Protecting Our Members-Only Content

For more than forty years, CWC has been helping our member employers better understand and manage their workplace compliance requirements. These same employers – who choose to be members of our association and whose membership must be approved by our Board of Directors – all are committed to playing by the rules. To acting with integrity. To developing and implementing meaningful compliance programs. And to accelerating their pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, and often beyond.

But acting with integrity isn’t always easy or convenient.

Not that long ago we discovered that a large firm had obtained the username and password of one of our (now former) members, and then used those credentials to gain unauthorized access to thousands of pages of our members only content. This content included hundreds of our member-restricted memos, and dozens of members-only tools, templates, checklists, and guides. All of these materials were developed for the exclusive use of our members, and paid for by the membership dues employers pay to access the benefits and services available only to them.

After we discovered this unauthorized access, we tried in good faith to resolve it with all parties involved. But we didn’t exactly find partners who were willing to work with us. And so, for the first time in our association’s 40-plus year history, we filed a lawsuit to protect our rights, our content, and our members. If you’re curious to know more, you can search the internet for articles on CWC’s lawsuit to protect its intellectual property.

The litigation ultimately was resolved, but only after spending a significant amount of our limited time, resources, and budget. We were not deterred from our mission of helping our members understand and manage their workplace compliance requirements. And we won’t be deterred going forward, either.

What can you do to help?

Well, if you’re an employee of a CWC member organization, it’s important to remember that you’re not allowed to share your username or password with anyone, either inside or outside your organization. And if you’d like to do even more, you can help support our mission by contributing to CWC’s content development and operating fund in any amount of your choosing. Just click “Contribute” and follow the steps to help us continue developing – and protecting – the members-only content we’ve been producing since 1976.