Discussion around a new hate speech policy from the National Association of Realtors has largely focused on fairness toward those who may be accused of violating the policy. But some members have questioned the lack of diversity among those who will be deciding the outcomes of such ethics complaints.
Inman Connect
Discussion around a new hate speech policy from the National Association of Realtors has largely focused on fairness toward those who may be accused of violating the policy. But on the other side, some members have questioned the lack of diversity among those who will be deciding the outcomes of such ethics complaints a problem the 1.4 million-member trade group says it is working on.
Inman Connect
A Realtor’s publicly stated interpretation of religious scripture can violate the Realtor Code of Ethics, according to case interpretations approved by a committee of the National Association of Realtors.
The 1.4 million-member trade group kicked off its midyear conference, the Realtors Legislative Meetings, on Monday with virtual, live streamed meetings of the Professional Standards Forum and the Professional Standards Committee. As promised, the committee voted on case interpretations of a new policy against hate speech NAR’s board of directors approved in November.
The policy, Standard of Practice 10-5, reads as follows: “Realtors must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”
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Although some Realtors feared an avalanche of ethics complaints after the National Association of Realtors approved a new policy against hate speech in November, those fears appear to not have materialized thus far.
The changes, which became effective immediately on Nov. 13 and are not retroactive, apply NAR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to all of a Realtor’s activities, not just those related to real estate; prohibit hate and harassing speech against protected classes; prohibit all discrimination, not just willful discrimination, against protected classes; and recommend that ethics violations be considered under membership qualification criteria.
Violating the National Association of Realtors’ new policy against hate speech is considered a serious offense and will be punished accordingly, according to the fourth of six monthly training webinars the 1.4 million-member trade group is hosting in the wake of the ethics changes.
The changes, which became effective immediately on Nov. 13 and are not retroactive, apply NAR’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice to all of a Realtor’s activities, not just those related to real estate; prohibit hate and harassing speech against protected classes; prohibit all discrimination, not just willful discrimination, against protected classes; and recommend that ethics violations be considered under membership qualification criteria.