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Who we are

Our Mission and Work

Not Putting on a Shirt (NPOAS) is a patient-led, all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for optimal aesthetic flat closure for women who choose to go flat after mastectomy.

Our organization maintains an informational website and social media platforms that provide the public with free medically reviewed information, publications, and tools to advocate for themselves and for others. We provide information on going flat at initial mastectomy, revision surgery, going flat after explant, and flat denial. We curate a searchable database of flat closure surgeons. We also moderate a private Facebook support group for victims of flat denial.

Additional initiatives include stakeholder and public outreach, legislative and regulatory actions, and original research in order to effect cultural and institutional change to protect the interests of women who choose to go flat after mastectomy and promote aesthetic flat closure as a new, optimal standard of care for these women.

Our contact information:

Our website address is: https://notputtingonashirt.org.

Officers and Directors

Kimberly Bowles, President

Christy Avila, Vice President

Devorah Vester Borenstein, Secretary

Shana Whitehead, Treasurer

Mimi Frazier, Board Member

Privacy Policy

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Electronic Communications With Us

We do not share confidential information with third parties. All electronic communications with NPOAS are assumed to be confidential and we will never share your confidential information unless you give us explicit permission in writing. Every agent of NPOAS is required to sign a confidentiality agreement that prohibits sharing of any personal information obtained during the course of their service with the organization, prior to such service. NPOAS preserves all electronic communications on our secure Google Drive in accordance with our document retention policy.

Surgeons Directory Submissions (and Gallery)

Your privacy and ongoing consent are of utmost importance to us. Persons who have submitted identifying personal information or photos may withdraw their consent for NPOAS to use or retain such information or images at any time by notifying NPOAS in writing. We will review your request within one months’ time.

NPOAS anonymizes submitted mastectomy photos by cropping out identifying information. The cropped image files are then saved with an encoded filename on NPOAS’ secure Google Drive. Your name and contact information (email, etc.) is the only identifying personal information we retain, and it is only linked to your image file(s) via a single secure, restricted access spreadsheet. Before obtaining access to any Drive files, NPOAS volunteers must sign a confidentiality agreement which explicitly protects the privacy of all confidential information.

WordPress Blog and Website

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

We do not share data with third parties. Visitor comments to the WordPress blog may be checked through an automated spam detection service. If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

If you have left blog comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes. Contact our administrators at info@notputtingonashirt.org.

Online Media Comments Management Policy

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[I] Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide clarity and transparency to the public, and specifically to our supporters, about how we manage public comments (“comments”) on our online media platforms. This policy contains clear guidelines that Not Putting on a Shirt, Inc. (“NPOAS”) has historically followed and commits to follow moving forward, including prohibited comments and redress, and how NPOAS manages comments, including guidelines for conflict prevention and resolution.

Online media, as it pertains to this policy, is defined as any NPOAS website, application or other virtual platform that allows end-user interaction, and includes, but is not limited to, blogs, websites, social networking websites (such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) online forums, podcasts, message boards, chat rooms and interactive web or mobile applications.

[II] Online Media and Our Mission & Core Values

NPOAS online media channels – including our website, blog, and social media – are curated with the intent to educate stakeholders and the public, and in particular women facing mastectomy, about aesthetic flat closure as a legitimate option and about the injustice of flat denial, and to engage these people in a way that inspires them to participate in our work both online and offline. All of our online media interactions aim to further our organization’s mission in accordance with our core values of clear language, full disclosure, and accountability:

Our mission is to advocate for satisfactory aesthetic outcomes – as agreed upon by the mastectomy patient and surgeon(s) – for those who choose to go flat. We inform and support patients, demand increased accountability for medical professionals and institutions, and collaborate with patients and the surgeons who care for them to establish resources and protocols that will make a difference.

