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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Code of Conduct
Our Code of Conduct is intended to provide specific standards to cover most situations encountered by our yoga teachers. Its primary goal is the welfare and protection of our students, teachers, yoga community, and the public. It articulates the ethical standards that our teachers must follow. The Code of Conduct is intended to elevate the professionalism and integrity of our yoga teachers by adopting uniform standards for behavior yet recognizing the diversity of the many traditions of the teaching and practice of yoga.

Professional Growth/Continuing Education
Teachers shall maintain the integrity, competency, and high standards of the yoga profession by continuously striving to improve their skills through keeping current in new developments in yoga practice and by participating in continuing educational programs. Teachers shall maintain and improve their professional knowledge and competence, strive for professional excellence through regular assessment of their personal and professional strengths and weaknesses, and through continued education and training. Teachers shall stay current with new developments in yoga through practice and study.

Teacher-Student Relationships
Teachers shall maintain professional relationships with their students. Teachers recognize that the teacher-student relationship involves a power imbalance. Teachers shall avoid any relationship with a student that exploits the student in any way or that may be used for the teacher’s personal benefit. Teachers shall not engage in harassment, abusive words or actions, or exploit students.
The relationship between a yoga teacher and a student is based on trust. To establish and maintain that trust, teachers must be polite, considerate, and honest in their interactions with their students.
Teachers should practice good communication with their students. Teachers should listen attentively to their students, respect their point of view, beliefs and culture, and should not allow their beliefs and values to adversely influence their relationship with their students. Teachers shall avoid imposing their personal beliefs on their students.

Integrity
Teachers shall uphold the highest of moral standards. Teachers shall strive to ensure that their intentions, actions, and speech are based on honesty, compassion, selflessness, trustworthiness, and transparency.
Teachers recognize that the process of learning is never complete, and they shall avoid portraying themselves as “enlightened” or “spiritually advanced.”

Scope of Practice
Teachers shall represent their qualifications honestly and provide only the services they are qualified and certified to perform. Teachers shall not give medical advice. Teachers shall not recommend treatment, diagnose a condition, or suggest that a student disregard medical advice. Teachers shall refer their students to medical doctors or complimentary licensed professionals when appropriate. Our studio will not engage in the unauthorized practice of medicine. We will not recommend treatment, diagnose a condition, or suggest that a student should disregard a physician’s advice. We will refer our students to medical doctors or complimentary licensed professionals when appropriate.

Confidential Information
Teachers shall keep all personal information disclosed by their students or clients strictly confidential.

Inter-Professional Relationships
Teachers are part of a network of healthcare and well-being professionals and shall seek to develop interdisciplinary relationships. Teachers shall conduct themselves in an honorable manner in their relations with their colleagues and other wellness practitioners.

Yoga Equity
Teachers shall welcome all students regardless of age, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and perceived gender expression), sexual orientation, color, race, national origin, marital status, parental status, veteran’s status, religion, or physical or mental disability (provided that the teacher has appropriate expertise).

Anti-Harassment Policy
Overview
Harassment is a legal term that means unwelcome verbal and non-verbal conduct directed against someone in a protected class.
Sexual harassment is a legal term that means unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace.
Sexual misconduct is a non-legal term used informally to describe a broad range of behaviors which may or may not involve harassment.

Harassment Against Members of Protected Class
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), gender identify, pronoun use, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status, genetic information, or any other basis proscribed by law.
Harassment includes epithets, slurs, name calling, negative stereotyping, insults, intimidation, ridicule, threatening, intimidating or hostile acts, denigrating jokes, and display of written or graphic material that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an individual or group based on their protected characteristic.
Harassment includes, but is not limited to: offensive verbal comments related to age, gender, gender identity, pronoun use, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, body type, personal appearance, physical or mental ability, socioeconomic status, marital status, political activities or affiliation, deliberate intimidation; stalking; and inappropriate physical contact.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
We do not tolerate sexual harassment in our studio. 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.

Sexual Misconduct
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.
Attendance Policy for Yoga Teacher Training
Our program expects students to be on time for class and after breaks. Please let our faculty know if you will be late. Any absence must be approved in advance by our program director. We understand that students have important commitments outside of the classroom. Students must work with the program director to make up any missed hours. Make-up hours may be an extra cost to the student. Students recognize that, if they miss training hours that they have not made up, they will not graduate from the program on time.

Withdrawal & Refund Policy for Yoga Teacher Training
Refunds Before the Program Start Date
If an applicant withdraws from the Teacher Training Program after acceptance, and after paying, but before the program starts, $200 from the applicant's payment amount will be retained by the program (however, such amount can be applied towards a future training program) and the remainder will be refunded to the applicant. The program reserves the right to cancel any training before it begins. In that case any payments applicants have made will be refunded in full.

Refunds After the Program Start Date
If the applicant withdraws from the program after the training start date, $200 plus the cost of any weekends held already, whether the applicant attended those weekends or not, will be retained by the program.
Any refunds will be paid within thirty (30) days of receiving written notification from a student of cancellation or withdrawal. Students receiving benefits from federal programs shall be subject to federal refund policies, rules, and regulations.

Special Cases
In case a student needs to withdraw from the program due to illness, accident, death in the family, or other circumstances that make it impractical for the student to complete the course, the program will provide a reasonable and fair refund.

Inappropriate Conduct
No refunds will be given if the program removes a student from the program for inappropriate conduct. Inappropriate conduct is violation of the Code of Conduct, harassment, bullying, or any other behavior that is inappropriate or disruptive to the welfare of the program or to fellow students.