Whistleblower Protection Policy
Research!America requires directors, officers and employees to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As employees and representatives of Research!America, we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage employees and others to reports what he or she in good faith believes to be a violation of law or policy, including Research!America’s Code of Ethics, fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of Research!America’s resources or property, or questionable accounting or auditing matters by Research!America or its agents.
It is the responsibility of all directors, officers and employees to report what he or she in good faith believes to be a violation of law or policy, fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of Research!America’s resources or property, or questionable accounting or auditing matters, in accordance with this Whistleblower Policy.
To encourage employees and representatives to promptly disclose questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints that could potentially impact the integrity of Research!America, employees are asked to report such concerns, on a confidential basis, to a member of the executive staff or to the Chair of the Audit Committee, the Chair of the Board, or other officers of Research!America. Complaints or concerns will be turned over to Research!America’s president or Board chair for investigation and the results of the investigation will be reported to the Audit Committee or Executive Committee. Investigative outcomes will be maintained on a confidential basis in the office of the president or chair. A copy of the report will be made available to the employee making the disclosure.
Anyone filing a complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation of law or policy, fraudulent or dishonest use or misuse of Research!America’s resources or property, or questionable accounting or auditing matters by Research!America or its agents. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be considered a serious disciplinary offense and may result in disciplinary action.
Should any employee disclose such information, Research!America will:
- Maintain a confidential record of any complaint or concern raised about the integrity of Research!America;
- Address those complaints and concerns in a reasonably prompt manner.
- Disclose any complaints or concerns of a financial and conflict-of-interest nature to the Audit Committee of the Research!America Board of Directors and to the Executive Committee for other corporate concerns, along with the corrective action taken or planned to address the issues raised;
- Ensure that any individual, who in good faith, brings such complaints or concerns forward will not be subject to any adverse employee action based on the disclosure of those complaints or concerns. Harassment, intimidation, retaliation or discrimination against employees will not be tolerated. Employees who engage in such reprisals will be subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.
- Research!America and any of its agents shall not discharge or in any way discriminate against an employee because the employee, in good faith, has filed a complaint or has testified or otherwise acted to exercise his or her rights under this policy or in accordance with the laws of the State of Virginia.
This policy is available for public viewing on Research!America’s website: www.researchamerica.org.
Updated and Approved by the Board of Directors on December 8, 2016