into actual practice. While no document can anticipate all of the challenges that may arise, the Code of Ethics values communicate key guidelines and will assist UWLS Board members, staff, volunteers and representatives in making good decisions that are ethical and in accordance with applicable legal requirements. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY: A personal commitment to integrity in all circumstances benefits each individual as well as the organization. We therefore: Strive to meet the highest standards of performance, quality, service and achievement in working towards the UWLS mission. Communicate honestly and openly and avoid misrepresentation. Promote a working environment where honesty, open communication and minority opinions are valued. Exhibit respect and fairness toward all with whom we come into contact. ACCOUNTABILITY: UWLS is responsible to its stakeholders, include partner agencies, donors and others in the community who have placed faith in UWLS. To uphold this trust we: Promote good stewardship of UWLS resources, including donations, grants and contributions that are used to pay for community program services, fundraising expenses and operating expenses. Refrain from using organizational resources for non-UWLS purposes. Observe and comply with all laws and regulations affecting UWLS as a non-profit entity. SOLICITATIONS & VOLUNTARY GIVING: The most responsive contributors are who have the opportunity to become informed and involved. We therefore: Promote voluntary giving in dealing with donors and vendors. Refrain from any use of coercion in fundraising activities, including predicating professional advancement on the response to solicitations. DIVERSITY & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY: UWLS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to the principle of diversity. We therefore: champion and embrace diversity in all aspects of UWLS activities and respect others without regard to race, color religion, creed, age, gender, national origin or ancestry, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or status as a qualified disabled or handicapped individual. Support affirmative action and equal opportunity programs. Refuse to engage in or tolerate in any form of discrimination or harassment. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: To avoid any conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest which could tarnish the reputation of UWLS or undermine the public's trust, UWLS Board members, staff, volunteers, and representatives should: Avoid any activity or outside interest which conflicts or appears to conflict with the best interest of UWLS, including involvement with a current or potential UWLS vendor, grantee or competing organization unless
Grantee is responsible for returning all grant funds not expended during the approved spending period Grantee will maintain good communication with UWLS Grantee will maintain proper nondiscrimination policies UNALLOWABLE GRANT EXPENSES Salaries (excluding direct program salaries) Capital expenses Lobbying activities Activities specifically religious in nature United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties, Inc. RECORD RETENTION POLICY The United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties, Inc. (UWLS) takes seriously its obligations to preserve information relating to litigation, audits, and investigations. The Act makes it a crime to alter, cover up, falsify, or destroy any document to prevent its use in an official proceeding. Failure on the part of employees to follow this policy can result in possible civil and criminal sanctions against the UWLS and its employees and possible disciplinary action against responsible individuals (up to and including termination of employment). Each employee has an obligation to contact the chief executive or chief financial officer of a potential or actual litigation, external audit, investigation, or similar proceeding involving the UWLS. The information listed in the retention schedule below is intended as a guideline and may not contain all the records the UWLS may be required to keep in the future. Questions regarding the retention of documents not listed in this chart should be directed to the CEO and or the Finance department. From time to time, the CEO may issue a notice, known as a “legal hold,” suspending the destruction of records due to pending, threatened, or otherwise reasonably foreseeable litigation, audits, government investigations, or similar proceedings. No records specified in any legal hold may be destroyed, even if the scheduled destruction date has passed, until the legal hold is withdrawn in writing by the chief executive. File Category Item Retention Period Corporate Records Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation Permanent Corporate resolutions Permanent Board and committee meeting agendas and minutes Permanent Conflict-of-interest disclosure 5 years Finance and Financial statements (audited) Permanent Auditor management letters Permanent Payroll records Permanent
issue through informal channels. The following information should be included: Grievance Statement—A description of the issue, including the policy or rule that the staff member alleges was violated, if applicable, and the name of the respondent. Background—A statement of the relevant facts supporting the staff member's position, including information about the impact the issue has had or is having on the staff member. Requested Resolution—A statement of what the staff member is requesting as a satisfactory resolution to the grievance. Staff members cannot modify or expand a grievance once it has been submitted for consideration. If a staff member who has already filed a grievance wishes to pursue new issues, a new grievance must be filed. Staff members can, however, supplement their initial grievance statement with additional information in order to clarify the issues further. The staff member can stop the grievance process at any time by giving written notice. Grievance Resolution Procedure-CEO not involved in grievance Step 1 The CEO schedules individual and/or group meetings with the staff member and the respondent named in the staff member's grievance statement within five working days of receiving the written statement from the staff member. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the issues raised by the staff member and to consider possible solutions. Prior to this meeting, the CEO arranges for the respondent named in the grievance to receive a copy of the staff member's grievance statement. The respondent named in the grievance is required to respond in writing to the CEO within five working days following the meeting with the CEO. The CEO will provide a copy of this communication to the staff member within 5 working days. Step 2 If any one of the following occurs: respondent named in the grievance refuses to attend the meeting; respondent named in the grievance does not respond to the staff member's grievance in writing within five working days following the meeting with the CEO; the grievant notifies the CEO in writing within 5 days of receiving the respondent's response that he/she does not agree that the grievance has been satisfactorily resolved