BYLAWS AND POLICIES
1. Purpose and Scope:
LSA is committed to complying with all state and federal laws and regulations applicable to it. It is the responsibility of all directors, officers, employees, and volunteers to comply with State and Federal law and the Association’s policies contained herein. LSA will seek to prevent, deter, and detect violations of state and federal law through internal controls and operating procedures.
This Whistleblower Policy is designed to encourage and enable LSA employees and others to report their good faith concerns about misconduct, including violations of law, regulations, or LSA policies and procedures, including but not limited to the Ethics Policy. This Policy is not intended to supplant existing LSA policies. Thus, complaints or grievances such as those regarding discrimination or harassment, personnel, employment and labor relations matters, academic matters, and other matters for which LSA has specific policies, should continue to be made and addressed in accordance with the policies and procedures applicable to such matters and applicable law.
2. Reporting:
Any person may report allegations of misconduct and information relating to illegal practices or violations of policies of LSA. Reports shall focus on facts and should avoid speculation. Reports shall include as much detailed information as possible to facilitate evaluation of the nature, extent and urgency of the investigation.
Employees may report allegations of misconduct to their supervisor or other appropriate supervisors in their work area. Employees may also make reports internally to a member of the LSA governance body, typically the President of LSA’s Board of Trustees. All reports of misconduct relating to the President should be directed to the most current Past President or President-elect. LSA recommends that persons who are not employees of LSA make reports to the senior LSA administrator unless that administrator is the object of the report or holds one of the positions listed above. Reports of illegal actions may be made outside LSA to appropriate authorities.
Observed violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant or may be submitted anonymously. Anonymous reporting must include sufficient detailed information to warrant an investigation. All reports of observed violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.
The President, Past President, or President-elect of the Board of Trustees will notify the individual who made the report and acknowledge receipt of the report within five business days. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation.
Any reporter who makes a knowingly false or malicious allegation of misconduct, as described in this ***, shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary actions.
3. Protection from Retaliation:
This Whistleblower Protection Policy applies to all of the Organization’s staff, whether full-time, part-time, or temporary employees, to all members, to all who provide contract services, and to all officers and directors, each of whom shall be entitled to protection.
No individual, including staff or volunteer, who in good faith reports misconduct or suspected misconduct (whether internally or to authorities outside LSA) shall suffer retaliation, intimidation, harassment, or other adverse action for reporting information for having made such a report. Individuals who believe that they have suffered any form of retaliation may report it by one of the reporting methods identified above. Making a report pursuant to this Policy shall not insulate an individual from personnel or other actions that are warranted based upon performance or other factors and are not caused by making a report under this Policy.
Any individual within LSA who retaliates against another individual who has reported a violation in good faith or who, in good faith, has cooperated in the investigation of a violation is subject to discipline, including termination of employment or volunteer status.
Approved by the Law and Society Association Board of Trustees on May 28, 2014