Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 31, 2026

The National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter (“NASW-CA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of participants in the NASW-CA EmpowerEd Program. This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, disclosed, and protected in connection with the EmpowerEd website, online courses, continuing education programs, and related services (collectively, the “Services”).

By accessing or using the Services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information that you provide directly to us, information generated through your use of the Services, and information necessary to process transactions and administer continuing education activities.

Depending on how you use the EmpowerEd Program, this information may include:

• Name and email address;
• Account username and profile information;
• Professional, licensing, or continuing education information that you choose to provide;
• Course registrations and enrollments;
• Course activity, progress, completion status, quiz or assessment results, evaluations, and certificate records;
• Purchase, billing, transaction, refund, and payment-related information;
• Communications with NASW-CA, including customer support inquiries, refund or extension requests, complaints, and grievances;
• Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, device information, access times, and similar technical information; and
• Information collected through cookies and similar technologies.

You may choose not to provide certain information; however, doing so may prevent you from creating an account, purchasing or accessing a course, receiving continuing education credit, or using certain features of the Services.

2. How We Use Information

NASW-CA may use information collected through the EmpowerEd Program to:

• Create and administer participant accounts;
• Process course registrations, purchases, refunds, transfers, and extensions;
• Provide access to courses and related materials;
• Track course progress and determine completion;
• Issue, maintain, verify, correct, or administer certificates and continuing education records;
• Respond to customer service inquiries, complaints, grievances, and other requests;
• Communicate information concerning accounts, purchases, courses, certificates, and program operations;
• Provide information about NASW-CA programs, courses, services, or events, subject to applicable communication preferences and law;
• Measure and analyze use of the website and Services;
• Maintain, improve, secure, and troubleshoot the EmpowerEd Program;
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, unauthorized activity, misuse, or security incidents;
• Investigate or respond to payment disputes, chargebacks, or other transaction issues;
• Maintain records required for continuing education, program administration, accounting, legal, or regulatory purposes; and
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal process, and enforceable governmental requests.

3. Course and Continuing Education Records

The EmpowerEd Program maintains records associated with course participation and continuing education activities. These records may include enrollment dates, course access and activity, progress, assessment results, completion status, evaluations, and certificates.

NASW-CA may retain these records as reasonably necessary to administer continuing education programs, verify course completion and certificates, respond to participant inquiries, satisfy applicable recordkeeping requirements, and protect the integrity of the program.

4. Payments and Transaction Information

Payments made through the EmpowerEd Program are processed using third-party payment and technology service providers.

Information necessary to process a transaction may be collected or processed by these providers in accordance with their own privacy and security practices. NASW-CA may receive and retain transaction information such as the purchaser’s identity, amount paid, course purchased, transaction status, payment method details made available to merchants, refunds, and dispute information.

Payment service providers are responsible for processing payment card information in accordance with the security requirements applicable to their services.

5. How We Share Information

NASW-CA does not sell personal information collected through the EmpowerEd Program.

We may disclose personal information when reasonably necessary to operate the Services or for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to:

• Technology, hosting, learning platform, payment processing, analytics, email, customer service, and other service providers that support the operation of EmpowerEd;
• Instructors, contractors, or other persons assisting with course or program administration when access to the information is reasonably necessary for that purpose;
• Payment processors, financial institutions, card networks, or other appropriate parties in connection with transactions, refunds, fraud prevention, payment disputes, or chargebacks;
• Government agencies, regulators, courts, law enforcement, or other parties when disclosure is required or permitted by applicable law or legal process;
• Parties reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, security, or integrity of NASW-CA, the EmpowerEd Program, participants, or others; and
• Other parties when you direct us to disclose information or otherwise provide appropriate authorization.

Service providers are permitted to process information as necessary to perform services on behalf of NASW-CA and are subject to the terms, safeguards, and legal requirements applicable to their services.

6. Learning Platform and Third-Party Services

The EmpowerEd Program is hosted using Thinkific and may rely on other third-party technology and service providers to deliver courses, process payments, provide communications, analyze site usage, and support program operations.

These providers may collect and process information in connection with the services they provide. Their handling of information is also subject to their respective privacy policies and applicable agreements.

The EmpowerEd website may also contain links to websites or services operated by third parties. NASW-CA is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, or content of independent third-party websites or services.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

The EmpowerEd Program and its service providers may use cookies, tags, pixels, and similar technologies to operate the website, maintain user sessions, remember preferences, measure site activity, analyze performance, improve the Services, and support security.

Some cookies are necessary for account access and core website functionality. Other technologies may be used for analytics or similar purposes.

You may be able to control certain cookies through your browser or device settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of portions of the Services.

8. Communications

NASW-CA may use your contact information to send communications related to your account, purchases, course access, course completion, certificates, policy changes, customer service requests, and other administrative matters.

NASW-CA may also communicate with you about courses, programs, services, or events that may be of professional interest. Where applicable, promotional communications will include a means to unsubscribe or adjust communication preferences.

Unsubscribing from promotional communications will not prevent NASW-CA from sending transactional, account, course, certificate, security, or other administrative communications that are necessary to provide the Services.

9. Data Security

NASW-CA uses reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

The EmpowerEd Program also relies on security measures maintained by the technology and service providers used to operate the Services.

No method of electronic transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Participants are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of their usernames and passwords and should sign out after using a shared or public device.

If you believe your EmpowerEd account or personal information has been accessed without authorization, please contact [email protected].

10. Data Retention

NASW-CA retains personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including program administration, course and certificate records, customer service, accounting, dispute resolution, fraud prevention, security, legal and regulatory compliance, and other legitimate organizational purposes.

Different categories of information may be retained for different periods depending on the nature of the information and applicable requirements.

When information is no longer reasonably required, NASW-CA may delete, de-identify, or otherwise dispose of it in accordance with applicable practices and requirements.

11. Access, Correction, and Privacy Requests

You may update certain account information through your EmpowerEd account. You may also contact NASW-CA to request correction of inaccurate personal information or to submit another privacy-related request.

Depending on where you reside and applicable law, you may have additional rights concerning your personal information, which may include rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, or information about how your personal information is used or disclosed.

These rights are subject to applicable exceptions and are not absolute. For example, NASW-CA may retain information when necessary to maintain continuing education records, complete transactions, prevent fraud or abuse, resolve disputes, comply with legal obligations, or protect legitimate organizational interests.

NASW-CA may take reasonable steps to verify the identity and authority of a person making a privacy request before providing access to or making changes to personal information.

12. Children’s Privacy

The EmpowerEd Program provides professional continuing education and is not directed to children under 13 years of age.

NASW-CA does not knowingly collect personal information through EmpowerEd from children under 13. If NASW-CA becomes aware that such information has been collected, it may take appropriate steps to delete it.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

NASW-CA may revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the EmpowerEd Program, technology, organizational practices, or applicable requirements.

The current version will be posted on the EmpowerEd website and will identify its effective date. Where appropriate or required by law, NASW-CA may provide additional notice of material changes.

14. Terms of Use

Use of the EmpowerEd Program is also subject to the NASW-CA EmpowerEd Terms of Use.

15. Contact Information

Questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of personal information through the EmpowerEd Program may be directed to:

Jasmine Smith, DSW, LCSW
Associate Executive Director
[email protected]

General EmpowerEd customer support inquiries may be directed to:

NASW-CA EmpowerEd Program
[email protected]