Re: RFC Series Editor (RSE) Statement of Work

[Michael Richardson <[e-mail]>]

Michael StJohns <[e-mail]> wrote:
    > Let me run a few terms past you (we can quibble about each, but this
    > seems to be the general  set I've seen - there are variations within
    > each):

Thank you.

    > * Employee - generally at will employment, most positions within a
    > company, can be told what to do, when to do it and how to do it
    > generally by anyone above them in the food chain.  Generally only has a
    > single employer (at least for salaried employees).

...

    > * Contractor/consultant.  Has a contract for services to a given
    > company, may do work for multiple entities.  May be tasked by the
    > company (generally a specific contract POC),

        *_but not told when or how to do it_*.

    >     May be an individual or a company.   Includes both
    > common services contractors (e.g. IT) and Subject matter expert
    > consultants.  Contracts may be very specific in deliverables, or much
    > more open ended.  May be duration or task based.

In Canada our federal tax people ("Revenue Canada", now "CRA") have rules
about whether people are contractor/consultants or employees, and generally contractors:
   - work when they want
   - where they want.
   - bring their own tools
     [what that means in an era of "cloud" tools on corporate accounts...]

If the contractee specifies too much of this, then they become an employee.
Among federal departments who are most blantant about disregarding those
rules, is naturally, CRA.

    > The main problem I see with trying to do this role as an "employee", 
    > is that the LLC doesn't have a deep enough organization to handle an
    > employee as senior and independent as the role needs to be.   It's
    > possible that the "employee with a contract" model might work, but
    > given our experience with Heather and the fact that we were only
    > utilizing  about 50% or so of her time, it might be difficult to cover
    > the additional 50% of an full time employee and keep them fully engaged
    > and interested year after year.

I don't think it's the details of this "clerical" mechanism that matters.
It's the process (RFP+BID) vs Search-committee+interview that matters.

    > As I was writing the above, something struck me.   Heather (and Jon,
    > Bob and Joyce before her) is as senior and competent in her field as
    > the various lawyers we've engaged to deal with the LLC, Trust etc over
    > the years are in theirs.  We wouldn't think it would be a good idea to
    > micromanage the lawyers (and I'm sure they wouldn't tolerate it).  I'm
    > not quite sure why we thought it was a good idea to provide the level
    > of "oversight" and management to such a senior level position, and that
    > appears to have been part of the problem.

:-)
+10.

I thought the RSOC was also responsible for the details of the RPC contract.

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