The National Weather Association Code of Ethics
 Adopted by the NWA Board of Directors
October 25, 2022

Grievance Policy
NWA Bylaws
Privacy Policy

The National Weather Association Code of Ethics Policy 

The National Weather Association (“NWA”) holds the belief that weather professionals, researchers, and enthusiasts can come together for lively, cutting-edge professional development. NWA networking and social awareness opportunities will inform the public and expand the knowledge and understanding of a field that affects all of society. The Purpose of the NWA is to gather the greatest minds in diverse industries across the weather enterprise. The NWA and its members are dedicated to improving operational meteorology and ensuring that the public and other users are ready, responsive, and resilient to weather impacts. 

The NWA and its members are committed to upholding the following principles: 

• Promoting an environment that fosters conversation, community, respect, diversity, fairness, and engagement. 
• Acting with honesty, integrity, and professionalism. 
• Promoting professional endeavors that build respect, credibility, and strategic importance for the meteorology profession within our organizations, the business community, and the communities in which we work. 
• Treating every individual with dignity and respect. 
• Ensuring inclusiveness for all members. 
• Ensuring the NWA staff, Board, and volunteers reflect diversity to enrich our programs and effectiveness by taking meaningful steps to promote inclusiveness in hiring, retention, promotion, Board recruitment and all the elements of society we serve. 
• Being good corporate citizens, complying with both the spirit and letter of the law. 
• Transparency, traceability, and integrity as core values in all members, science research, and in the provision for scientific advice for decision-making. 
• Avoiding conflicts of interest and appropriately handling actual or apparent conflicts of interest in our relationships. 
• Acting responsibly toward the communities in which we work, for the benefit of the communities that we serve.  

The NWA and its members further agree to not use the NWA or its membership services, including the NWA Community: 

• To harass, abuse or threaten others or otherwise violate a person’s legal rights. 
• To violate any intellectual property rights of the NWA or any other third party. 
• To upload or otherwise disseminate any computer viruses or other software that may damage the property of another. 
• To perpetrate any fraud. 
• To engage in or create any unlawful gambling, sweepstakes, or sales scheme. 
• To publish or distribute any obscene or defamatory material. 
• To publish or distribute any material that incites violence, hate, or discrimination towards any group or member. 
• To unlawfully gather information about others. 

Violations of this policy will result in immediate removal from the NWA Community and possible removal of membership. 

Per the NWA Bylaws §2.3, NWA members must abide by the Code of Ethics of the Association to be entitled to membership benefits, including voting rights.

NATIONAL WEATHER ASSOCIATION CODE OF ETHICS GRIEVANCE POLICY

If an employee, NWA member, or member of the public believes any NWA policy, including the NWA Code of Ethics, has been violated, that individual may avail themselves of this complaint procedure.

Grievance Procedure

No individual will be discriminated against for filing a grievance. Individuals and the NWA will follow this reporting procedure unless the situation does not allow these steps to be followed. In such a case, documentation will be made of why this was not possible and what steps were followed.

To ensure proper and timely resolution to the complaint, an individual should file a report within 90 days of being made aware of the situation. Reports not filed within that time frame may be considered to have been waived.

Before filing a grievance, the reporting individual is encouraged to discuss the problem that gave rise to the grievance with the person with whom the individual is struggling. If such a discussion is not possible given the details of the situation, the individual is still encouraged to take those actions described below.

If the informal discussion is not possible or does not resolve the problem, the individual shall submit a written grievance to the NWA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) through email ([email protected]). The CEO shall schedule a meeting with the aggrieved party within 5 business days to discuss the grievance and determine next steps. Within 20 business days of when the meeting was held, the CEO shall issue a written response to the individual with a determination or resolution. If the CEO determines that membership, title, or Seal and/or award removal is appropriate, the CEO will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors for a vote per the NWA Bylaws. The CEO will inform the Board of Directors of the complaint, the resolution, and share all related information. The Board of Directors will evaluate the complaint or appeal and all related information to determine what action, if any, is warranted. At any time, the Board of Directors may direct the CEO to contact the person against whom the complaint was filed to discuss the situation. After thorough and thoughtful evaluation, the Board of Directors will vote on a resolution and future action, if any.

The CEO will inform the person against whom the complaint was filed of the complaint and the Board of Directors’ decision with the President copied on all correspondence and/or included in all meetings or calls related to that notice. The CEO will then inform the complainant of the Board of Directors’ decision. No public statement or comments shall be made by the NWA, its employees, or members of the Board of Directors unless voted upon and approved by the Board of Directors. The decision of the Board of Directors is final.

If the individual is dissatisfied with the response of the CEO or if the individual is not able to report the grievance to the CEO (such as situations including, but not limited to, the report being about the CEO or someone closely connected to that person) the report should be made directly to the President of the NWA. The grievance or appeal should be submitted via email at [email protected]. Upon receipt of the written grievance or appeal, the President shall respond to the complainant or appeal within 5 business days to discuss the grievance, either through email, phone call, or meeting. The President will inform the Board of Directors of the complaint or appeal and share all related information.

Disciplinary Action

Actions include, but are not limited to, disciplinary warning, revocation of Seals and/or awards, or removal of membership and all rights or benefits of membership within the NWA (according to the Bylaws).

Documentation

Documentation of all grievances will be maintained (separate from employee personnel files) by the NWA CEO. Documentation will include the initial complaint, steps taken in response, and all related correspondence with both parties.

No Retaliation

No one will be subject to, and NWA prohibits, any form of discipline, reprisal, intimidation, or retaliation for good faith reports or complaints of incidents of any kind or cooperating in related investigations.