Terms of Use

Effective Date: August 31, 2026

These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern access to and use of the NASW-CA EmpowerEd Program, including its website, online courses, continuing education programs, course materials, certificates, and related services (collectively, the “Services”).

The EmpowerEd Program is operated by the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter (“NASW-CA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”).

By creating an account, registering for or purchasing a course, or otherwise using the Services, you agree to these Terms and the policies incorporated herein.

1. Program Use

The NASW-CA EmpowerEd Program provides online continuing education and professional development courses for social workers and other professionals.

Course descriptions identify the subject matter, continuing education credit, pricing, and other information applicable to each course.

You are responsible for determining whether a course meets the continuing education, licensing, certification, employment, or other professional requirements applicable to you.

2. Registration and Accounts

You may be required to create an account to purchase, access, or complete a course.

Information submitted during registration must be accurate and complete. The name and other information associated with your account must accurately identify the individual completing the course and receiving continuing education credit.

Accounts are for individual use only. You may not:

You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials and for activity conducted through your account.

Suspected unauthorized account access should be reported promptly to [email protected].

3. Course Access

Unless otherwise stated on the applicable course page, a purchased course will remain accessible for two years from the date of registration.

You are responsible for completing all course requirements within the applicable access period.

Expiration of the course access period does not entitle you to a refund.

Requests for extensions are governed by Section 10 of these Terms.

4. Course Completion

You must satisfy all applicable course requirements before receiving continuing education credit or a certificate of completion.

Depending on the course, completion requirements may include:

Course progress and completion are determined based on records maintained through the EmpowerEd learning platform.

You may not falsify, manipulate, circumvent, or otherwise interfere with course completion requirements or records.

5. Continuing Education Credit

NASW-CA provides continuing education information applicable to each course.

Licensing and continuing education requirements vary by profession and jurisdiction and may change. You are responsible for confirming that a course satisfies the requirements of your licensing board, regulatory authority, employer, or other applicable organization.

You are also responsible for retaining certificates and other documentation required for your professional records.

6. Certificates of Completion

Certificates are issued only after all applicable course completion requirements have been satisfied.

You are responsible for ensuring that your account information is accurate before completing a course.

Certificates may not be altered, falsified, transferred, or used to represent course completion by anyone other than the individual to whom the certificate was issued.

NASW-CA may correct, replace, suspend, or revoke a certificate or its verification where reasonably necessary to address inaccurate participant information, administrative error, failure to satisfy course completion requirements, falsification of course records, unauthorized account use, or other conduct that compromises the validity of the certificate.

If the payment associated with a course is disputed, reversed, or otherwise remains unpaid, NASW-CA may suspend course access and the verification or reissuance of the associated certificate while the payment matter remains unresolved.

Access and certificate status may be restored when the underlying issue has been resolved.

7. Fees and Payment

Course prices and applicable fees are displayed at the time of registration or purchase.

By submitting payment information, you represent that you are authorized to use the selected payment method and authorize payment of the amount shown at checkout.

You remain responsible for all amounts properly charged in connection with your purchase, subject to the Refund Policy below and any rights available under applicable law.

8. Refund Policy

Refund requests must be submitted within 15 days of the original purchase date.

Refunds will not be granted for any course that has been completed.

Administrative Fee

All approved refunds are subject to a $10 administrative fee, which will be deducted from the amount refunded.

Course Transfers

Instead of requesting a refund, you may request to transfer your purchase to another course of equal or lesser value within 15 days of the original purchase date.

The $10 administrative fee will be waived for approved transfers.

Transfers will not be approved for any course that has been completed.

Requesting a Refund or Transfer

Requests must be submitted to [email protected] and should include:

All refund and transfer requests are subject to review and approval by NASW-CA in accordance with this policy and applicable law.

Nothing in this section limits any rights that cannot lawfully be waived or restricted.

9. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks

If you believe a charge is incorrect or unauthorized, you are encouraged to contact NASW-CA at [email protected] so the matter can be reviewed.

If a chargeback, payment dispute, or payment reversal is initiated in connection with a course purchase, NASW-CA may immediately suspend access to the course or other Services associated with the disputed transaction while the matter is pending.

NASW-CA may also suspend verification or reissuance of any certificate associated with the disputed transaction.

NASW-CA may use and disclose relevant transaction, account, course access, completion, certificate, and related records as reasonably necessary to investigate or respond to a payment dispute.

If the dispute is withdrawn or resolved with payment to NASW-CA, course access and certificate status may be restored as appropriate.

If payment is reversed or otherwise remains unpaid, access to the course and associated certificate verification may remain suspended until the outstanding payment has been resolved.

Nothing in this section limits any rights available to a cardholder under applicable law.

10. Course Extensions

Extension requests must be submitted at least five days before the course access period expires.

Each approved extension provides an additional 30 days of course access.

A maximum of two extensions per course purchase may be approved, for a total of no more than 60 additional days.

Extension requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and may be subject to an additional fee depending on the circumstances and length of the requested extension. Any applicable fee will be communicated before the extension is processed.

