2024 NCDA Code of Ethics

2024

NCDA

Code of

Ethics

Contents

NCDA Code of Ethics Preamble ................................. 1

NCDA Code of Ethics Purpose .................................. 2

Section A

e Professional Relationship ................................. 3

Section B

Condentiality, Privileged Communication, and Privacy ......... 7

Section C

Professional Responsibility .................................. 10

Section D

Relationships with Other Professionals ........................ 13

Section E

Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation .................... 14

Section F

Providing Career Services Online,Technology, and Social Media .. 17

Section G

Supervision, Training, and Teaching .......................... 21

Section H

Research and Publication ................................... 24

Section I

Resolving Ethical Issues ..................................... 27

Glossary of Terms ............................................ 29

Resources ................................................... 30

Index ....................................................... 31

e NCDA Ethics Committee acknowledges the work of the American Counseling Association (ACA) and its Ethics Committee.

NCDA, one of the founding associations of ACA in 1952, is a current division of ACA. As with its last revision, the NCDA Ethics

Committee endeavored to follow the structure of ACA’s Code so that the two codes would be compatible with each other, while

developing, adding, and enhancing profession-specic guidelines for NCDA’s membership. More information on ACA’s Ethics Code

can be found on their website (see the attached web references section).

Nondiscrimination Statement

NCDA opposes discrimination against any individualbased on age, culture, disability, ethnicity, race, religion/spirituality, creed,

gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, marital/partnership status, language preference, socioeconomic status, or

any other characteristics not specically relevant to job performance.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 1 •

2022-2023 and 2023-2024 NCDA Ethics

Committee Members

Sharon Anderson; Ron Cathey; Amanda Chenkin; Diane

Farrell; Dan Greenwood; Mary Guirovich; Conquaya James;

Gillian Johnston; Carolyn Jones; Manpreet Kaur; Jaana

Kettunen; Chris LaFever; Becca McCarthy; Michi Mizuno;

Shundrika Morris; VL Muanpuii; Marie Nicks; Keith

Okrosy; Sarah Patterson-Mills; David Reile; Amy Policastro

Schroeder; Azra Karajic Siwiec; Angela Smith; Keley Smith-

Keller; Tanisha Stokes; Billie Streufert; Lisa Sweet; Stacy Van

Horn; Duke Wallin; James Westho.

e NCDA Ethics Committee gives special thanks tothe

2022-2023 committee co-chairs, Azra Karajic Siwiec and

Sarah Patterson-Mills,for their leadership and initial work

on directing the update to the new code of ethics.

Introduction

A code of ethics helps to dene professional behavior and

serves to protect the public, the profession, and those who

practice within the profession. Ethical behavior involves

incorporating the principles espoused in the code of ethics

into your personal and professional life and using the code

to help determine a course of action. At the same time,

ethical behavior is about transparency. Can your behavior

withstand the scrutiny of others? Will you be embarrassed,

ashamed, or concerned if someone else knew that you did

or said something?

e NCDA Code of Ethics (Code) has been designed as a

guide and resource for career development professionals.

While it oers a set of principles that can be applied to a

wide range of settings and situations, it is not (nor can it

be) comprehensive. If you are concerned about whether

or not a particular practice is ethical, then you should

not engage in that behavior without getting competent

advice. More succinctly, when in doubt—don’t; at least not

without professional consultation. Peer review isn’t always

going to give you perfect advice; but you can take comfort

in knowing that you questioned your behavior before

proceeding and allowed others to comment before taking

action. ere is safety and strength in the depth and breadth

of opinions you seek before engaging in activity that may be

untried or questionable.

Professional Values & Principles

Professional values are one way of demonstrating a

commitment to ethical behavior. Career development

professionals acknowledge the following professional

values:

1. Enhancing career development throughout the lifespan;

2. Safeguarding the integrity of the professional working

relationship;

3. Practicing in a competent and ethical manner;

4. Supporting the worth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness

of everyone; and

5. Honoring diversity and promoting social justice.

6. ese professional values provide a conceptual basis for

the ethical principles outlined below. ese principles are

the foundation for ethical behavior and decision-making.

e fundamental principles of professional ethical

behavior include:

• Autonomy, or fostering the right to control the

direction of one’s life;

• Nonmalecence, or avoiding actions that cause harm;

• Benecence, or working for the good of the

individual and society by promoting mental health

and well-being;

• Objectivity, or treating individuals equitably;

• Accountability, or honoring commitments and keeping

promises, including fullling one’s responsibilities of

trust in professional relationships; and

• Veracity, or dealing truthfully with individuals with

whom career development professionals come into

contact.

