What is the enforcement process?
Detailed enforcement procedures will be published in next month’s issue of The Director, but here is a general overview of the process: Following the filing of a complaint, the chair of the Code of Conduct Committee will make a preliminary determination that the complaint is directed against an NFDA member and alleges an act or omission that could be a violation of the NFDA Constitution, Bylaws or Code of Professional Conduct. If it does not, the chair will notify the complainant that the committee will not accept jurisdiction and explain the basis for the finding. The chair may also decline to take jurisdiction if the matter is also subject of a complaint filed with a state association. Complaints within NFDA’s jurisdiction will be fully investigated by committee members, working in conjunction with NFDA staff, and a case report will be issued. Within 10 days of receipt of the case report, the chair will take one of the following actions: attempt to mediate the complaint, refer it to
The goal of Code Enforcement is voluntary compliance. Our officers are directed to work with every person to try to gain this voluntary compliance. Our officers start with informal methods to establish communication and build an understanding so that everyone can work towards compliance. If these efforts fail, our officers have the option to issue citations or formal notices of violations. Our citations are similar to traffic tickets and are managed by the Circuit Court in Ft. Myers. Fines for citations can be as high as five hundred (500) dollars or they may involve court orders from the Judge. Our “Notice of Violations” are a formal method used to put the property owner/violator on notice that if the situation is not corrected, they will be scheduled for a hearing. The City of Bonita Springs uses the Special Magistrate for their hearings. This special magistrate is called a Hearing Examiner. This is an individual assigned to hear cases, make findings as to whether the violations exis
Leading up to May 1, 2002 Prevention staff provided information on the amended requirements. This was a period of education and consultation with affected stakeholders. After the effective date of May 1, 2002 employers were expected to be in compliance with the amended environmental tobacco smoke requirements. Non-compliance can result in enforcement action.
A. Anyone may submit an ethics query or file a complaint alleging violation of the AFP Code of Ethical Principles by an AFP member or person holding an AFP-sanctioned credential, whether or not the person lodging the query or complaint is a member of AFP. Inquiries about actions of members are held strictly confidential and may be made only to the Office of the President and CEO. Before filing a complaint or submitting an ethics query, you may call and have a conversation to see if you wish to proceed. An ethics query is a means for inquiring whether a practice warrants filing a complaint alleging a violation of the AFP Code, and for requesting assistance from the Ethics Committee to resolve an issue or practice of concern without invoking the formal Code enforcement process. The goal is to bring about improvement in professional practice without having to resort to enforcement proceedings. An ethics query may be lodged via a confidential letter or memorandum to the Office of the AFP P
