Tuesday, September 5, 2006

Givebacks – a new approach to an old problem

By Rich Connors

Your board of directors has approved a new policy on givebacks. Gone forever are the days when death was the only valid excuse to give a game back to our Assignor. Today, with the new tools that Leslie has available, it is more efficient for games to go back to our Assignor to be re-assigned.

Here is the new procedure if you cannot work a game to which you have been assigned :

1. e-mail Leslie as soon as possible and let her know you cannot work the game.
2. If it's within 24 hours of the start of the game, you must call her in addition to emailing her. If she does not answer, leave a message.
3. Leslie will reassign the game.

Umpires are no longer required to find their own replacements for games that they have been assigned but cannot work. Umpires are no longer permitted to find their own replacement for high school varsity games, college games or top level summer ball games in which the participants are 17 years old and above. For these games, all assignments must go through Leslie.

There is a cost involved. It costs NBUA approximately $5 to assign an umpire to a game. You will be charged a fee of $5 for every game you give back unless it is one of the exceptions listed below. This is not a penalty. It is the cost to the Association of scheduling a new umpire to do a game. We believe it's fair that those who give back more games pay more.

There are some exceptions:

• Each umpire gets two "free" givebacks each year. This should accommodate most umpires.
• If the Assignor initiates a change in your schedule, you are not charged for a giveback.
• If an assignment conflicts with your written availability, and you notify the Assignor within three days of receiving the assignment of the conflict, you will not be charged for a giveback.
• If you find your own qualified replacement and the game involves participants who are all under 17 years of age or it is a PSSBL or Redmond Men's League game, you are not charged for a giveback.

In addition to the $5 giveback fee, a penalty of $20 will be assessed to any umpire who gives a game back within 24 hours of the start time of the game. If there are extenuating circumstances, you can appeal. Details of how to appeal will be published later.

NBUA will begin keeping track of every umpire's givebacks. Umpires that give back an inordinate number of games in relation to the number they work will no longer receive the best assignments for which they qualify. In extreme cases, they may only receive games off the open game list.

We believe this policy is fair to all involved. Umpires who work the games that they are assigned will keep more of their earnings. Those whose schedules require them to give back games occasionally will compensate the association for the extra work of reassigning the games. Those that abuse the system by giving back too high a percentage of their scheduled games to games worked will find that they will be limited to requesting games off the "open game" list.