LEGAL
Legal Information
Welcome to the official website of Paws for Purple Hearts (“PPH”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). By accessing and using this website (the “Site”), you agree to the following terms and conditions. Please read them carefully.
1. Terms of Use
By accessing this Site, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and all applicable laws and regulations. If you do not agree with any of these terms, you are prohibited from using or accessing this Site.
PPH reserves the right to revise these Terms at any time without prior notice. Your continued use of the Site after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new terms.
2. Intellectual Property Rights
All content on this Site—including but not limited to text, images, logos, graphics, videos, and other materials—is the property of Paws for Purple Hearts or its content suppliers and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.
You may not copy, modify, reproduce, republish, upload, post, transmit, or distribute any content from this Site without prior written permission from PPH.
3. Privacy Notice
We are committed to protecting your privacy. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for details on how we collect, use, and safeguard your information. By using this Site, you consent to the collection and use of information in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
4. Donations
PPH is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations made through this Site are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. A receipt will be provided for all donations. All donations are final and non-refundable unless otherwise stated. Donor information is kept confidential in accordance with our Privacy Policy. We do not sell or trade your personal data.
5. Links to Third-Party Sites
This Site may contain links to third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience only. PPH is not responsible for the content or practices of any linked third-party websites. Access to such sites is at your own risk.
6. Disclaimer of Warranties
This Site and its content are provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. PPH does not warrant or make any representations concerning the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the materials on this Site.
7. Limitation of Liability
In no event shall PPH or its affiliates be liable for any damages (including, without limitation, damages for loss of data or profit, or due to business interruption) arising out of the use or inability to use this Site or the content contained therein.
8. Governing Law
These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.
9. Contact Information
If you have any questions or concerns about these Terms, please contact us:
Paws for Purple Hearts
Email: Info@pawsforpurplehearts.org
Method for Creation and Approval of Paws for Purple Hearts and Bergin College Of Canine Studies
Policies and Required Procedures
Step 1. Board, General Management, Department, or staff identification of the need for a new or revised Policy or Required Procedure;
Step 2. Board, management, administration, department, committee, or staff meeting(s) discussion of the proposed new or revised Policy or Required Procedure;
Step 3. A majority consensus of the above-listed meetings (or individual staff’s suggestion approved by their supervisor) then submits the proposed new or revised Policy or Required Procedure typed on the form below to the President/CEO. [If it is a Board-proposed Policy, the form would be submitted to the Executive Board of Trustees or the entire Board of Trustees as determined by the By-Laws.]
Step 4. Upon receipt of the typed and signed new or revised Policy or Required Procedure, it would be logged in for review by the President/CEO.
Step 5. After reviewing the form, were there questions or concerns regarding any components of or details in need of clarification, the President/CEO may require a meeting with the signatory or the key individuals involved in submitting the new or revised Policy or Required Procedure.
Step 6. After due consideration, the President/CEO will either reject or accept the new or revised Policy or Required Procedure, send it back to the signatory for revisions, or meet with his/her Executive staff to further discuss it before sending it back for revisions, rejecting, or accepting it.
Step 7. If accepted, the form will be signed by the President/CEO and appropriate staff and departments will be notified to implement it as provided for on the form, if revisions are requested, Steps 3-7 will follow, if rejected, the requested new or revised Policy or Required Procedure will not be implemented.
Paws For Purple Hearts Conflict of Interest Policy
Paws For Purple Hearts and its subsidiaries shall enter into no contract between itself and one or more of its directors or officers, or between itself and any other corporation, partnership, association or other organization in which one or more of our directors or officers are trustees or officers, or have a financial interest, unless:
A. The material facts as to the relationship or interest and as to the contract or transaction are disclosed or are known to Paws for Purple Hearts and the board in good faith authorizes the contract or transaction by the affirmative votes of a majority of the disinterested directors even though the disinterested directors are less than a quorum;
B. The contract or transaction is fair as to Paws For Purple Hearts as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified by the Board of Directors.
Quorum
Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a meeting of the board that authorizes a contract or transaction specified above.
Applicability
The provisions herein shall be applicable except as otherwise restricted in the bylaws.
Record Retention Policy
Paws For Purple Hearts and its subsidiaries take seriously its obligations to preserve information relating to litigation, audits, and investigations.
The information listed in the retention schedule below is intended as a guideline and may not contain all the records Paws For Purple Hearts or its subsidiaries may be required to keep in the future. Questions regarding the retention of documents not listed in this chart should be directed to the Chief Operations Officer (COO).
