Ethics Policies and Procedures

All applicants and credential holders are responsible for ensuring their behavior adheres to the respective code of ethics or ethical standards.

Before becoming credentialed, applicants must complete all portions of the respective application and disclose required legal, criminal and disciplinary matters. Following application, CCE policy also requires applicants and credential holders to provide a written disclosure within 60 days of becoming aware of any of the following:

  • Prior criminal felony, misdemeanor, and other criminal convictions.
  • Current and pending criminal felony, misdemeanor, and other charges, including complaints and indictments.
  • State Court matters where the candidate/credential holder was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or controlled substances within ten (10) years prior to the date of their initial credential application or credential maintenance application.
  • Government agency and professional/occupational organization conduct or other complaint matters relating to the candidate/credential holder, including disciplinary and complaint matters, within ten (10) years prior to the date of their initial credential application or credential maintenance application.
  • Legal matters related to the candidate’s/credential holder’s business or professional/occupational activities, including civil complaints and lawsuits.

A reminder of the disclosure requirement is provided with the statement of annual maintenance fees. By submitting this information or providing payment to CCE, credential holders accept responsibility for adhering to CCE policies and agreements, fulfilling the continuing education requirements and abiding by the code of ethics.

Application disclosures and other similar matters are reviewed in accordance with CCE procedures, including the Credential Eligibility Policy-Ethics and the Ethics Case Procedures.

All CCE codes of ethics, policies and procedures are available free of charge through the links at left. You may also request a hard copy by contacting ethics@cce-global.org.

All applicants and credential holders are required to disclose prior or current:

  • Prior criminal felony, misdemeanor, and other criminal convictions.
  • Current and pending criminal felony, misdemeanor, and other charges, including complaints and indictments.
  • State Court matters where the candidate/credential holder was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or controlled substances within ten (10) years prior to the date of their initial credential application or credential maintenance application.
  • Government agency and professional/occupational organization conduct or other complaint matters relating to the candidate/credential holder, including disciplinary and complaint matters, within ten (10) years prior to the date of their initial credential application or credential maintenance application.
  • Legal matters related to the candidate’s/credential holder’s business or professional/occupational activities, including civil complaints and lawsuits.

Credentialing through CCE represents to clients and members of the public that, among other things, a credential holder has met the criteria outlined in the application and that the credential holder’s conduct is consistent with the respective code of ethics and CCE policies and agreements. The director of ethics reviews all application disclosures on a case-by-case basis to determine whether an applicant or certificant has acted in accordance with CCE policies and agreements.

When CCE receives an application that includes an ethics disclosure, the application and all submitted information are sent to the CCE Ethics Department. Each disclosure is reviewed, and if additional information is necessary, a letter is sent to the address of record. The director of ethics issues a written decision to the applicant. Following resolution, the application is returned to CCE Credentialing Services, where staff members review the application to ensure that all other eligibility requirements have been met. CCE Credentialing Services informs the applicant if any other information is needed for the application review.

Depending on the type of matter and location, final disposition documentation may be titled differently. Examples of final court disposition documentation are provided in the menu tab (Sample documents) for general reference. Please note that if the disclosed matter relates to a professional disciplinary or state board complaint, the documentation will be different.

In most cases, the final disposition documentation should be issued by a judge or similar authority; thus, it will contain an authorizing signature. It should name and describe the charge(s) and identify the outcome as well as sanctions/requirements. Finally, the applicant or credential holder should also provide documentation showing completion of the required actions.

All ethics matters must be satisfactorily resolved in all respects before a final review decision can be made.

A code of ethics is a set of rules that identify minimal standards of conduct. Generally speaking, these policy documents are adopted by regulatory groups, such as credentialing organizations (e.g., CCE), state licensure boards and membership organizations. All CCE credential holders and applicants are required to abide by the respective CCE code of ethics. Not only do these codes guide decision making, they also provide an assurance for the ethical practice for all persons who use the services of CCE credential holders and applicants. The CCE ethics department is responsible for overseeing the process of reviewing grievances regarding CCE ethics policies and agreements.

Licensure laws are created by legislators or elected officials and adopted by governmental entities. The primary purpose of state licensure laws is to protect the public. This is done, in part, by legally defining who can use a particular title or who can provide certain services in a particular state. Laws are enforced by agents of government, such as state boards. State licensure boards are established by, and administered in accordance with, applicable legal requirements

All CCE credential codes of ethics are available to anyone free of charge. They may be downloaded from the menu on the left. You may also request hard copies by contacting ethics@cce-global.org.

The director of ethics reviews ethics-related matters to determine if credential holders or applicants have acted in accordance with the respective code of ethics. To do this, the ethics department adheres to the procedures identified in the CCE Ethics Case Procedures. These procedures also specify the disciplinary actions that CCE may impose with respect to a determination that a credential holder or applicant has violated the respective code of ethics. A copy of the Ethics Case Procedures is available free of charge from the menu on the left.


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