[III] Prohibited Comments

Every social media forum has its share of users that surface from time to time with unproductive and/or malicious intent. NPOAS will maintain vigilance on this front in order to maintain respectful discourse and protect the community that we serve. Comments that meet any of the following criteria are prohibited and will be deleted immediately:

• Contain spam (irrelevant content that adds no value to and/or distracts from the discourse) or inappropriate advertising of products or services
• Be off-topic, irrelevant or unintelligible
• Give medical or legal advice
• Contain confidential information about any person or entity, or authored by any person or entity, without confirmed authorization
• Be defamatory of any person
• Be deceitful, misleading, or intended to provide or support factually incorrect misinformation
• Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or age
• Be obscene, degrading or disparaging of any person, threatening, abusive, or hateful
• Promote violence
• Breach any of the terms of any of the social media platforms themselves

Furthermore, trolls, bots, and individuals who are clearly data mining or engaged in other egregiously malicious or unethical behaviors will be identified and dealt with promptly (blocked and reported as necessary).

Trolls are imposters – real people who obscure their identity – whose sole purpose in the social media forum is to cause discord, insult people, data mine, or otherwise cause damage to the organization, its leadership, or its community.

Bots are algorithms generating interactions that falsely appear to be from a person.

Data mining is the gathering of private information without disclosure and/or consent of all parties.

[IV] Comments Management Code of Conduct

NPOAS adheres to a strict code of conduct with respect to online media interactions, including responding to comments, removal of prohibited comments, and removal or blocking of persons who repeatedly and/or intentionally post prohibited comments.

Tone. NPOAS will maintain a respectful, professional tone in all interactions with the communities we serve. We will always demonstrate respect for others’ points of view, even when they’re not offering the same in return.

Prudence. When dealing with comments that may be objectionable or inflammatory but do not clearly meet any of the criteria for prohibited comments, NPOAS will extend the benefit of the doubt to the commenter and will use prudence and good judgment in responding or otherwise managing the comment. 

Sensitive Topics. NPOAS will be sensitive to topics that may commonly be considered objectionable or inflammatory, such as partisan politics or comments that could be interpreted as disparaging of either aesthetic flat closure or of conventional breast mound reconstruction. Comments about personal experience with post-mastectomy reconstruction are permitted; comments that disparage or condemn any post-mastectomy reconstructive option are generally not permitted.

Conflict Resolution. NPOAS appreciates that some of our supporters and readership have had negative experiences with conventional breast mound reconstruction, and it is our policy to engage respectfully on this and other sensitive topics rather than to immediately remove these comments. NPOAS will not remove non-prohibited comments, nor remove comments on sensitive topics, without prior transparent and respectful engagement.

Removal/Blocking. Persons who post comment(s) that intentionally and/or repeatedly and clearly violate this policy are subject to removal and/or blocking from NPOAS platforms. NPOAS will not remove or block persons for any other reason other than violation of this policy.

Appeal. Commenters who feel that their comment was removed in error may contact NPOAS to appeal the removal. NPOAS will conduct a timely, fair and transparent review of the comment and the manner in which it was removed and make its determination either:

1. in favor of restoring the comment, if we find that the comment was removed in error, or
2. confirming the comment removal, if we find that the comment was removed in accordance with this policy.

Contacting NPOAS. Please contact NPOAS directly via email at info@notputtingonashirt.org for appeals or inquiries about this policy.

[IV] Amendment

This policy has been duly adopted by the NPOAS Board of Directors and may be amended as needed pursuant to NPOAS internal guidelines.

Content Medical Review Policy

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In order to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information, tools and resources produced and curated by Not Putting on a Shirt (“NPOAS”), all website content containing significant medical information must pass NPOAS’ general medical review process before publication. Significant medical information encompasses all content which might reasonably be construed as such by the average reader, and particularly content which contains novel information not displayed publicly by other reliable sources.

The general medical review process shall be conducted by an NPOAS advisor who has an M.D. A draft of the content shall be submitted to the willing advisor in a timely manner to allow for thorough review. Suggested edits shall be incorporated into the draft, and the content shall be published on the NPOAS website. All medical information shall prominently display NPOAS’ disclaimer as follows:

“Disclaimer: Any and all information provided by Not Putting on a Shirt and its representatives is for informational purposes only and should not to be considered as medical or legal advice. This information is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, or cure any medical condition. Statements should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice from a licensed physician. In using the communications, documents, forms and other information from Not Putting on a Shirt, you accept the terms and conditions of this disclaimer.”

