Hampton Roads Writers Policies

General Policies

Attendee Terms & Conditions

  • By registering for any Hampton Roads Writers (“HRW”) event (“Event”), the holder of the registration (the “Attendee”) automatically agrees to the terms and conditions set forth below (the “Terms and Conditions”). These Terms and Conditions apply to each attendee registered for any event. Any person, delegate, accompanying person, student, media representative, speaker, or exhibitor who is present at any event is considered an attendee.
  • HRW reserves the right to render, in its sole and absolute discretion, all interpretations and decisions in connection with the Terms and Conditions and to establish further regulations binding upon Attendee as may be deemed necessary to the general success and well-being of any Event and/or any person(s) affiliated therewith. HRW’s decisions and interpretations shall be final in all cases.
  • The statements, opinions, and conclusions of all presenters and vendors at any of our events are their own and not necessarily those of Hampton Roads Writers,Inc. Moreover, materials or services promoted, sold, or distributed at any of our events are not warranted by Hampton Roads Writers, Inc.(HRW), nor does their promotion, sale, or distribution necessarily imply any endorsement by HRW.

Media Release

  • By registering for an event, Attendee agrees to grant to HRW and its authorized representatives permission to record photos of your participation and audio or video footage of your experience of HRW classes, programs, and events. You further agree that any of the material photographed or recorded may be used in any form, as part of the nonprofit’s future publications, social media content, or printed materials. You agree that such use shall be without payment of fees, royalties, special credit, or other compensation. Contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

Indemnity

  • To the extent permitted by law, the Attendee agrees to protect, indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HRW and its officers, directors, volunteers, and agents against all claims, losses, or damages to persons or property, governmental charges or fines, and costs (including reasonable attorney’s fees) arising out of or connected to the actions or failure to act in accordance with the Terms and Conditions by Attendee, its officers, directors, volunteers, or agents, except those claims arising out of the other party’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
  • COVID-19 RELEASE & HOLD HARMLESS AGREEMENT: By registering and attending a Hampton Roads Writers (HRW) event, you acknowledge that there is an unknown risk of exposure to COVID-19 through exposure to contaminated objects, as well as through personal contact. Such exposure carries with it a certain degree of risk that could result in illness, disability, or death. You agree to release and hold harmless HRW, its officers, volunteers, and vendors from and against all claims of damages and liability resulting from exposure to COVID-19. Registrants/Attendees also warrant that they are abiding by their state/locality laws regarding COVID-19 restrictions and mandates.

Event Registration, Payment, and Cancelation Policies

  • Access to a computer and email required for all Virtual Events.
  • Registration, required for all virtual or in-person workshop, socials, or other Events, must be achieved by using our online form. If you must register by phone, please call 757-639-6146 and be prepared to give us your email address.
  • If the event requires a fee, payment is expected at time of reservation unless other arrangements have been agreed to ahead of time between Attendee and HRW.
  • We reserve the right to refuse registration to any student for any reason.
  • By registering for an Event, you agree to our terms and conditions, all our policies on this page, as well as being placed on HRW’s email list (if you are not already on it). You can always unsubscribe later if you want. You also give your consent to allow us to use any Event photos or video taken during our Events in marketing materials.
  • Appropriate standards of behavior will be respected during all events, otherwise students are subject to removal from the event with no reimbursement of tuition. Please see our No Harassment Policy/Standards of Behavior below for more information.
  • To ensure the creation of a safe environment for all in which to write and learn, students and teachers will respect the confidentiality of material written by (and personal information about) fellow students and teachers.
  • Attendees will respect each other’s intellectual property rights.
  • If you have questions about whether an event is right for you, contact us.
  • We offer events for adults and teens. Most adult events are open to mature high school students, but parent and administrator approval must be obtained in advance.
  • HRW is committed to making all reasonable arrangements that will allow people to participate in any of our events. Most rooms at our Events are wheelchair accessible. The first row of seating in meeting rooms is reserved for individuals with special needs. So that we better prepare, all requests for special services, equipment, or accommodations should be submitted in advance of any Event. Please submit your request to admin@hamptonroadswriters.org at least two weeks prior to the Event.

