The JEA board approved this policy 7-0 on April 16, 2015.
The Journalism Education Association (JEA) is committed to operating in furtherance of its tax-exempt purposes and in compliance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations, including those concerning accounting and auditing, and prohibits fraudulent practices by any of its board members, officers, employees or volunteers. This policy outlines a procedure for JEA board members, officers, employees, or volunteers to report actions they reasonably believe violate a law or regulation or that constitutes fraudulent accounting or other illegal or unethical practices. This policy applies to any matter which is related to JEA’s business and does not relate to private acts of an individual not connected to the business of JEA.
If a JEA board member, officer, employee or volunteer has a reasonable belief that a JEA board member, officer, employee or volunteer has engaged in any action that violates any applicable law or regulation, including those concerning accounting and auditing, or constitutes a fraudulent practice, the employee is expected to immediately report such information to the executive director. If a board member, officer, employee or volunteer does not feel comfortable reporting the information to the executive director, he or she is expected to report the information to the current president and vice president.
All reports will be followed up promptly, and an investigation conducted. In conducting its investigations, JEA will strive to keep the identity of the reporting individual as confidential as possible, while conducting an adequate review and investigation.
JEA will not retaliate against board members, officers, employees or volunteers in the terms and conditions of employment or service because the board member, officer, employee or volunteer: (a) reports to a supervisor, to the executive director, the president or vice president and/or to a federal, state or local agency what the employee believes in good faith to be a violation of the law; or (b) participates in good faith in any resulting investigation or proceeding; or (c) exercises his or her rights under any state or federal law(s) or regulation(s) to pursue a claim or take legal action to protect the his or her rights.
JEA may take disciplinary action (up to and including termination or removal from the JEA Board of Directors or board committee) against an individual who in management’s assessment has engaged in retaliatory conduct in violation of this policy.
In addition, JEA will not, with the intent to retaliate, take any action harmful to any board members, officers, employees or volunteers who have provided to law enforcement personnel or a court truthful information relating to the commission or possible commission by JEA of a violation of any applicable law or regulation.
Board members, officers, employees and volunteers will be trained on this policy and JEA’s prohibition against retaliation in accordance with this policy.