Ethics FAQ: The Ethics Complaint Process

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.

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 Omubdsperson can be submitted to ethics@seiu.org.

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.

A complaint involving an affiliate will ordinarily be processed by the affiliate Ethics Liaison, and a complaint involving the International Union will ordinarily be processed by the SEIU Ethics Ombudsperson. However, when appropriate, 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.

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 www.seiu.org/code-of-ethics.