Safety and Responsibility

TheUserGroup.org, or TUG is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and TUG staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, TUG staff, service providers, and others are expected to abide by this Safety & Responsibility Policy. This Policy applies to all TUG meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than TUG but held in conjunction with TUG events, in public or private facilities.

Responsible Drinking

At most TUG networking events both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are served. TUG expects participants at our events to drink responsibly. TUG and TUG event staff have the right to deny service to participants for any reason, and may require a participant to leave the event.

Personal Safety and Security

TUG works diligently to provide a safe and secure environment at its meetings and events by working with both TUG event and venue staff to make sure meeting participants are safe. We ask that all attendees report any questionable or concerning activity to TUG staff so that they can take immediate action. No concern is too small, if you see something, say something.

It is strongly recommended that you:

• Are aware of your surroundings at all times;
• Use the buddy system when walking to and from the event venue, networking event locations during early or late hours;
• Do not wear your meeting badge outside of the event space(s). Take it off as soon as you leave the building/venue;
• Don’t carry a lot of cash or credit cards. Leave these in your hotel room safe;
• Don’t leave personal property unattended anywhere, anytime.

If it is an emergency and you need immediate assistance, please call 911 first and then contact event staff.

Unacceptable Behavior during live events is defined as:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

• Physical or verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, TUG staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

• Examples of unacceptable behavior include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, TUG staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

• Disruption of presentations at sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by TUG at the meeting venue, hotels, or other TUG-contracted facilities.

• TUG has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, TUG asks that you inform either Gary Brown, gbrown@membersinc.com or 410-603-9007 or Karen Brown, kbrown@membersinc.com or 410-713-9007 so that we can take the appropriate action.

TUG reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and TUG reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting.

TUG Online, Digital, Electronic and Virtual Meeting Code of Conduct

TUG is committed to providing a safe, productive, and welcoming environment for all meeting participants and event staff. All participants, including, but not limited to, attendees, speakers, volunteers, exhibitors, TUG staff members, service providers, and all others are expected to abide by this Virtual Programs Code of Conduct. This Policy applies to all TUG meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than TUG but held in conjunction with TUG events, on public or private platforms.

TUG has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at our meetings. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, TUG asks that you inform either Gary Brown, Association Manager, gbrown@theusergroup.org or 410-603-9007, or Karen Brown, Association Manager, kbrown@theusergroup.org or 410-713-1007 so that we can take the appropriate action.

Unacceptable Behavior in online forums or during virtual events is defined as:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

• Abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, TUG staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

• Examples of abuse include, but are not limited to, comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, obscene gestures or inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, TUG staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

• Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by TUG throughout the virtual meeting. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any TUG virtual event staff.

• Presentations, postings, and messages should not contain promotional materials, special offers, job offers, product announcements, or solicitation for services without prior authorization from TUG. TUG reserves the right to remove such messages and potentially ban sources of those solicitations.

• Participants should not copy or take screen shots of copyrighted material.

TUG reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, and TUG reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person.

Revised October 17, 2020