2024 NCDA Code of Ethics Preamble

Conquaya James and David Reile, Co-Chairs

Julia Panke Makela, NCDA Board Liaison

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 2 •

e National Career Development Association (NCDA)

Code of Ethics serves ve main purposes:

1. e Code enables NCDA to clarify to current and future

members, and to those served by their members, the

nature of ethical responsibilities held in common by its

members.

2. e Code helps support the mission of NCDA.

3. e Code establishes principles that dene ethical

behaviors and practices of association members.

4. e Code serves as an ethical guide designed to assist

members in constructing a professional course of action

that best serves those utilizing career services and best

promotes the values of the career profession.

5. e Code serves as a guide for those receiving career

services so that they may understand what to expect

from working with a career development professional

and to understand their rights and responsibilities as

consumers of these services.

e NCDA Code of Ethics contains nine main sections that

address the following areas:

Section A: e Professional Relationship

Section B: Condentiality, Privileged Communication,

and Privacy

Section C: Professional Responsibility

Section D: Relationships with Other Professionals

Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation

Section F: Providing Career Service Online, Technology,

& Social Media

Section G: Supervision, Training, and Teaching

Section H: Research and Publication

Section I: Resolving Ethical Issues

Each section of the NCDA Code of Ethics begins with an

Introduction. e Introduction helps set the tone for that

particular section and provides a starting point that invites

reection on the ethical guidelines contained in each part

of the NCDA Code of Ethics. When career development

professionals are faced with ethical dilemmas that are

dicult to resolve, they are expected to engage in a carefully

considered ethical decision-making process. Reasonable

dierences of opinion can and do exist among career

development professionals with respect to ways in which

values, ethical principles, and ethical standards would

be applied when they conict. While there is no specic

ethical decision-making model that is most eective, career

development professionals are expected to be familiar with

a credible model of decision-making that can bear public

scrutiny and its application. rough a chosen ethical

decision-making process and evaluation of the context

of the situation, career development professionals are

empowered to make decisions that help expand the capacity

of people to grow and develop.

NCDA’s Ethics Committee members do not hold

themselves up as denitive experts in all ethical matters.

Further, they are not experts with regard to legal issues

and cannot give legal advice. However, members of the

National Career Development Association are encouraged

to contact the committee with questions. e committee

works collaboratively to provide guidance where it can

and to provide referrals as appropriate. You may reach the

committee at [email protected].

NCDA has members in various career services positions

(see Career Development Professionals in the Glossary),

as well as in instructional (counselor educators, counseling

psychology professors, etc.) and supervisory roles (Director,

Associate Director, Career Supervisor, Career Coach,

etc.). e term “career development professional” will be

used throughout this document both as a noun and as an

adjective to refer to anyone holding NCDA membership

and who is therefore expected to abide by these ethical

guidelines. Additionally, a brief glossary is given to provide

readers with a concise description of some of the terms

used in the NCDA Code of Ethics. NCDA members who

are aliated with other professional associations (i.e.,

psychologists, school counselors, etc.) should also consult

the ethics codes from those organizations and adhere to the

highest standard of professional practice.

NCDA acknowledges and supports its members in their

quest to achieve the highest academic and professional

credentials appropriate to their work. Many NCDA

members are trained and credentialed counselors,

psychologists, and/or educators with master’s and/

or doctoral-level degrees in counseling, psychology, or

related disciplines. NCDA does not encourage or condone

replacing these professionals with individuals who have

lesser education, training, and/or credentials. However,

NCDA acknowledges, respects, and welcomes individuals

regardless of their training and educational backgrounds

and recognizes the valuable contribution that all of its

members make in the eld of career development. us,

NCDA opposes any statement, action, or activity that

implies a “second-class” status to any individuals within our

association.

2024 NCDA Code of Ethics Purpose

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 3 •

Section A

The Professional

Relationship

Introduction

Career development professionals

facilitate client growth and

development in ways that foster

the interest and welfare of clients

and promote the formation of

healthy relationships. Trust is the

cornerstone of the professional

relationship and career development

professionals have the responsibility

to respect and safeguard the client’s

right to privacy and condentiality.

Career development professionals

actively attempt to understand the

diverse cultural backgrounds of

the individuals they serve. Career

development professionals also

explore their own cultural identities

and how these aect their values and

beliefs about the working relationship.

Career development professionals

are encouraged to contribute to

society by devoting a portion of their

professional activity to services for

which there is little or no nancial

return (pro bono publico).

A.1. Welfare of ose Served

by Career Development

Professionals

A.1.a. Primary Responsibility

e primary responsibility of career

development professionals is to

respect the dignity and to promote the

welfare of the individuals to whom

they provide service. is primary

responsibility would include growing

in cultural competence to eectively

and respectfully serve those who seek

career services.