Medical content which is “specialized” is content for which review may be reasonably construed by the content author to require specialized training beyond M.D.  Specialized medical content must pass general medical review prior to publication, and further, must also pass secondary medical review with an NPOAS advisor who specializes in that area. Publication of specialized content which has not yet undergone secondary medical review is permissible if, in the judgment of the author and the general review M.D. advisor, any potential changes to the content would be minor and would not affect the overall reliability of the information provided.

Surgeons Directory Policies

Directory Disclaimer

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1. Any and all information provided by Not Putting on a Shirt (“NPOAS”) and its representatives is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical or legal advice. Statements should not be taken as a substitute for medical advice from a licensed physician. In using the online tools and information provided by NPOAS, you accept the terms and conditions of this Disclaimer.

2. If you wish to go flat, please be warned that not all surgeons will respect your wishes. That is why NPOAS exists as an advocacy organization. The Flat Friendly Surgeons Directory  (“Directory”) is a database of general, breast surgeons, and plastic surgeons who have either:

2.a. been recommended directly by women who went flat via mastectomy, explant, and/or revision surgery by these surgeons, OR

2.b. applied to be listed on the Directory and been approved because they meet the following criteria:

2.b.i. they are supportive of aesthetic flat closure as a valid reconstructive choice, and

2.b.ii. they have provided one or more acceptable photos of their flat closure(s)

3. As of 2022, “Goldilocks” mastectomy surgeons are also included in the Directory under the special category “Goldilocks.” These surgeons typically meet all of the criteria for inclusion as a “Flat Friendly” surgeon (as defined in section 2 of this Disclaimer); however, there are cases where a Goldilocks mastectomy is performed with the intent of creating small breast mounds rather than an aesthetic flat closure. In these few cases, the surgeon will still be included in this Directory, but with the following note on their listing:

“This surgeon offers the Goldilocks mastectomy and was recommended for Goldilocks to produce small breast mounds. They may or may not meet the specific inclusion criteria for the Flat Friendly Surgeons Directory as a surgeon specializing in aesthetic flat closure (AFC). As always, if you are considering an AFC, please be sure to discuss your aesthetic goals with your surgeon to ensure you are on the same page about NOT wanting breast mounds.”

4. Please be aware of the following:

4.a. NPOAS has no relationship whatsoever with any of these surgeons beyond a medical one with the sole exception of trusted members of our Advisory Council (membership in which does not preclude inclusion in the Directory). No money, fees, or compensation of any kind is paid by or collected from these surgeons in regards to this Directory.

4.b. While NPOAS strives to keep all Directory information accurate and up to date, please be aware that NPOAS has not, and can not, guarantee specific results from any of these surgeons. NPOAS takes no legal or ethical responsibility or liability for your personal experiences with them. PLEASE DO YOUR OWN CAREFUL RESEARCH AND DUE DILIGENCE RESEARCHING AND INTERVIEWING THESE SURGEONS. A surgeon’s appearance on this Directory is NO GUARANTEE of the surgeon’s behavior, skill, and/or performance.

5. Please also note that everyone’s body is different, and you should not expect a “perfect” flat result following mastectomy, explant, or revision surgery, even if your surgeon does the best s/he/they can. The surgeons that are listed on the Directory by application are there because they proactively sought to be included, support aesthetic flat closure and provided one or more photos of their work to demonstrate their surgical skill. The surgeons that are listed on the Directory by direct patient recommendation are there because the women recommending them felt that they:

5.a. respected them and their wishes to be flat,

5.b. were technically competent in surgical technique to achieve a flat result, AND

5.c. did the best they could to give them the results they desired.

6. NPOAS welcomes any feedback you may have about these surgeons, whether positive or negative. NPOAS may, at the discretion of the relevant committee, remove a listing according to our established listing review policy.  Please find the complaint form here. Please email NPOAS at info@notputtingonashirt.org with all other comments or questions.

