BNI Policies

1. Only one person from each professional classification is permitted to join a chapter of BNI.
    
2. Members must represent their primary occupation, not a part-time business.
    
3. Meetings last 90 minutes. Members must arrive on time and stay for the entire meeting.
    
4. An individual may be a member of only one chapter of BNI at any given time.
    
5. Attendance is critical to the group. A member is allowed three absences every six months (April through September and October through March). More than this and the member's classification is subject to being opened by the chapter's Leadership Team or Membership Committee.
    
6. If a member cannot attend, you may send a substitute to the meeting. This will not count as an absence. A member is allowed 4 substitutes every six months. The same person can sub only once per month.
    
7. Members participate by bringing referrals and visitors to their chapter.
    
8. Visitors may attend chapter meetings up to two times.
    
9. Speakers must bring a door prize. Only members a referral are eligible for the door prize.
    
10. There are no leaves of absence except for medical leaves. A member may take up to eight weeks medical leave with the Membership Committee's prior approval. If fees are pre-paid for that period of time an attempt is made to have someone fill in during the medical leave.
     
11. It is the member's responsibility to file a concern with the Membership Committee of the chapter if a visitor who submits an application in any way conflicts with the member's classification. This should be done before the applicant is approved for membership. If there are no complaints, the Membership Committee will "assume their consent."
     
12. Members who wish to change their classification must submit a new membership application and get approval from the Membership Committee for that classification change.
     
13. Transferring members must submit a new member application to the Membership Committee of the chapter they are transferring to for approval. If there are no complaints, the Membership Committee will "assume their consent".
     
14. In case of problems with a member, Membership Committee may, at their sole discretion, put a member on probation relating to the member's business practices or commitment to the chapter.
     
15. A member's classification may be opened for failure to comply with the policies and/or the Code of Ethics of BNI. Membership Committees of any chapter may open classifications. In the absence of a Membership Committee, the Leadership Team may fulfill that responsibility.
     
16. Policies are subject to change. All proposed policy changes need to be reviewed first by the Board of Advisors.
     
17. If the Leadership Team fulfills all their responsibilities throughout their term, they will receive compensation for their fees. The Leadership Team must agree to the terms outlined in the Leadership Team Agreement in order to hold a position and must go through training before participating.
     
18. In the absence of a Membership Committee, the Leadership Team may act as an ad hoc Membership Committee until one is established.
     
19. An individual member can not be a member of any other group that allows only one person per profession and whose primary purpose is to pass referrals to one another because it substantially reduces their commitment to the chapter members. Membership Committees have full authority in this area.
     
20. BNI Membership Lists are for the purpose of giving referrals and not soliciting (via e-mail, direct mail, or any other means) BNI members without their approval.
     
21. All new members must attend the Members Success Program (MSP) training in their region within the first 60 days of their participation. Only after attending the MSP training may new members be added to the "speaker rotation" for the chapter. Any new members not attending the MSP training within their first 60 days after being inducted into the chapter, will be subject to having their classification opened by the Membership Committee.