A.1.b. Dierentiation Between

Types of Services

Provided

“Career planning” services

according to applicable policies.

Career development professionals

are encouraged to purge their les

according to the time frame required

by federal, state, local, and/or

institutional statute, law, regulation,

or procedure, particularly when there

is no reasonable expectation that a

client will benet from maintaining

the records any longer than required.

Career development professionals

are expected to know and abide by

all applicable federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statutes, laws,

regulations, and procedures regarding

record keeping.

A.1.d. Career Services Plans

Career development professionals and

their clients work jointly in devising

integrated career services plans (in

writing or orally) and are consistent

with the abilities and circumstances

of clients. Career development

professionals and clients regularly

review career plans to assess their

continued viability and eectiveness,

respecting the freedom of choice of

clients.

A.1.e. Support Network

Involvement

Career development professionals

recognize that support networks

hold various meanings in the lives

of clients and consider enlisting

the support, understanding, and

involvement of others (e.g., family

members, friends, and religious/

spiritual/community leaders) as

positive resources, when appropriate

and with client consent.

A.2. Informed Consent

in the Professional

Relationship

A.2.a. Informed Consent

Clients have the freedom to choose

whether to enter into or remain

in a professional relationship. To

make informed choices, clients need

adequate information about the

are dierentiated from “career

counseling” services. Career planning

services include an active provision of

information designed to help a client

with a specic need, such as review

of a resumé; assistance in networking

strategies; identication of

occupations based on values, interests,

skills, prior work experience, and/or

other characteristics; support in the

job-seeking process; and assessment

by means of paper-based and/or

online inventories of interest, abilities,

personality, work-related values, and/

or other characteristics. In addition

to providing these informational

services, “career counseling” provides

the opportunity for a deeper level of

involvement with the client, based on

the establishment of a professional

counseling relationship and the

potential for assisting clients with

career and personal development

concerns beyond those included

in career planning. All Career

development professionals, whether

engaging in “career planning,” “career

coaching”, “career advising”, “career

counseling”, or any similar service

provide only the services that are

within the scope of their professional

competence and qualications.

A.1.c. Records &

Documentation

Career development professionals

maintain records necessary for

rendering professional services as

required by laws, regulations, and/or

agency/institution procedures. Career

development professionals include

sucient and timely documentation

in their records to facilitate delivery

and continuity of services. Career

development professionals take

reasonable steps to ensure that

documentation in records accurately

reects client progress and the

services provided. If amendments

are made in records, Career

development professionals take steps

to properly note the amendment

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 4 •

A.3. Clients Served by Others

When career development

professionals learn that their client is

in a professional relationship with a

mental health professional, another

career development professional or

other relevant service provider, if

appropriate, they request a written

release from clients to inform the

other professionals and always strive

to establish positive and collaborative

professional relationships, when

necessary and appropriate.

A.4. Avoiding Harm and

Imposing Values

A.4.a. Avoiding Harm

Career development professionals

act to avoid harming their clients,

students, trainees, and research

participants and to minimize or to

remedy unavoidable or unanticipated

harm.

A.4.b. Personal Values

Career development professionals

are aware of their own values,

attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors

and avoid imposing values that are

inconsistent with clients’ goals. Career

development professionals respect

the values and individuality of clients,

students, trainees, and research

participants.

A.5. Roles and Relationships

with Clients

A.5.a. Current Clients

Sexual or romantic interactions or

relationships with current clients,

their romantic partners, or their

family members are prohibited.

A.5.b. Former Clients

Sexual or romantic interactions or

relationships with former clients, their

romantic partners, or their family

members are prohibited.

agree (consent) to fees and billing

arrangements including procedures

regarding nonpayment of fees.

A.2.c. Clients’ Right to

Condentiality and

Right to Refuse Service

Clients have the right to

condentiality and to be provided

with an explanation of its limitations

(including how supervisors and/

or treatment team professionals are

involved); to obtain clear information

about their records; to participate in

the ongoing career services plans; and

to refuse any services or modality

change and to be advised of the

consequences of such refusal.

A.2.d. Inability to Give

Consent

When providing career services

to minors or persons unable to

give voluntary consent, career

development professionals seek the

assent of clients to services, and

include them in decision making as

appropriate. Career development

professionals recognize the need to

balance the ethical rights of clients to

make choices, their capacity to give

consent or assent to receive services,

and parental or familial legal rights

and responsibilities to protect these

clients and make decisions on their

behalf.

A.2.e. Mandated Clients

Career development professionals

discuss the required limitations to

condentiality when working with

clients who have been mandated

for services. Career development

professionals also explain what type

of information and with whom that

information is shared prior to the

beginning of providing services. e

client may choose to refuse services.