Directory Listing Review Policy

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Purpose. The purpose of Not Putting on a Shirt’s (NPOAS) Flat Friendly Surgeon’s Directory (“Directory”) is to empower patients going flat at mastectomy, revision or explant to find a surgeon who will give them an optimal aesthetic flat closure. This listing review policy (“Policy”) serves to maintain the integrity of the Directory so that it may continue to optimally serve its purpose, by providing a fair and transparent process by which listings may be reviewed after negative feedback (i.e., a complaint) has been brought to the attention of NPOAS. 

Directory Inclusion Criteria. Directory surgeons may be recommended by patients OR apply to be listed. Surgeons applying to be listed must meet the criteria listed in the disclaimer (must provide at least one photo of their flat closure work OR provide a direct patient recommendation via solicitation). Patient recommended surgeons must meet the three criteria listed in the disclaimer in order to be added to the Directory. These surgeons must have:

1. Respected the patient and her choice to go flat,

2. Displayed technical competence in aesthetic flat closure technique; and

3. Put forth their best effort to achieve a flat closure for the patient.

In addition to these three criteria, for the purposes of this Policy, the NPOAS Code of Conduct Policy also applies to ALL Directory surgeons. Alleged violations of the code of conduct as evidenced by credible accusations of racist, sexist or abusive treatment, or medical negligence, etc., may subject a Directory surgeon to review. When NPOAS is made aware of one or more serious complaints about a Directory surgeon, their listing will be reviewed according to this Policy.

Complaint Submission. Complaints or feedback about a listed Directory surgeon may be submitted in writing to NPOAS via email to info@notputtingonashirt.org or by direct message to the NPOAS Facebook page @NotPuttingonaShirt, Twitter account @not_shirt, or Instagram at @notputtingonashirt. NPOAS welcomes both positive and negative feedback about our Directory and any of its listings.

Criteria for a “Flat Closure” (“Aesthetic Flat Closure”). The lack of a robust standard of care for aesthetic flat closure presents a problem for patients and providers in setting clear & realistic expectations. For the purposes of this Policy, a “flat closure” (or, “aesthetic flat closure”) should meet the following specific criteria, subject to the constraints introduced by the patient’s specific medical situation. A “flat closure” should evidence:

1. Removal of the two major defining breast mound landmarks:
   1. the inframammary fold, and
   2. the lateral chest tissue that otherwise produces “dog ears” under the arms.
2. Minimal contour defects:
   1. the overall contour should appear smooth, and 
   2. discrete discontinuities such as peaks, folds, etc. should be minimal or absent.
3. Symmetric incision closures (i.e., scars).

Note: Concavity is largely due to the patient’s anatomy and medical history and is therefore intentionally excluded from this definition. Reconstruction of the chest wall contour using tissue rearrangement and/or fat grafting is a legitimate approach to aesthetic flat closure. However, because of the lack of a clear standard of care, and because both tissue rearrangement and fat grafting fall under the purview of plastic surgery rather than oncologic surgery, NPOAS has elected not to include concavity in the definition at this time for the purposes of this Policy.

Review Process. Complaints or negative feedback about Directory surgeons that an NPOAS Agent receives (via email or PM to a social media administrator) will be forwarded to a special Committee in charge of the review process, which will perform the review process. The Committee will consist of at least two NPOAS Board members and may also include, as an adjunct, a member of the NPOAS Advisory Council.

1. Preliminary Review. Upon receipt of a complaint, the NPOAS Agent shall record the full language of the complaint along with the contact information of the complainant in the master file with the full listing information. The Agent shall then create a Complaint Record document, conduct a preliminary review of the complaint, and contact the complainant and/or the surgeon’s office for further information if necessary. The Agent shall review any prior complaints about the surgeon in question, as multiple complaints warrant further scrutiny. The Agent shall also review the language of the original recommendation and contact the recommender, if necessary, to obtain more information. The Agent shall then present the Complaint Record to the Committee.

2. Committee Review. Upon receipt of the Complaint Record, the Committee shall independently review the facts and come to a decision as to whether the listing will be:
   1. Removed from the Directory, if the Committee finds cause for such according to this Policy, or
   2. Maintained as active in the Directory, if the Committee does not find cause for removal according to this Policy.

