American Yoga Council Code of Conduct

v1.0, last updated 18 September 2025

Preamble

A Code of Conduct is a difficult document to write. In theory, it sets out your responsibilities as members in good standing, and what we, as a community, expect of each other.

In practice, it’s easy for a Code of Conduct to be so generic it is of little use, and for there to be next-to-no consequences for violating it. So we’re taking a different approach, with a few specific aims in mind:

  • We want the Code of Conduct to be more adaptable to your own ethics as a teacher or school in good standing.
  • We want the public to easily be able to see a School's code in order to hold them accountable to it.
  • We want our Code of Conduct to reflect our values as an organization.
  • And we want this Code of Conduct to be a key tool in holding ourselves to account as a community.

We expect this document to evolve, with your help, and we’re excited to figure out together what real accountability might look like in yoga teaching.

The American Yoga Council Code of Conduct

1. Follow the Law

This sounds obvious, but it's also the most enforceable clause to have in a Code of Conduct. We expect AYC members to teach in accordance with all appropriate legislation in your jurisdiction when teaching yoga. We’re not going to police your practice, but if your behaviour towards your students and colleagues violates civil or criminal law, we will recommend and support legal action. Unethical behaviour of a legal nature could result in expulsion from AYC.

  • I will teach in accordance with all appropriate legislation in my jurisdiction.

2. Uphold AYC Core Values

Secondly, to be a member in good standing, we expect you to teach in accordance with the following values, which reflect the core values of AYC as an organization.

  • Following the core value of Generosity, I will share my teachings in the spirit of collaboration rather than competition, and conduct my financial dealings fairly with others.
  • Following the core value of Transparency, I will represent my yoga education, background, and the content of my teaching honestly and accurately.
  • Following the core value of Right Livelihood, I will teach to the scope of practice of my training and experience.
  • Following the core value of Embodied Relationships, I will teach with respect for the value of ethical human to human connections.

3. Creating a Personal Code

Lastly, to be an effective and ethical yoga teacher, we believe it is vital to have considered your own personal code of conduct. You might reflect on Patanjali’s yamas and niyamas, on the five Buddhist Precepts for right living, on the lay Jain code, or on any other philosophical sources. We would like you to describe that code of conduct in your own words.

  • In accordance with my own practice and understanding of yogic philosophy, I commit to teach and live by the personal code of conduct written below.

LifesWork Yoga Code of Conduct

Additionally, this school has established a specific code of conduct that must be upheld:

Code of Conduct:
Life’sWork Yoga & Wellness has adopted a Code of Conduct which applies to all our teachers and trainees. We believe that it is the responsibility of our teachers to ensure a safe and protected environment in which a student can grow physically, mentally, and spiritually. We believe our teachers must aspire to and express the highest possible standards of conduct as set forth in our Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct embodies the yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali which are rules of ethical conduct that apply to all practitioners of yoga.
Attendance Policy
Life’sWork Training programs expect students to be on time for class, after breaks, and after lunch. Please let our faculty know if you will be late. Students are encouraged to have 100% attendance. However, we understand that students have important commitments outside of the classroom. Should extenuating circumstances impact attendance, students are permitted to miss class, provided they work with the program director to make up any missed hours. Students are responsible for rescheduling missed hours to make up any course material they have missed and may incur additional fees to account for teacher time. If a student needs to miss any training session, he or she must speak to the program director before the beginning of the session. Absences may be made up if we have available teacher trainers and studio openings at the rate of $100 per hour. Students recognize that, if they miss training hours that they have not made up, they will not graduate from the program.
Anti- Harassment in the Workplace
We do not tolerate sexual, gender or orientation harassment in our studio. We do not permit managers, employees, teachers, independent contractors, students, or others in the workplace to harass any other person because of age, gender (including pregnancy), race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, genetic information, or any other basis proscribed by law.

Sexual harassment refers to any unwelcome sexual attention, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature when the conduct harms the person’s employment or working environment.
We prohibit sexual misconduct in our studio. Sexual misconduct is any unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advance including requests for sexual favors, sexual touching, and verbal, visual, or physical conduct that creates a sexually hostile environment in a yoga class or studio. Teachers shall not invite, respond to, or allow any sexual or romantic conduct with a student during the period of the teacher-student relationship.

Anti-Retaliation Policy
We will not retaliate against any person for having reported or threatened to report violations of our Code of Conduct or polices, or for participating in an investigation into any of the foregoing. Anyone who retaliates against a person will be subjected to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. We encourage any person-including employees, non-employees, and students-who believe they have been subject to retaliation to inform a supervisor or manager.

Grievance Policy
We encourage anyone who has been the subject of sexual misconduct or any other action that violates our policies and Code of Conduct to report the incident to our Ethics Committee, Human Resources department, or school management (henceforth referred to as the “review-ing body”). The report should contain the following information:
• Your full name;
• Your email and phone number;
• The name of the person who the grievance is against;
• A description of the alleged policy violation;
• The date and location of the policy violation;
• Names and contact information of any witnesses with first-hand knowledge of the situation; and,
• Any other credible evidence that is available to support the grievance.
In the interest of fairness and privacy, all reports must be made by the person who has personally experienced the misconduct. We will not investigate a matter based upon a third-party report of misconduct. All reports must be made in good faith based on information the person reporting the incident reasonably believes to be accurate. We may request additional information from the person reporting the incident throughout the course of review of the report. We will take appropriate action to ensure compliance with our policies. The reviewing body will impose any sanctions that it feels are fair, just, and reasonable under all circumstances. We will not allow anyone to retaliate against any person for making a report in good faith or providing information in connection with an investigation into an alleged violation. Any information provided during a grievance report review will be treated on a confidential basis. Similarly, any actions that the taken in response to the report will also be confidential.

Refund Policy
Admission Denials: An applicant who is denied admission into the program is entitled to a full refund of all money paid by said applicant.

Three (3) Day Cancellation: An applicant who submits written notice of cancellation within three (3) business days after initial payment or signing the training agreement is entitled to a refund of all money paid. The refund will be paid within thirty (30) days of receiving the notice of cancellation.

Cancellations After Three (3) Days But Before Program Start Date: An applicant who submits written notice of cancellation of the program more than three (3) business days after signing the training agreement, but before the program begins, is entitled to a refund of all money paid less the $150 registration fee.

Refunds After the Program Start Date: There will be no refunds after the start date of the program. If the applicant withdraws from the program for any reason after it starts, the applicant will be responsible for paying the full tuition, regardless of any partial payments that have been made to date.