In this case, career development

professionals will, to the best of their

ability, discuss with the client the

potential consequences of refusing

services.

working relationship and the career

development professional. Career

development professionals have an

obligation to review in writing and

orally the rights and responsibilities

of both the career development

professional and the recipient of

services prior to the beginning of the

working relationship as appropriate.

Further, informed consent is an

ongoing part of the professional

relationship, and career development

professionals appropriately document

discussions of informed consent

throughout the working relationship.

A.2.b. Types of Information

Needed

Career development professionals

clearly explain to clients the nature

of all services provided. ey

inform clients about topics such as,

but not limited to, the following:

the purposes, goals, techniques,

procedures, limitations, potential

risks, and benets of services; the

career development professional’s

qualications, credentials, and

relevant experience; the role of

technology, continuation of services

upon the incapacitation or death of

the career development professional;

and other pertinent information.

Career development professionals

take steps to ensure that clients

understand the implications of

diagnosis (if applicable) and the

intended use of tests/assessments

and reports. In addition, Career

development professionals take steps

to ensure clients understand and

agree (consent) to fees and billing

arrangements including procedures

regarding nonpayment of fees.

Career development professionals

take steps to ensure that clients

understand the implications of

diagnosis (if applicable) and the

intended use of tests/assessments

and reports. In addition, Career

development professionals take steps

to ensure clients understand and

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 5 •

A.5.c. Nonprofessional

Interactions or

Relationships (Other

an Sexual or

Romantic Interactions

or Relationships)

Nonprofessional relationships

with clients, former clients, their

romantic partners, or their family

members should be avoided by career

development professionals, except

when the interaction is potentially

benecial to the client.

A.5.d. Potentially Benecial

Interactions

When a nonprofessional interaction

with a client or former client may

be potentially benecial to the

client or former client, the career

development professional must

document in case records, prior

to the interaction (or as soon as

feasible), the rationale for such an

interaction, the potential benet,

and anticipated consequences for

the client or former client and other

individuals signicantly involved

with the client or former client. Such

interactions should be initiated with

appropriate client consent. Examples

of potentially benecial interactions

include, but are not limited to,

attending a formal ceremony (e.g.,

a wedding/commitment ceremony

or graduation); purchasing a

service or product provided by a

client or former client (excepting

unrestricted bartering); hospital

visits to an ill family member; and

mutual membership in a professional

association, organization, or

community. . Where unintentional

harm occurs to the client or former

client, or to an individual signicantly

involved with the client or former

client, due to the nonprofessional

interaction, the career development

professional must show evidence of

an attempt to remedy such harm.

inhibit access and/or the growth and

development of clients.

A.6.b. Condentiality and

Advocacy

Career development professionals

explain issues of condentiality and

obtain consent prior to engaging

in advocacy eorts on behalf of a

client to improve the provision of

services and to work toward removal

of systemic barriers or obstacles that

inhibit client access, growth, and

development.

A.7. Multiple Clients

When a career development

professional agrees to provide career

services to two or more persons

who have a relationship, the career

development professional claries at

the outset which person or persons

are clients and the nature of the

relationships the career development

professional will have with each

involved person. If it becomes

apparent that the career development

professional may be called upon to

perform potentially conicting roles,

the career development professional

will clarify, adjust, or withdraw

appropriately from one or more roles.

A.8. Group Work

A.8.a. Screening

Career development professionals

screen prospective group participants.

To the extent possible, career

development professionals select

members whose needs and goals are

compatible with goals of the group,

who will not impede the group

process, and whose well-being will

not be jeopardized by the group

experience.

A.8.b. Protecting Clients

In a group setting, career

development professionals take

reasonable precautions to protect

clients from physical, emotional, or

psychological trauma.

A.5.e. Role Changes in

the Professional

Relationship

When a career development

professional changes a role from the

original or most recent contracted

relationship, s/he obtains informed

consent from the client and explains

the right of the client to refuse

services related to the change.

Clients must be fully informed

of any anticipated consequences

(e.g., nancial, legal, personal, or

therapeutic) of role changes with a

career development professional.

Examples of role changes include, but

are not limited to:

1. changing from providing

individual career services to

therapy, relationship or family

counseling, or vice versa;

2. changing from a non-forensic

evaluative role to a therapeutic

role, or vice versa;

3. changing from a career

development professional to a

researcher role (i.e., enlisting

clients as research participants), or

vice versa; and/or

4. changing from a career

development professional to a

mediator role, or vice versa.

A.5.f. Other Relationships

Career development professionals do

not provide services to individuals

with whom they have had a previous

romantic or sexual relationship.

