Leave of Absence
A guide may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) when personal problems make guiding impossible. Minimum responsibility of a guide on LOA, who is not incapacitated or out of the area, is attendance at New Exhibit Walk-throughs.
The request for an LOA, not exceeding one calendar year, must be submitted in writing to the Guild Education Coordinator. On some occasions, an LOA may be extended for an additional six months by requesting the extension in writing to the Education Coordinator.
At the conclusion of an LOA, the guide must confer with the Museum Education Services Manager and Guild Coordinator of Museum Education before resuming guide services to arrange a reorientation program. A reorientation program may include any, or all of the following activities.
- Observation of three tours given by other guides and recorded on the Las Guias Sign In program in the Guild Room;
- Training in all current changing exhibits;
- Demonstration of ability to tour Home and Highlights through practice tours observed by the Guild Education Coordinator or his/her designee.
- Attendance at Guild Short Course “Native Peoples of the Southwest”;
- Performance Review by the Performance Review Committee;
Each reorientation program will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Influencing factors include, but are not limited to, length of LOA, museum contact during LOA, and length of previous La Guias experience.
After an LOA of eighteen months, a returning guide’s reorientation program must include a Performance Review and may include retaking the Las Guias Class.
Resignation
A guide (active or on an LOA) who becomes unable to maintain his/her commitment must submit a written resignation to the Guild Education Coordinator. A permanent Record of Las Guias Service can thus be completed.
To return after resignation, a former guide must re-take the Las Guias Class. A guide who is not on an LOA and who does not tour for one tour year will be considered to have resigned. To return after resignation, a former guide must retake the Las Guias Class.