Each affiliate is required to have an Ethics Liaison who is responsible for providing ethics advice and guidance, and assisting with enforcement of the SEIU Code of Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policy (“Ethics Code”). If you need the contact information of your affiliate’s Ethics Liaison, please contact Confidential Ethics Program Manager Tiffany Morris at [email protected]. 

You can also contact the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson, who is likewise responsible for providing ethics advice and guidance, and responding to ethics concerns and complaints. You can reach the Ethics Ombudsperson at [email protected].

If your ethics concern or complaint is related to your local union, you are encouraged to contact your affiliate’s Ethics Liaison before contacting the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson. Unless there are special circumstances, the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson will likely refer your complaint or concern back to your affiliate’s ethics liaison for further handling, as appropriate.

Any union member, officer, executive board member, or staff person of the International Union or an affiliate may file an ethics complaint.

An ethics complaint may be initiated by submitting a written complaint, including an email, to an affiliate Ethics Liaison or to the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson. A complaint should clearly and concisely describe the alleged facts and circumstances giving rise to the complaint, and identify the specific section(s) of the Ethics Code that was allegedly violated.

If your complaint does not clearly identify the specific section(s) of the Ethics Code that was allegedly violated, it may be dismissed for failing to arise under the Ethics Code. Also, please note that a complaint alleging only a violation of Ethics Code Part A: Preamble may be dismissed unless it identifies another specific provision of the Ethics Code that was allegedly violated.

An ethics complaint directed to an affiliate Ethics Liaison should be submitted in accordance with the affiliate’s ethics complaint process. For more information on that process, contact your affiliate’s Ethics Liaison. An ethics complaint directed to the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson can be submitted to [email protected].

SEIU will make all reasonable efforts to keep confidential the identity of any person(s) raising an ethics concern, inquiry, report or complaint under the Ethics Code unless disclosure is authorized by the complainant or is required for SEIU to carry out its fiduciary or legal duties. SEIU will also treat communications concerning ethics complaints or concerns with as much confidentiality and discretion as possible, provided that it remains able to conduct a complete and fair investigation, carry out its fiduciary and legal duties, and review its operations as necessary.

An ethics complaint will be initially evaluated to determine whether, assuming the factual allegations in the complaint are true, the complaint alleges a violation of a specific, numbered provision of the Ethics Code. If it does not, the complaint will likely be dismissed.

If there is cause to process a complaint, the affiliate Ethics Liaison or Ethics Ombudsperson will determine whether an investigation and/or other appropriate action is required. Depending on the circumstances, a complaint might be processed jointly by both an affiliate Ethics Liaison and the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson. Also, when appropriate, a complaint filed with the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson might be referred to an affiliate Ethics Liaison for further processing, or vice-versa.

Sometimes an ethics complaint can be resolved informally. For example, if a complaint does not involve an alleged violation of the Ethics Code, a complainant may be referred to a different process to address their complaint.

Other times, an ethics complaint may result in a written report. For example, if it is determined that the Ethics Code was violated, the affiliate Ethics Liaison and/or SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson may prepare a written report describing their findings and conclusions and include recommendations for appropriate remedial action.

The Ethics Office sometimes receives complaints that a local union did not provide adequate representation to a member in connection with their grievance or other workplace dispute with their employer. Please note that unless such a complaint sufficiently identifies a specific provision of the Ethics Code that was violated by such conduct, an ethics complaint alleging inadequate representation by a local union will likely be dismissed and/or referred to the union’s Member Concerns process (see Member Concerns FAQ).

If you are dissatisfied with the report and recommendations of the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson following the filing of an ethics complaint, you have the ability to appeal to the Ethics Review Board in accordance with the applicable rules. Those rules can be found at seiu.org/code-of-ethics. However, please note that a determination by the SEIU Ethics Office that a complaint does not arise under the Ethics Code is not a determination that is appealable to the Ethics Review Board.