A.6. Roles and Relationships

at Individual, Group,

Institutional, and

Societal Levels

A.6.a. Advocacy

When appropriate, career

development professionals advocate

at individual, group, institutional,

and societal levels to examine

potential barriers and obstacles that

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 6 •

A.9. Fees and Business

Practices

A.9.a. Self-Referrals &

Unacceptable Business Practices

Career development professionals

working in an organization (e.g.,

school, agency, institution) that

provides counseling services do not

refer clients to their private practice

unless the policies of a particular

organization make explicit provisions

for self-referrals. In such instances,

clients must be informed of other

options open to them should they

seek private career services. Career

development professionals also do not

participate in fee splitting, nor do they

give or receive commissions, rebates,

or any other form of remuneration

when referring clients for professional

services.

A.9.b. Establishing Fees

In establishing fees for professional

career services, career development

professionals consider the nancial

status of clients and the locality in

which they practice. In the event

that the established fee structure

is inappropriate for a client, career

development professionals assist

clients in attempting to nd

comparable services of acceptable

cost.

A.9.c. Nonpayment of Fees

If career development professionals

intend to use collection agencies

or take legal measures to collect

fees from clients who do not pay

for services as agreed upon, they

include such information in their

informed consent documents and/or

inform clients in a timely fashion of

intended actions and oer clients the

opportunity to make payment.

A.9.d. Bartering

Career development professionals

may barter only if the relationship is

not exploitative or harmful and does

not place the career development

of treatment, when necessary, during

interruptions such as vacations,

illness, and following termination.

A.10.b. Inability to Assist

Clients

Career development professionals

understand their scope of practice

and do not enter into the relationship

or continue to oer services to clients

whose needs are beyond the scope of

their practice. Career development

professionals are knowledgeable

about culturally and clinically

appropriate referral resources and

suggest these alternatives. If clients

decline the suggested referrals, career

development professionals may

discontinue the relationship.

A.10.c. Appropriate

Termination

Career development professionals

terminate a professional relationship

when it becomes reasonably

apparent that the client no longer

needs assistance, is not likely to

benet from, or is being harmed by

continued service provision. Career

development professionals may

terminate the working relationship

when in jeopardy of harm by the

client, or another person with

whom the client has a relationship,

or when clients do not pay agreed

upon fees. Career development

professionals provide pre-termination

career services and recommend

other providers when feasible and

necessary.

A.10.d. Appropriate Transfer

of Services

When career development

professionals transfer or refer

clients to other practitioners, they

ensure that appropriate clinical

and administrative processes are

completed, and open communication

is maintained with both clients and

practitioners. Written releases are

obtained from the client for record

transfers.

professional in an unfair advantage,

if the client requests it, and if such

arrangements are an accepted

practice among professionals in the

community. Career development

professionals consider the cultural

implications of bartering and discuss

relevant concerns with clients and

document such agreements in a clear

written contract. Career development

professionals must also be aware

of local, state, and/or federal laws,

including the tax implications of

such an arrangement. Further, career

development professionals must

make the recipients of their services

aware of all applicable federal, state,

local, and/or institutional statutes,

laws, regulations, and procedures

and should direct them to seek

qualied counsel (i.e., attorney and/or

accountant) in determining if such an

arrangement is in their best interest.

A.9.e. Receiving Gis

Career development professionals

understand the challenges of

accepting gis from clients and

recognize that in some cultures,

small gis are a token of respect and

a way of showing gratitude. When

determining whether or not to accept

a gi from clients, career development

professionals take into account the

nature of their relationship, the

monetary value of the gi, a client’s

motivation for giving the gi, and

the career development professional’s

motivation for wanting to accept or

decline the gi.

A.10. Termination and

Referral

A.10.a. Abandonment

Prohibited

Career development professionals

do not abandon or neglect clients to

whom they provide career services.

Career development professionals

assist in making appropriate

arrangements for the continuation

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 7 •

Section B

Conﬁdentiality,

Privileged

Communication,

and Privacy

Introduction

Career development professionals

recognize that trust is a cornerstone of

the professional relationship. Career

development professionals work to

earn the trust of clients by creating an

ongoing partnership, establishing and

upholding appropriate boundaries,

and maintaining condentiality.

Career development professionals

communicate the parameters

of condentiality in a culturally

competent manner.

B.1. Respecting Client

Rights

B.1.a. Multicultural/Diversity

Considerations

Career development professionals

maintain awareness and sensitivity

regarding cultural meanings of

condentiality and privacy. Career

development professionals respect

diering views toward disclosure of

information. Career development

professionals hold ongoing

discussions with clients as to how,

when, and with whom information is

to be shared.

B.1.b. Respect for Privacy

Career development professionals

respect their clients’ rights to privacy.

