NAR’s Board of Directors overwhelmingly approved a series of changes to Article 10 of its Code of Ethics. Article 10 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity in a REALTOR®’s provision of real estate services and in a REALTOR®’s employment practices.

Effective immediately, there is a new Standard of Practice 10-5:

REALTORS® must not use harassing speech, hate speech, epithets, or slurs based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The Board also approved a change to Policy Statement 29, Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual. Revised Policy Statement 29 makes the Code of Ethics applicable to all of a REALTOR®’s activities, not just to real estate-related activities and transactions.

Finally, the Board approved a revision to NAR’s Bylaws, expanding the definition of “public trust” to include all discrimination against the protected classes under Article 10, together with all fraud. State and Local REALTOR® Associations are now required to share final decisions in Ethics proceedings with the state real estate licensing authority, in our case the Maryland Real Estate Commission, where the hearing panel found a violation of the public trust.

To review NAR’s FAQ on these Code of Ethics updates, click here.

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