In the event that a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the listing shall remain in the directory. The Committee’s decision shall be binding.

Communication of Decision. To protect the privacy of the parties involved, the Review Committee’s deliberations shall not be disclosed publicly. The Committee’s decision shall be communicated in writing to the complainant in a timely manner.

Privacy Policy for Directory Submissions (and Gallery)

Your privacy and ongoing consent are of utmost importance to us. Persons who have submitted identifying personal information or photos may withdraw their consent for NPOAS to use or retain such information or images at any time by notifying NPOAS in writing. We will review your request within one months’ time.

NPOAS anonymizes submitted mastectomy photos by cropping out identifying information. The cropped image files are then saved with an encoded filename on NPOAS’ secure Google Drive. Your name and contact information (email, etc.) is the only identifying personal information we retain, and it is only linked to your image file(s) via a single secure, restricted access spreadsheet. Before obtaining access to any Drive files, NPOAS volunteers must sign a confidentiality agreement which explicitly protects the privacy of all confidential information.

Code of Conduct Policy

Includes Core Values, Code of Ethics, Non-Discrimination, Anti-Bullying, and Conflict of Interest

Download Policy as PDF

Our Work

Not Putting on a Shirt (NPOAS) is a patient-led, all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for optimal surgical outcomes for women who choose to go flat after mastectomy, and for full and fair disclosure of all options post-mastectomy, including flat closure and the risks of all reconstructive options.

We maintain an informational website and social media platforms which provide the public with free information, publications, tools and support to advocate for themselves and for others. We provide medically reviewed, accurate, and up to date information on going flat at initial mastectomy, revision surgery, or  after explant, and flat denial. We curate a searchable database of flat closure surgeons that we and our volunteers are continuously validating and updating.

We also conduct stakeholder and general public education and outreach, as well as legislative and regulatory advocacy initiatives, and support original research on flat closure and flat denial in order to effect cultural and institutional change to protect the interests of women who choose to go flat.

Our Core Values

Clear Language

Aesthetic flat closure (flat closure) is reconstruction of the chest wall contour.

Flat denial is when a surgeon disregards the patient’s consent and fails to perform the agreed upon flat closure.

Full Disclosure

Doctors and surgeons must give women full and accurate information about ALL of their reconstructive options, including aesthetic flat closure.

“Shared” Decision Making

The decision making process must center the patient’s values and priorities from start to finish for optimal surgical outcomes.

Evidence-Based Medicine

An optimal, evidence-based standard of care must be developed for aesthetic flat closure in order to ensure that women consistently receive acceptable surgical outcomes.

Accountability

Respect for a woman’s informed consent is non-negotiable. Surgeons who intentionally disregard a woman’s reconstructive choice must be held accountable.

Fair Reimbursement

Surgeons deserve to be fairly reimbursed for aesthetic flat closure and revision services, as flat closure is a truly reconstructive, NOT cosmetic, procedure.

Systemic Parity

Achieving parity for flat closure requires legislative and regulatory change. Both the NCI [update: NCI has added “aesthetic flat closure” to their Dictionary of Cancer Terms!] and WHCRA’s definitions of “breast reconstruction” as well as the NAPBC’s reconstructive consult protocol must all be amended to explicitly include aesthetic flat closure.

Code of Ethics

To be effective as an advocacy organization and ensure our mission is carried out, our work is guided by a strong and unifying code of ethics. We believe in:

• Acting with care and respect for the communities we work with and serve.
• Treating every individual fairly, with dignity and respect.
• Acting honestly, truthfully and with integrity in all of our transactions and dealings.
• Being responsible, transparent and accountable for our words and actions.
• Acknowledging the limitations of our own expertise and seeking appropriate professional advice when indicated.
• Continuous review and validation of all of the information we provide for factual, scientific and medical accuracy.
• Appropriately handling actual or apparent conflicts of interest in our relationships.
• Being a good corporate citizen – complying with both the spirit and the letter of the law.