Career development professionals

solicit private information from

clients only when it is benecial to the

working relationship.

B.1.c. Respect for Condentiality

Career development professionals

protect the condential information

of prospective and current clients.

Career development professionals do

not share condential information

third parties about their disease or to

engage in any behaviors that may be

harmful to an identiable third party.

Career development professionals

adhere to relevant state laws

concerning disclosure about disease

status.

B.2.c. Court-Ordered Disclosure

When ordered by a court to

release condential or privileged

information, career development

professionals endeavor to inform

the client and to obtain written

consent from the client or take steps

to prohibit the disclosure, or have it

limited as narrowly as possible, to

minimize potential harm to the client.

B.2.d. Minimal Disclosure

To the extent possible, clients

are informed before condential

information is disclosed and are

involved in the disclosure decision-

making process. When circumstances

require the disclosure of condential

information, only essential

information is revealed.

B.3. Information Shared

With Others

B.3.a. Subordinates

Career development professionals

make every eort to ensure that

privacy and condentiality of clients

are maintained by subordinates,

including employees, supervisees,

students, clerical assistants, and

volunteers.

B.3.b. Treatment Teams

When client treatment involves a

continued review or participation

by a treatment team, the client will

be informed of the team’s existence

and composition, information being

shared, and the purposes of sharing

such information.

B.3.c. Condential Settings

When providing services to clients,

career development professionals

strive to work only in settings (in

without client consent or without

sound legal or ethical justication.

B.1.d. Explanation of Limitations

At initiation and throughout

the professional relationship,

career development professionals

inform clients of the limitations of

condentiality and seek to identify

foreseeable situations in which

condentiality must be breached.

B.2. Exceptions

B.2.a. Danger and Legal

Requirements

e general requirement that career

development professionals keep

information condential does not

apply when disclosure is required to

protect clients or identied others

from serious and foreseeable harm

or when legal requirements demand

that condential information must

be revealed. Examples of when career

development professionals may

divulge condential information

may include, but not be limited

to, mandated reporting in cases

of suspected or actual child or

elder abuse, when a client has a

communicable and life threatening

disease or condition and may infect

an identiable third party, or when

notifying a collection agency to

recover unpaid fees from a client.

Career development professionals

consult with other professionals,

including attorneys, when in doubt as

to the validity of an exception.

B.2.b. Contagious, Life-

reatening Diseases

When clients disclose that they have a

disease commonly known to be both

communicable and life threatening,

career development professionals may

be justied in disclosing information

to identiable third parties, if they

are known to be at demonstrable and

high risk of contracting the disease.

Prior to making a disclosure, career

development professionals assess

the intent of clients to inform the

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 8 •

person or online) where they can

reasonably ensure client privacy.

When such a setting is not possible,

career development professionals

discuss the limitations of the setting

and seek the client’s consent to

proceed. If the client does not wish to

proceed with service in that setting,

the career development professional

oers (where possible and available)

alternative options and/or a referral

to another career development

professional.

When conferring with another

professional, career development

professionals discuss condential

information only in settings in which

they can reasonably ensure client

privacy.

B.3.d. ird-Party Payers

Career development professionals

disclose information to third-party

payers only when clients have

authorized such disclosure and in

accordance with federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statute, law,

regulation, or procedure.

B.3.e. Transmitting Condential

Information

Career development professionals

take precautions to ensure the

condentiality of information

transmitted through the use of any

medium.

B.3.f. Deceased Clients

Career development professionals

protect the condentiality of

deceased clients, consistent with

legal requirements and agency or

institutional policies.

B.4. Groups and Families

B.4.a. Group Work

When working with groups,

career development professionals

clearly explain the importance and

parameters of condentiality for the

specic group.

to best serve the needs and welfare of

their clients.

B.5.c. Release of Condential

Information

When providing career services to

minor clients or adult clients who lack

the capacity to give voluntary consent

to release condential information,

career development professionals

seek permission from an appropriate

third party to disclose information. In

such instances, career development

professionals inform clients consistent

with their level of understanding and

take culturally appropriate measures

to safeguard client condentiality.

B.6. Records and

Documentation

B.6.a. Creating & Maintaining

Condential Records &

Documentation

Career development professionals

create and maintain records and

documentation necessary for

rendering professional services.

Career development professionals

ensure that records and

documentation kept in any medium

are secure and that only authorized

persons have access to records.

B.6.b. Permission to Record

Career development professionals

obtain permission from clients

prior to recording sessions through

electronic or other means.

B.6.c. Permission to Observe

Career development professionals

obtain permission from clients prior

to allowing observation of sessions,

review of session transcripts, or

viewing recordings of sessions with

supervisors, subordinates, faculty,

peers, or others within a training

environment.

