All,

The following will be included into the Mod Manual with the next update and takes effect today.

Thank you.

BoD
====================================================
Procedure For the Appeal of Moderator Action

From time to time members may feel that certain actions taken by Moderators and Administrators concerning editing, flagging or the punitive actions used to enforce TOS are unfair or unjust.

Though directly challenging or questioning the actions of any Moderator or Administrator acting in his or her official capacity on the forums is specifically prohibited by our Terms of Service (TOS), certain moderator actions may be appealed for review. Depending upon the intricacies of the individual situation, this review might take anywhere from a few hours to several days and in some cases perhaps even a week or more to be completed and a ruling issued.

Any member who believes that a Moderator or Administrator performing the duties of a Moderator took an action unjustly or unfairly may appeal that action by the following process. Only those actions that were taken directly against you may be appealed. You may not appeal on someone else’s behalf.

1. Within 72 hours (14 days for those whose flag will result in indefinite suspension) of the action being appealed contact the Admin/BoD staff by the following method:

a. Contact the Admin/BoD by email to appeal@marriageadvocates.com

b. Provide a link to the original thread on the forum where the action being appealed took place.

c. Please state why you believe that what was moderated did not violate TOS and so the original moderator action was undeserved.

2. Your appeal will be acknowledged within 48 hours of its receipt

3. At least two members of the Board of Directors will volunteer or be assigned to process each appeal

4. Should those investigating your appeal feel it is warranted, a notification of the pending appeal may be posted to the original thread or to a thread begun for that purpose.

5. A final ruling will be made within 14 days from the receipt of your appeal or sooner.

6. If the original action is upheld, you will be notified of the result of the appeal via PM or at the email you used to contact us about the appeal. No further action will take place.

7. If your appeal is upheld and the actions you are appealing are overturned, reversed or modified, you will be informed via PM or email and any of the following may take place
a. An announcement of the results of the appeal may be made on the original thread or a thread begun for the announcement of the appeal.
b. The changes to the original action may be specified
c. Any posts or portions of posts moved to storage will be returned to their original form in their original placement within the thread as much as it is technically possible to do so.

8. Should the original action have resulted in punitive actions such as loss of privileges, those punitive actions will be reversed as quickly as possible including but not limited to the resetting of your flag and PB time status to what it was at the time of the original action you appealed. The action will not count toward cumulative punitive actions in the future.

9. Once the original appeal has been processed, regardless of outcome, no further appeals of the same action may be submitted though any other action for any other action you feel was unjust or unwarranted.


This procedure may be reviewed, modified, amended, rescinded or replaced at any time as determined by the Board of Directors of Marriage Advocates.


Edited by Mark1952 March 19, 2012 7:55 AM CDT
Edit reason: Changes to section 3





Edited by AntigoneRisen Sept 12 2014 10:11 PM EST
Edit reason: Changes to section 1





Edited by AntigoneRisen Sept 16 2014 10:08 PM EST
Edit reason: Changes to section 1