Extensions will not be approved for any course that has already been completed.

Requests must be submitted to [email protected] and should include:

All extension requests are subject to review and approval by NASW-CA.

11. Course Materials and Intellectual Property

Course content and materials made available through the EmpowerEd Program, including videos, recordings, presentations, written materials, graphics, assessments, handouts, and other educational resources, are owned by or licensed to NASW-CA or the applicable rights holder and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws, except where otherwise stated.

Registration for a course grants you a limited, personal, nonexclusive, nontransferable, and revocable right to access and use the applicable course materials solely for your individual educational and professional development purposes.

Unless expressly authorized, you may not:

All rights not expressly granted are reserved.

12. Prohibited Conduct

You may not use the Services to:

13. Suspension or Termination of Access

NASW-CA may restrict, suspend, or terminate access to the Services when reasonably necessary to protect the integrity or security of the EmpowerEd Program, enforce these Terms, or comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements.

Grounds for restriction, suspension, or termination may include:

Access may be restored when the underlying issue has been resolved.

Suspension or termination resulting from a violation of these Terms does not create an entitlement to a refund.

14. Technology, Availability, and Third-Party Services

NASW-CA may use third-party platforms, payment processors, hosting providers, video services, and other technology providers in connection with the EmpowerEd Program.

NASW-CA seeks to maintain reliable access to the Services but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free availability. Access may be affected by maintenance, updates, internet or hosting failures, third-party service interruptions, security events, or circumstances outside NASW-CA’s reasonable control.

Where appropriate, NASW-CA may extend course access or provide another reasonable remedy when a significant technical issue materially prevents access to a purchased course.

The Services may contain links to independent third-party websites or services. NASW-CA is not responsible for the content, availability, security, or practices of independent third-party websites or services, except as required by applicable law.

15. Privacy

Access to and use of the EmpowerEd Program are subject to the NASW-CA EmpowerEd Privacy Policy, as updated from time to time.

The Privacy Policy describes how information collected in connection with the EmpowerEd Program is handled and is incorporated into these Terms by reference.

Questions regarding privacy may be directed to:

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

16. Complaints and Grievances

A complaint or grievance concerning the EmpowerEd Program must be submitted in writing and should include:

Complaints and grievances should be submitted to:

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

NASW-CA will review, investigate, and respond by email within 10 working days of receipt of the written complaint or grievance.

17. Educational Purpose and Professional Responsibility

EmpowerEd courses and materials are provided for educational and professional development purposes.

Course participation does not establish a clinical, legal, supervisory, fiduciary, or other professional relationship between you and NASW-CA or between you and a course presenter.

Course materials are not a substitute for legal, clinical, licensing, regulatory, financial, or other individualized professional advice.

You remain responsible for exercising your own professional judgment and for complying with applicable laws, regulations, ethical requirements, professional standards, licensing requirements, and employer policies.

18. Disclaimer of Warranties

NASW-CA endeavors to provide accurate, current, and reliable educational content and Services. However, laws, regulations, licensing requirements, professional standards, and other subject matter may change over time.

Except as expressly provided in these Terms or required by applicable law, the Services and course materials are provided on an “as available” basis. NASW-CA does not warrant that the Services will be uninterrupted or error-free, or that any particular course will satisfy an individual participant’s licensing, certification, employment, or professional requirements.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, NASW-CA disclaims warranties that are not expressly stated in these Terms, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any warranty or other right that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

19. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, NASW-CA will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising out of or relating to access to or use of, or inability to access or use, the EmpowerEd Program or its course materials.

This limitation does not apply to liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.

20. Changes to Courses and Services

NASW-CA may update, modify, replace, or discontinue course content, instructors, program requirements, technology, or other features of the Services when reasonably necessary.

If a material change prevents a participant from completing a course already purchased, NASW-CA may provide an alternative course, additional access time, a refund, or another appropriate remedy based on the circumstances.

21. Changes to These Terms

NASW-CA may revise these Terms from time to time.

The current version will be posted on the EmpowerEd website and will identify its effective date.

Revisions will apply prospectively in accordance with applicable law. Where appropriate, you may be required to accept updated Terms in connection with a future purchase or continued use of certain Services.

22. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the policies expressly incorporated herein and any applicable course-specific terms presented at registration or purchase, constitute the agreement between you and NASW-CA concerning your use of the EmpowerEd Program and supersede prior or contemporaneous communications concerning the same subject matter.

Nothing in this section modifies the terms of a separate written agreement expressly entered into by NASW-CA.

23. Severability and Waiver

If any provision of these Terms is determined to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law, and the remaining provisions will continue in effect.

A failure by NASW-CA to enforce any provision of these Terms in a particular instance does not constitute a waiver of that provision or of NASW-CA’s right to enforce it in the future.

24. Contact Information

Questions regarding course access, payments, refunds, transfers, extensions, or these Terms may be directed to:

NASW-CA EmpowerEd Program
[email protected]

Questions regarding privacy, complaints, or grievances may be directed as provided in Sections 15 and 16 above.