B.6.d. Client Access

Career development professionals

provide reasonable access to records

and copies of records when requested

B.4.b. Providing Career Services

to Multiple Family Members

When providing career services

to multiple family members (e.g.,

spouses/partners, parent and

child, etc.), career development

professionals clearly dene who is

considered “the client” and discuss

expectations and limitations of

condentiality. Career development

professionals seek agreement

and document in writing such

agreement among all involved parties

having capacity to give consent

concerning each individual’s right

to condentiality and any obligation

to preserve the condentiality of

information known.

B.5. Clients Lacking

Capacity to Give

Informed Consent

B.5.a. Responsibility to Clients

When providing career services

to minor clients or adult clients

who lack the capacity to give

voluntary, informed consent, career

development professionals protect

the condentiality of information

received in the professional

relationship as specied by federal

and state laws, written policies, and

applicable ethical standards.

B.5.b. Responsibility to Parents

and Legal Guardians

Career development professionals

inform parents and legal guardians

about the role of career development

professionals and the condential

nature of the professional

relationship. Career development

professionals are sensitive to the

needs and the expectations of families

and respect the inherent rights and

responsibilities of parents/guardians

over the welfare of their children/

charges according to law. Career

development professionals work to

establish, as appropriate, collaborative

relationships with parents/guardians

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 9 •

by competent clients. Career

development professionals limit the

access of clients to their records, or

portions of their records, only when

there is compelling evidence that such

access would cause harm to the client

and in accordance with federal, state,

local, and/or institutional statute,

law, regulation, or procedure. Career

development professionals document

the request of clients and the rationale

for withholding some or all of the

record in the les of clients. In

situations involving multiple clients,

career development professionals

provide individual clients with only

those parts of records that are related

directly to them and do not include

condential information related to

any other client.

B.6.e. Assistance with Records

When clients request access to

their records, career development

professionals provide assistance and

consultation in interpreting such

records.

B.6.f. Disclosure or Transfer

Unless exceptions to condentiality

exist, career development

professionals obtain written

permission from clients to disclose

or transfer records to legitimate third

parties. Steps are taken to ensure that

receivers of career services records are

sensitive to their condential nature.

B.6.g. Storage and Disposal Aer

Termination

Career development professionals

store records following termination

of services to ensure reasonable

future access, maintain records in

accordance with all applicable federal,

state, local, and/or institutional

statutes, laws, regulations, and

procedures governing records, and

dispose of client records and other

sensitive materials in a manner

that protects client condentiality.

Career development professionals

are encouraged to purge their les

and condentiality and disclose

to participants any limits of

condentiality that can reasonably

be expected. Regardless of the

degree to which condentiality will

be maintained, investigators must

disclose to participants any limits of

condentiality that can reasonably be

expected.

B.7.d. Disclosure of Research

Information

Career development professionals

do not disclose condential

information that reasonably could

lead to the identication of a research

participant unless they have obtained

prior consent of the person. Use

of data derived from professional

relationships for purposes of training,

research, or publication is conned

to content that is disguised to ensure

the anonymity of the individuals

involved.

B.7.e. Agreement for

Identication

Identication of clients, students,

or supervisees in a presentation or

publication is permissible only when

they have reviewed the material

and agreed to its presentation or

publication.

B.8. Consultation

B.8.a. Agreements

When acting as consultants, career

development professionals seek

agreements among all parties involved

concerning each individual’s rights to

condentiality, the obligation of each

individual to preserve condential

information, and the limits of

condentiality of information shared

by others.

B.8.b. Respect for Privacy

Information obtained in a consulting

relationship is discussed for

professional purposes only with

persons directly involved with the

case. Written and oral reports present

only data germane to the purposes of

according to time frames acceptable

to federal, state, local, and/or

institutional statute, law, regulation,

or procedure, particularly when

there is no reasonable expectation

that a client will benet from

maintaining the records any longer.

Career development professionals

are expected to know and abide by

all applicable federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statutes, laws,

regulations, and procedures regarding

record keeping and disposal.

B.6.h. Reasonable Precautions

Career development professionals

take reasonable precautions to protect

client condentiality in the event of

the career development professional’s

termination of practice, incapacity, or

death and appoint a records custodian

when deemed appropriate.

B.7. Research and Training

B.7.a. Institutional Approval

When institutional approval is

required, career development

professionals provide accurate

information about their research

proposals and obtain approval prior

to conducting their research. ey

conduct research in accordance with

the approved research protocol.

B.7.b. Adherence to Guidelines

Career development professionals are

responsible for understanding and

adhering to state, federal, agency, and/

or institutional policies or applicable

guidelines regarding condentiality in

their research practices.

