmful to the organization, and to abide by all applicable laws, rules, and the organization’s governing documents.
These legal standards are usually described as the duty of care, the duty of loyalty and the duty of obedience.
Duty of Care
The duty of care describes the level of competence that is expected of an Executive Council member, and is commonly expressed as the duty of "care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise in a like position and under similar circumstances." This means that an Executive Council member owes the duty to exercise reasonable care when he or she makes a decision as a steward of the organization.
Duty of Loyalty
The duty of loyalty is a standard of faithfulness; an Executive Council member must give undivided allegiance when making decisions affecting the organization. This means that an Executive Councilmember can never use information obtained as a member for personal gain, but must act in the best interests of the organization.
Duty of Obedience
The duty of obedience requires Executive Council members to be faithful to the organization's mission. They are not permitted to act in a way that is inconsistent with the central goals of the organization. A basis for this rule lies in the public's trust that the organization will manage donated funds to fulfill the organization's mission.