Payment Information, Tuition Assistance, & Payment Plans

  • Credit card users should pay upon registration for an event.
  • Those paying by check have five business days to mail a check to pay their tuition in full. Checks should be made payable to Hampton Roads Writers.
  • If you need tuition help, a payment plan, or more time to pay, please indicate that on the payment form. Someone will contact you to discuss a payment plan or the tuition assistance program. We will never turn a student away because of money. In exchange for receiving tuition assistance, you may be asked to help us out as a volunteer.
  • HRW Members will receive a tuition discount, which is indicated in the event description.

Cancelations

  • When you sign up for an event, you’re reserving a spot that prevents another writer from taking that workshop and being counted in the minimum number for enrollment, which sometimes determines whether or not the Event will take place. If HRW itself cancels a paid Event all payments and deposits will be refunded in full, except in the case of the annual conference for which dates for refunds (and the amount of the refund) as specified on the registration form apply.

Conference Specific Policies

Lost Registration Badge

  • Attendee’s conference registration badge must be worn all during the Conference. Access to the Conference facilities will not be granted to those without proper credentials. If an Attendee loses, misplaces, or forgets his or her name badge, a replacement fee of $25.00 will be charged for the creation of a new registration badge. Once the new registration badge is released to the Attendee, the lost badge will become invalid.

Modification of the Conference Program

  • HRW reserves the right to modify the program, which is published as an indication only.

Conference Registration, Hotel, & Travel Accommodations

  • Registration includes admission to HRW’s plenary and breakout sessions, continental breakfasts, and buffet lunches on Friday and Saturday during the conference and admission to the social on Friday evening. Other meals, lodging, and travel are not included. Hotel accommodations at a reduced rate are subject to availability and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Salvatory Clause

  • If there is a determination that any part of the Terms and Conditions is ineffective or impracticable, then the validity of the Terms and Conditions remaining is not impaired.

Photography & Filming

  • Photographs, audio, and video will be captured during most of our events. Attendees hereby grant HRW and its representatives permission to photograph and/or record them at the events, and distribute (both now and in the future) the attendee’s image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions, and audiotapes of such events and activities.

Photography or Recording Usage by Attendees

  • HRW appreciates all photographic coverage of our events. Audio and video recordings are not permitted without the prior written consent of the person being recorded.

Force Majeure

  • Attendance at any of our Events is subject to acts of God, government authority, pandemic, disaster, or other emergencies, any of which make it illegal or impossible for HRW and/or the event sites to provide the facilities and/or services for the Event, or make it illegal or impossible for the Attendee to utilize the hotel for the Conference. A registration may be canceled for any one or more of such reasons by written notice from HRW to the Attendee without liability on the part of HRW.

Cancelation

  • In the case that any Event cannot be held or is postponed due to things beyond the control of HRW, HRW shall not be liable to Attendee for any damages, costs, or losses incurred, such as transportation costs, accommodations costs, or financial losses. Under such circumstances, Attendees may choose to have their registration fee refunded in full.

Rules, Regulations & Attendee Conduct

  • Attendees agree to abide by all fire, safety, and health regulations of the local, city, state, and conference hotel where the conference is held. Attendees must comply with all applicable federal, state, and local ordinances, as well as HRW policies and procedures as set forth below. Participants in violation of such rules and/or who behave in an unsafe or careless manner while attending the conference may be asked to leave immediately and will be held responsible for their actions. Attendee acknowledges that such violations may result in the attendee being removed from any Event and barred from returning without refund of the Attendee’s registration fee. Attendees likewise acknowledge and agree that all attendees of any Event have the right to enjoy the Event equally. Disruptive behavior that interferes with the conduct of reasonable business at any Event, or any other attendee’s safety or comfort, may result in the attendees being removed from the Event and barred from returning without refund of registration fee.

No Harassment Policy

HRW strives to provide a professional and congenial work and learning environment and will take all necessary steps to ensure that the environment remains pleasant for all. An integral part of this type of environment is for all participants to treat each other with courtesy, consideration, and professionalism.

HRW prohibits harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law. HRW will not tolerate harassment of any, student, teacher, or volunteer by any other vendor, student, teacher, intern, event attendee, or participant. Harassment can occur, and is prohibited, both in the workplace and off the premises, including at social activities conducted or sponsored byHRW or at events where HRW is participating.

All teachers, students, interns, event attendees, and volunteers of HRW must comply with this policy. Violations of the policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination of the relationship with HRW.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome or unwanted sexual advance, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature from someone that creates discomfort and/or interferes with the learning experience.

Conduct constitutes sexual harassment when:

  • Submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of an individual’s employment, or participation as a teacher, student or volunteer, or other participant.
  • Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or participation decisions and/or retaliation affecting such individual, or
  • Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

Though sexual harassment encompasses a wide range of conduct, some examples of specifically prohibited conduct include the following:

  • Intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature, such as touching, pinching, patting, grabbing, brushing against another person’s body or poking another person’s body;
  • Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions or other sexual comments, sexually-oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes, or comments about a person’s sexuality or sexual experience;
  • Preferential treatment or promises of preferential treatment to an employee, student, teacher, intern, participant, or volunteer for submitting to sexual conduct;
  • Repeated unwelcome requests for a romantic relationship;
  • Displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, promotional materials, reading materials or other materials that are sexually suggestive, sexually demeaning, or pornographic; and
  • Retaliation for sexual harassment complaints.

Harassment Other than Sexual Harassment

Harassment, other than sexual harassment, is verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other factor prohibited by law when the conduct:

  • Has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with work, participation, or academic performance;
  • Creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work, academic environment, or event environment; and/or
  • Otherwise adversely affects an individual’s opportunities.

Such harassment may include, but is not limited to:

  • Verbal abuse, ridicule, including slurs, epithets, and stereotyping, offensive jokes and comments;
  • Threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; and
  • Displaying or distributing offensive materials, writings, graffiti, or pictures.

Criticism of a participant’s work in a classroom setting is not generally considered harassment in violation of this policy. Appropriate standards of behavior as described above are expected in all classroom settings. If any participant is uncomfortable with the content of a class discussion or material exchanged, please communicate these concerns to the Executive Director.

Procedure for Complaints

If anyone associated with HRW believes that he or she has been subject to, or has observed, an incident of harassment or unwelcome attention as described above, he or she may address the situation directly and immediately to the harasser, if possible. If the inappropriate conduct does not cease, or if the teacher, student, intern, participant, or volunteer is unable to address, or is uncomfortable with addressing, the alleged harasser directly, he or she should report the incident to the Executive Director, who will immediately notify the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors (the “HR Committee”), which will undertake an investigation into the incident. If the incident involves the Executive Director, the incident should instead be reported directly to a member of the HR Committee. The members of the HR Committee are identified on the website posting identifying the Board of Directors.

It is important to report any and all concerns of harassment or inappropriate conduct as soon as possible. HRW must be made aware of the situation so that it can conduct an immediate and impartial investigation and take appropriate action to remediate or prevent the prohibited conduct from continuing. Reports will be handled confidentially to the extent possible; however, the identity of the complainant is usually revealed to the respondent and witnesses. HRW will take steps to ensure that the complainant is protected from retaliation during the period of investigation. All information pertaining to a complaint of harassment and the investigation into the same will be maintained in secure files separate from an employee’s personnel file and teacher/student files and will only be shared on a need-to-know basis.

HRW prohibits retaliation against any individual bringing forth a good faith complaint, assisting in an investigation, opposing harassment, or otherwise exercising rights protected by law. Any teacher, student, intern, participant, or volunteer who violates HRW’s policies against discrimination, harassment, or retaliation will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including immediate discharge from participation in the organization’s classes and programs.

If you have any questions about this policy or its application, or about harassment of any form, you are encouraged to contact HRW’s Executive Committee at admin@hamptonroadswriters.org.

HRW’s Statement on Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

HRW is committed to being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive nonprofit organization.

We will be inclusive of all persons and not limited by race, ethnicity, class, sex, gender, gender identity, transgender status, marital status, age, sexuality, pregnancy, disability, medical condition, education, spiritual beliefs, creed, culture, tribal affiliations, national origin, political beliefs, veteran status, and/or financial means.

HRW will strive to reflect on and celebrate the diverse and distinct cultures and values held by our students, teachers, staff, board, volunteers, participants, and attendees, while being mindful and acknowledging the disparities, inequities, advantages, and disadvantages that exist and have existed in their experiences.

As an organization, we will promote opportunity and access for all to our events. For any events with an associated tuition fee, financial assistance will always be available.

HRW is committed to making all reasonable arrangements that will allow people to participate in any of our events. Most rooms at our Events are wheelchair accessible. The first row of seating in meeting rooms is reserved for individuals with special needs. So that we better prepare, all requests for special services, equipment, or accommodations should be submitted in advance of any Event. Please submit your request to admin@hamptonroadswriters.org at least two weeks prior to the Event.