Anti-Discrimination

Purpose. Not Putting on a Shirt (“NPOAS”) believes that all Directors, volunteers, and other associates should be treated with dignity and respect. NPOAS does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, color, race, creed, national origin, religious persuasion, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, political belief, disability, health status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law (herein called “protected categories”), in any of its activities or operations. NPOAS is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all of our associates. This anti-discrimination policy will help us achieve the following organizational goals:

• Promote a culture of diversity and inclusiveness;
• Improve recruitment and retention;
• Avoid illegal discrimination; and
• Take action against any associate who does not uphold NPOAS’ principles.

Definitions. Unlawful discrimination occurs when a person is harassed or treated arbitrarily or differently because of the person’s real or implied membership in a protected category.

• Discrimination. In the nonprofit advocacy context, discrimination may begin with an adverse work action, which is something a Director, Volunteer Coordinator, or other management agent, has done that is unfair to a volunteer or other associate. Some examples of adverse work action are: terminating an associate’s service, not selecting him/her/them for promotion within the organization, harassing the associate, or denying the associate’s request for a reasonable accommodation.
• Non-Discriminatory Harassment or Bullying. Personality differences or conflicts, general mistreatment not based on the above protected categories, or a response to poor performance are usually not discrimination matters; however, they may be covered under another policy, such as the Anti-Bullying policy.

Responsible Party. The Responsible Party (“RP”) – the NPOAS designated person for issues concerning this anti-discrimination policy – is the President of NPOAS. The RP is responsible for ensuring that discrimination complaints are resolved appropriately, and may not delegate this authority to any other agent unless incapacitated. If the President is incapacitated, the Vice President will serve as the temporary RP.

• The current President is: Kimberly Bowles (bowleskb@notputtingonashirt.org)
• The current Vice President is: Christy Avila (christy@notputtingonashirt.org)

Process and Procedures. When NPOAS receives such a discrimination complaint, it will be forwarded to the RP, who will contact the associate(s) who felt harmed to see if they want to resolve the matter informally or formally.

• Informal Action. The RP will use good business judgment to investigate the complaint and take appropriate informal action to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of all parties.
• Formal Action. The RP will conduct a fact-finding investigation to determine whether or not the associate’s membership in a protected category was the reason for the adverse action, and take appropriate corrective action.

Duties and Responsibilities of NPOAS Agents

• Duty to Report. Directors, Volunteer Coordinators, and other management agents of NPOAS are required by law to promptly report any allegations of discrimination and/or harassment based on protected categories and other forms of sexual misconduct that they observe or learn about in the course of their service with NPOAS, to the RP. Failure to report a known or suspected incident of discrimination or harassment to the RP may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of service with NPOAS.
• Duty to Cooperate. All agents of NPOAS must cooperate fully with the RP’s investigations concerning allegations of discrimination or harassment. Refusal to cooperate with an investigation may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of service with NPOAS.
• No Retaliation. Any agent or associate of NPOAS has the right to raise concerns or make a complaint regarding discrimination or harassment under this policy without fear of retaliation. It is a violation of NPOAS policy to retaliate against an individual for filing a complaint of discrimination or harassment or for cooperating in an investigation of alleged discrimination or harassment. Any person at NPOAS found in violation of this policy is subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of service with NPOAS.
• Confidentiality. NPOAS and the RP will respect the privacy and confidentiality of individuals involved in an investigation to the fullest extent possible. NPOAS recognizes the importance of confidentiality and understands that some individuals filing complaints of harassment/discrimination or who are otherwise involved in an investigation may want their identity to remain anonymous and/or confidential. The RP has the power of discretion to shield the reporter’s identity when reviewing a matter or conducting an investigation. In all cases, issues of confidentiality must be balanced against NPOAS’ need to investigate and take appropriate action.

Anti-Bullying

NPOAS considers workplace bullying unacceptable and will not tolerate it under any circumstances. Workplace bullying is behavior that harms, intimidates, offends, degrades or humiliates any person (or “target”) in the course of their work, possibly in front of other persons.

