ETHICS VIOLATION APPEALS PROCESS
In an effort to ensure fairness to all members facing disqualification, NAIW International has established the Ethics Violation Appeals Process to give members the right to respond to an ethical violation before revocation of membership rights. Below is a detailed description of how the Appeals process works.
1. Before action can be taken to revoke a membership for ethics violations, the member (Respondent) will be given the opportunity to respond to the charges.
2. The International President, or designee, shall set a hearing date for a conference call. The hearing date shall be set at a reasonable time after Notice, as determined solely by NAIW.
3. The International President, or designee, shall send a “Notice” to the Respondent. The Notice will inform the respondent of the specific sections of the Code of Ethics alleged to have been violated. The Notice shall be sent by email and by Certified Mail, to the last known address of the Respondent, return receipt requested.
4. The Respondent may write an “Answer” to the charges not later than ten (10) days prior to the date of the Hearing, addressed to the International President, and preferably sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. The Respondent may also provide an Answer by email. The Respondent may choose to proceed with the Hearing without filing an answer and may provide oral testimony only.
5. The International President or designee shall provide an electronic copy of the Answer via email to each member of the Board.
6. The Hearing shall be conducted by a Committee including the International President and three appointed members of the Board. To be appointed to the Committee, Board members must be nominated by the President and confirmed by a majority vote of the Board members.
7. The hearing shall be conducted by conference call. The call shall include the members of the Committee and the Respondent. The International President shall appoint a neutral Board member of the Committee to act as Hearing Chair. The Chair will introduce all parties and give a brief explanation of the purpose of the Hearing and how it should proceed. The Chair shall explain that each person will speak in turn as they are called upon. The Chair will ask the International President to present the alleged ethics code violation on behalf of NAIW. At the end of the President’s presentation, the Chair will ask any members of the Committee if they have any questions for the President. The Chair will then allow the Respondent to speak in defense of her Answer. Upon completion of the Respondent’s testimony, the Chair will ask each Committee member for questions. Once the Committee is satisfied with the oral testimony of the Respondent, the Respondent will be dismissed from the conference call. The Committee shall continue the discussion and make a recommendation to the Board whether the Respondent’s membership privileges should be revoked. The full Board will then vote on the Committee’s recommendation in a scheduled conference call.
8. The Board will make its best efforts to give Respondent a written decision within a reasonable amount of time after the Hearing. The Decision shall be sent to the Respondent by email and by mail, return receipt requested.