NECA Events Code Of Conduct

The National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is committed to fostering a welcoming environment that is safe, collaborative, and productive for supporting dialogue and discovery for all attendees at NECA-sponsored events. NECA truly values the participation of all attendees and participants. All who register to participate, attend, speak at, or exhibit at a NECA Event agree to comply with this NECA Events Code of Conduct.

1. Introduction
NECA requires individual event participants, which definition includes, but is not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, NECA employees and staff members, service providers, and all others related to the event (Participants) to uphold the professional and educational purposes of NECA and its events by respecting the rights, privacy, safety, and dignity of all persons. All Participants must exercise professionalism, consideration, and respect in their speech and actions. NECA expects Participants to refrain from discriminatory and harassing speech and other discriminatory and harassing behavior.

2. Scope and Application
All Participants are expected to abide by this NECA Events Code of Conduct. These provisions apply to both live events as well as any virtual gathering or event that is hosted or sponsored by NECA, including but not limited to virtual educational programs, virtual exhibits, committee meetings, written comment and discussion groups, online presence (i.e., NECA meeting hashtags and other social media), professional gatherings, and platforms and settings ancillary thereto (each a “NECA Event”).

3. Harassment and Discrimination Free Environment
Consistent with its Standing Policy 7: Diversity and Inclusion, as well as its commitment embodied within the NECA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Task Force, NECA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for all meetings and convention attendees regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, experience, or religion. NECA does not tolerate harassment, discrimination or hostility in any form.

At NECA Events, Participants often combine professional activities with social interaction with other Participants, venue staff, and other attendees. While NECA encourages such networking and strengthening of connections between Participants, NECA reserves the right to remove any Participant whose social attentions become unwelcome to another and who persists in such attentions after their unwelcome nature has been communicated.

4. Responsible Use of Alcohol
All Participants are individually responsible for their actions and behaviors when consuming alcohol at any NECA Event and may be held personally liable for any improper incident or action that results from overindulgence or illegal use of intoxicants. NECA expects and requires all Participants to act professionally and lawfully at all times when attending any NECA Event, and the presence of alcohol at our social functions does not change this expectation.

It is the Participant’s sole responsibility to ensure that he/she does not operate any vehicle or machinery while they may be under the influence of alcohol as determined by the local, state, or federal legal limit in the jurisdiction where the NECA Event is held.

5. NECA Employee and Staff Attendance
NECA National and Chapter employees attend NECA Events as professional representatives of the National organization and their local NECA Chapter. NECA National employees are expected to attend the schedule of events for each NECA Event unless they are excused by their supervisor. Travel should be arranged to accommodate this obligation.

6. Examples of Acceptable and Unacceptable Behavior

Expected Behavior includes, but is not limited to:

• Respect common-sense rules for public behavior, personal interaction, courtesy, and respect for private property.
• Respect the rules and policies of NECA, the meeting venue, hotels, and city.
• Be considerate, respectful, and collaborative.
• Be mindful of your fellow participants. Alert conference organizers if you notice a dangerous situation or someone in distress.
• Participate in an authentic and active way.
• Be mindful of the “Know Before You Go” and the meeting expectations and schedule.

Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to:

• Unwelcome and uninvited attention or contact with another Participant.
• Verbal or written comments, or visual images, that are sexually suggestive, or that denigrate or show hostility or aversion toward an individual, or group of individuals, or that create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment, or that unreasonably interfere with an individual’s ability to participate in the NECA Event.
• Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other unwelcome physical, verbal, visual, or other conduct of a sexual nature.
• Intimidating, harassing, abusive, defamatory, profane, discriminatory, derogatory or demeaning speech.
• Deliberate intimidation or stalking.
• Harassing photography or recording.
• Sustained or repeated disruption of talks or other events.
• Actual or threatened personal or professional retaliation for a rejection or report of unacceptable behavior.
• Offensive or inappropriate meeting attire.
• Failing to stop or report unacceptable behavior when requested by a Participant or NECA.

7. Reporting Unacceptable Behavior
Any Participant whose safety is threatened or violated is urged to contact local law enforcement immediately. You may also report any incident or inappropriate behavior to James Fagan, Senior Vice President, Labor Relations and Risk Management at (202) 991-6245 and/or [email protected] for prompt onsite incident response.

In addition, any Participant who feels unsafe or experiences unwelcome conduct, who observes or experiences unacceptable behavior, or who believes there has been a violation of this Code of Conduct, is encouraged to send an e-mail to [email protected]. Reports may be anonymous or attributed. NECA will use its best efforts to respond to a Participant promptly, recognizing that it will not be possible to follow up directly with a Participant whose report is anonymous, and that NECA may have less ability to investigate fully an anonymous report.

Any NECA National or Chapter employee who experiences unacceptable behavior or observes unacceptable behavior toward another employee is encouraged to report the incident to Human Resources, his/her/their immediate supervisor, or any manager. Employees may also choose the reporting methods described above, or the internal NECA hotline number/e-mail, or any procedure described in NECA employee policies.

8. Consequences of Reported Unacceptable Behavior
NECA is a private association. Violation of this Code of Conduct, as determined by NECA in its sole discretion, is grounds for any action that NECA deems appropriate, including but not limited to warning the offender, removing or denying the offender access to a NECA Event (including revoking or denying registration to a NECA Event), suspending or terminating the offender’s access to the NECA Event, barring the offender from other NECA Event(s), and disciplinary action against NECA employees and staff. NECA reserves the right to take whatever action it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, with respect to the investigation of any matters related to this Code of Conduct.

Upon receiving a report of unacceptable behavior, NECA’s first priority will be the safety and security of Participants. When facts are in dispute or cannot be fully established, NECA reserves the right to take the action most likely to safeguard the safety and security of Participants, including termination of a Participant’s presence or account for the remainder of the NECA Event. Any person who is removed or is denied access to or whose access is terminated during a NECA Event based on this Code of Conduct may request that NECA review the matter after the NECA Event has concluded. However, NECA’s action will be effective immediately and will continue until and unless NECA issues a contrary decision. Unless a contrary decision is issued, any person who is denied access to or removed from a NECA Event based on this Code of Conduct will not be eligible for a refund of any registration fees paid for access to or participation in the NECA Event.

Nothing in this policy is intended to infringe upon employee rights under Section Seven (7) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

David Long
NECA CEO

Download NECA Events Code of Conduct (PDF)