Examples of workplace bullying behaviors:

• Unwarranted or invalid criticism
• Blame without factual justification
• Being treated differently than the rest of your work group
• Being sworn at, shouted at, or other expressions of direct hostility
• Exclusion or social isolation
• Excessive monitoring or micro-managing
• Withholding of resources necessary for the target to carry out their duties

Mobbing is a subset of workplace bullying behavior where the instigator enlists bystanders and other agents to bully the target. Workplace bullying and mobbing in particular may cause the loss of trained and talented volunteers, reduce productivity and morale and create legal risks. NPOAS believes all people deserve to work in an environment of respect, trust and open communication that is free of bullying.

Persons in position of authority over others at NPOAS, including Directors and Volunteer Coordinators, are responsible for creating an atmosphere of respect and open communication to ensure that members of their team are not subjected to bullying. Any reports of workplace bullying at NPOAS will be treated seriously and investigated promptly, confidentially and impartially.

NPOAS encourages all agents of NPOAS to report workplace bullying, whether or not they themselves were targeted. Mobbing in particular is only possible when bystanders do not speak up. Directors and Volunteer Coordinators must ensure that individuals who make complaints, whether targets or witnesses, do not experience retaliation for doing the right thing.

Disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who is determined to have engaged in bullying in the course of their service at NPOAS. Discipline may involve a warning, counseling, and/or demotion or dismissal.

The contact person for bullying at this workplace is:

Kimberly Bowles, President

bowleskb@notputtingonashirt.org

Conflict of Interest

We are committed to clear policies that protect the integrity of our work. We acknowledge that our Board members and volunteers have broad interests and participate in many community, charitable and business activities. Often, the broader the individual’s experience, the more valuable the individual is to our organization. From time to time, however, situations may arise where an individual’s business or personal interests may be affected by a Board decision. In all such cases, NPOAS understands that the potential for conflict of interest needs to be recognized and disclosed, and appropriate steps taken to prevent influence or favoritism. To that end, Board members and volunteers annually complete a conflict of interest disclosure agreement.

Whistleblower Protection Policy

Download Policy as PDF

Not Putting on a Shirt (NPOAS) requires directors, officers and volunteers to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As representatives of NPOAS, we must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling our responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Reporting Responsibility

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

No Retaliation

It is contrary to the values of NPOAS for anyone to retaliate against any board member, officer, or volunteer who in good faith reports an ethics violation, or a suspected violation of law, such as a complaint of discrimination, or suspected fraud, or suspected violation of any regulation governing the operations of NPOAS. An agent of NPOAS who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of service with NPOAS.

Reporting Procedure

NPOAS has an open door policy and suggests that volunteers share their questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints with their Volunteer Coordinator. If you are not comfortable speaking with your Volunteer Coordinator or you are not satisfied with your Volunteer Coordinator’s response, you are encouraged to speak with a member of the Executive Committee. Volunteer Coordinators are required to report complaints or concerns about suspected ethical and legal violations in writing to NPOAS’s Secretary, who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints.

Secretary

The Secretary is responsible for ensuring that all complaints about unethical or illegal conduct are investigated and resolved. The Secretary will advise the Executive Committee of all complaints and their resolution and will report at least annually to the Treasurer on compliance activity relating to accounting or alleged financial improprieties.

Accounting and Auditing Matters

The Secretary shall immediately notify the Finance Committee of any concerns or complaints regarding corporate accounting practices, internal controls or auditing and work with the committee until the matter is resolved.

Acting in Good Faith

Anyone filing a written complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.

Confidentiality

Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant by mailing a letter to NPOAS’ corporate office. Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.

Handling of Reported Violations

The Secretary will notify the person who submitted a complaint and acknowledge receipt of the reported violation or suspected violation. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation.

Secretary:

Devorah Vester Borenstein

Secretary of NPOAS

devorah@notputtingonashirt.org

Tax Information

NPOAS believes in transparency and accountability to the public. Therefore, we make available information on certain key policies and documents, governance structure, and financial statements. We also comply in full with the IRS’s tax record disclosure requirements. Please contact us at info@notputtingonashirt.org with any questions or to request further information.

Governance Documents

By Request with Board Approval: Bylaws, Board Meeting Minutes