From time to time, the Chief Operating Officer (COO). may issue a notice, known as a “legal hold,” suspending the destruction of records due to pending, threatened, or otherwise reasonably foreseeable litigation, audits, government investigations, or similar proceedings. No records specified in any legal hold may be destroyed, even if the scheduled destruction date has passed, until the legal hold is withdrawn in writing by the Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Corporate Records
Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation
Permanent
Corporate resolutions
Permanent
Board and committee meeting agendas and minutes
10 years
Conflict-of-interest disclosure forms
4 years
Finance and Administration
Financial statements (audited)
7 years
Auditor management letters
7 years
Payroll records
7 years
Check register and checks
7 years
Bank deposits and statements
7 years
Chart of accounts
7 years
General ledgers and journals (includes bank reconciliations)
7 years
Investment performance reports
7 years
Equipment files and maintenance records
7 years after disposition
Contracts and agreements
7 years after all obligations end
Correspondence — general
3 years
Insurance Records
Policies — occurrence type
7 years after cancellation of policy
Policies — claims-made type
7 years after cancellation of policy
Accident reports
7 years
Safety (OSHA) reports
7 years
Claims (after settlement)
7 years
Group disability records
7 years after the end of benefits
Real Estate
Deeds
Permanent
Leases (expired)
7 years after all obligations end
Mortgages, security agreements
7 years after all obligations end
Tax
IRS exemption determination and related correspondence
Permanent
IRS Form 990s
7 years
Charitable Organizations Registration Statements
7 years
Human Resources
Employee personnel files
7 years after termination of employment.
Retirement plan benefits (plan descriptions, plan documents)
Permanent
Employee handbooks
Permanent
Workers comp claims (after settlement)
7 years
Employee orientation and training materials
7 years after use ends
Employment applications
3 years
IRS Form I-9 (store separately from personnel file)
Greater of 1 year after the end of service, or three years
Withholding tax statements
7 years
Timecards
3 years
Benefits Documents
7 years
Technology
Software licenses and support agreements
7 years after all obligations end
1. Electronic Documents and Records.
Electronic documents will be retained as if they were paper documents. Therefore, any
electronic files that fall into one of the document types on the above schedule will be maintained for the appropriate amount of time. If a user has sufficient reason to keep an e-mail message, the message should be printed in hard copy and kept in the appropriate file or moved to an “archive” computer file folder. Backup and recovery methods will be tested on a regular basis.
2. Emergency Planning.
Paws For Purple Hearts’ records will be stored in a safe, secure, and accessible manner. Documents and financial files that are essential to keeping Paws For Purple Hearts operating in an emergency will be duplicated or backed up at least every week and maintained off-site.
3. Document Destruction.
Chief Operating Officer (COO). is responsible for the ongoing process of identifying its records, which have met the required retention period, and overseeing their destruction. Destruction of financial and personnel-related documents will be accomplished by shredding.
Document destruction will be suspended immediately, upon any indication of an official investigation or when a lawsuit is filed or appears imminent. Destruction will be reinstated upon conclusion of the investigation.
4. Compliance.
Failure on the part of employees to follow this policy can result in possible civil and criminal sanctions against Paws For Purple Hearts and its employees and possible disciplinary action against responsible individuals. Chief Operating Officer (COO). will periodically review these procedures with legal counsel or Paws For Purple Hearts’ certified public accountant to ensure that they comply with new or revised regulations.
Whistleblower Policy
Purpose - Paws For Purple Hearts requires board members, committee members, employees, and subsidiaries to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities, and all directors, committee members, and employees to comply with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
Reporting Responsibility -
Paws For Purple Hearts seeks to have an “Open Door Policy” and encourages board members and employees to share their questions, concerns, suggestions, or complaints regarding Paws For Purple Hearts and its operations with someone who can address them properly. In most cases, a board member or committee member should present his or her concerns to the Chair of the Board. The President/CEO is generally in the best position to address an employee’s area of concern. However, if a board member is not comfortable speaking with the Board Chair, or is not comfortable with the Board Chair’s response, or if an employee is not comfortable speaking with the President/CEO, or if the employee is not satisfied with the President/CEO’s response, the board member, committee member or employee is encouraged to speak with anyone on the Board whom the employee is comfortable in approaching, or to directly contact the Paws For Purple Hearts outside legal counsel, whose contact information can be obtained from the President/CEO.
No Retaliation -
No board member, committee member, or employee who in good faith reports a violation of a law or regulation requirement shall suffer harassment, retaliation, or adverse employment consequence. An employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.
This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable persons to raise serious concerns within Paws For Purple Hearts prior to seeking resolution outside Paws For Purple Hearts.
Compliance Officer -
Paws For Purple Hearts’ President/CEO, working with the Chair of the Board, will act as Paws For Purple Hearts’ Compliance Officer. The Compliance Officer is responsible for investigating and resolving all employee complaints and allegations concerning violations of the Principles and/or Code. The Board Chair or his or her designee will take on the Compliance Officer role if the complaint involves the President/CEO. If the complaint involves both the President/CEO and Board Chair, outside legal counsel or another appointed board member will carry out the functions of the Compliance Officer.
Accounting and Auditing Matters -
The Finance Committee of the Board of Directors shall address all reported concerns or complaints regarding corporate accounting practices, internal controls, or auditing. The Compliance Officer shall immediately notify the Finance Committee of any such complaint and work with the Committee until the matter is resolved.
Requirement of Good Faith -
Anyone filing a complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation of the law or regulation requirements 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 or may be submitted anonymously. 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 Compliance Officer, or the person responsible for carrying out the Compliance Officer’s role with respect to a reported or suspected violation, will acknowledge receipt of the reported violation or suspected violation by writing a letter (or e-mail) to the complainant within five business days. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation.