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Allegations of Unethical Behavior


There have been allegations about unethical behavior. How does NASW safeguard organizational resources?

As a non-profit organization, NASW’s finances are a matter of public record. The Association already engages an external, independent accounting firm to audit its books, records and internal controls.  This audit is done every year.    

The auditor’s procedures are extremely rigorous and usually take 3-4 months to complete.   NASW’s controls are solid and have resulted in over two decades of consecutively clean audits.  The auditors are required to be independent of the Association and to meet their other ethical responsibilities.  Their objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether NASW financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

Additionally, the NASW Board has two standing committees, Finance Committee and Audit Committee.  Both serve complementary functions.  The Finance Committee brings to the attention of the Board all issues regarding Association finances that require the Board’s consideration and action.  The Audit Committee ensures that appropriate accounting policies and internal controls are established and followed by all entities or related parties within the Association in accordance with accounting policies and regulatory requirements.  It does this by engaging the independent auditor noted above, who reports to the Audit Committee. 

NASW also publishes an annual report and our 990s are accessible on multiple public information websites, such as Guidestar and IRS.gov. NASW’s budget year runs from July to June. All department and chapter budgets and expenses are tracked and approved in a uniform accounts payable system.

Official NASW documents are generally available to the public on SocialWorkers.org, however, some governance tools may be restricted to members only. Members should ask if they need assistance.

What is NASW’s Whistleblower Policy and have there been uninvestigated complaints?

NASW has a Whistleblower Policy which each staff member receives at the start of their employment. This policy is in the NASW Employee Handbook on page 47:

“The Association is committed to full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and to conducting its operations with the highest standards of ethics, honesty, integrity, and fairness. The Association’s polices encourage individuals to promptly report any activities that they reasonably believe to be unethical, suspicious, or questionable, including possible instances of corporate fraud, unethical business practices, conflicts of interest or violations of state or federal laws and regulations, and conduct related to the reporting of the Association’s financial performance, accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters.”

“This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable employees and others to raise serious concerns internally so that NASW can address and correct inappropriate conduct and actions. It is the responsibility of all board members, officers, employees and volunteers to report concerns about violations of NASW’s ethical operations or suspected violations of law or regulations that govern NASW.”

NASW has established procedures for the reporting of suspected violations or other concerns, by reporting to supervisors, Human Resources or the Office of General Counsel. Employees can also use a Safe Hotline. Lastly, employees can send a complaint to the NASW Compliance Officer (Treasurer) or the President of the Board.

While no whistleblower complaints have been received in these reporting channels since the current policy was instituted in 2021, any NASW staff member may submit confidential concerns at any time.

What is NASW doing with feedback about a negative workplace environment?

NASW is committed to fostering a culture of respect and accountability.Feedback about a toxic work culture is always serious and we will work diligently to address those gaps.

We want to ensure that all communications from NASW—our national office and chapters—is accurate, timely and transparent.Our members will hold us accountable.

NASW employs a staff of approximately 220 people in all Chapter and National locations.

  • Although there are current challenges, the NASW Board strongly supports the good work of NASW leaders and staff as they implement goals set by the board and Delegate Assembly.
  • Our extremely capable staff successfully carry out the Board’s vision of elevating the profession and advocating on behalf of social workers and our communities.