B.7.c. Condentiality of

Information Obtained in

Research

Violations of participant privacy

and condentiality are risks of

participation in research involving

human participants, however,

investigators maintain all research

records in a secure manner.

ey explain to participants the

risks of violations of privacy

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 10 •

the consultation, and every eort is

made to protect client identity and to

avoid undue invasion of privacy.

B.8.c. Disclosure of Condential

Information

When consulting with colleagues,

career development professionals do

not disclose condential information

that reasonably could lead to the

identication of a client or other

person or organization with whom

they have a condential relationship

unless they have obtained the prior

consent of the person or organization,

or the disclosure cannot be avoided.

ey disclose information only to

the extent necessary to achieve the

purposes of the consultation.

Section C

Professional

Responsibility

Introduction

Career development professionals

provide open, honest, and

accurate communication during

interactions with the public and

other professionals. ey practice in

a nondiscriminatory manner within

the boundaries of professional and

personal competence and have a

responsibility to abide by the NCDA

Code of Ethics. Career development

professionals actively participate in

local, state, and national associations

that foster the development and

improvement of the provision of

career services. Career development

professionals are encouraged to

promote change at the individual,

group, institutional, and societal

levels in ways that improve the

quality of life for individuals and

groups and remove potential

barriers to the provision or access of

appropriate services being oered.

to ensure the competence of their

work and to protect others from

possible harm.

C.2.c. Qualied for Employment

Career development professionals

accept employment only for positions

for which they are qualied by

education, training, supervised

experience, state and national

professional credentials, and

appropriate professional experience.

Career development professionals

hire for professional positions only

individuals who are qualied and

competent for those positions.

C.2.d. Monitor Eectiveness

Career development professionals

continually monitor their

eectiveness as professionals and take

steps to improve when necessary.

Career development professionals

take reasonable steps to seek peer

supervision, as needed, to evaluate

their ecacy as career development

professionals.

C.2.e. Consultation on Ethical

Obligations

Career development professionals

take reasonable steps to consult

with other career development

professionals, the NCDA Ethics

Committee, and/or related

practitioners when they have

questions regarding their ethical

obligations or professional activities.

C.2.f. Professional Development

Career development professionals

recognize the need for professional

development to acquire and maintain

a reasonable level of awareness of

current scientic and professional

information in their elds of

activity. ey take steps to maintain

competence in the skills they use, are

open to new procedures, and keep

current with the populations with

whom they work.

Career development professionals

have a responsibility to the public

to engage in ethical practice. Career

development professionals have

a responsibility to the public to

engage in professional practices

that are based on rigorous research

methodologies. Career development

professionals are encouraged to

contribute to society by devoting a

portion of their professional activity

to services for which there is little or

no nancial return (pro bono publico).

In addition, career development

professionals engage in self-care

activities to maintain and promote

their emotional, physical, mental, and

spiritual well-being to best meet their

professional responsibilities.

C.1. Knowledge of and

Compliance with

Standards

Career development professionals

have a responsibility to read,

understand, and follow the NCDA

Code of Ethics and adhere to all

applicable federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statutes, laws,

regulations, and procedures.

C.2. Professional

Competence

C.2.a. Boundaries of Competence

Career development professionals

practice only within the boundaries

of their competence, based on their

education, training, supervised

experience, state and national

professional credentials, and

appropriate professional experience.

C.2.b. New Specialty Areas of

Practice

Career development professionals

practice in specialty areas new to

them only aer obtaining appropriate

education, training, and supervised

experience. While developing

skills in new specialty areas, career

development professionals take steps

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 11 •

C.2.g. Impairment

Career development professionals

are alert to the signs of impairment

from their own physical, mental, or

emotional problems and refrain from

oering or providing professional

services when such impairment is

likely to harm a client or others.

ey seek assistance for problems

that reach the level of professional

impairment, and, if necessary,

they limit, suspend, or terminate

their professional responsibilities

until such time as it is determined

that they may safely resume

their work. Career development

professionals assist colleagues or

supervisors in recognizing their

own professional impairment.

ey provide consultation and

assistance, when warranted, with

colleagues or supervisors showing

signs of impairment and intervene

as appropriate to prevent imminent

harm to clients.

C.2.h. Incapacitation, Death, or

Termination of Practice

Career development professionals

prepare and plan for transfer of

clients and les and disseminate to

an identied colleague or “records

custodian” a plan for the transfer

of clients and les in case of their

incapacitation, death, or termination

of practice.

C.3. Advertising and

Soliciting Clients

C.3.a. Accurate Advertising

When advertising or otherwise

representing their services to

the public, career development

professionals identify their credentials

in an accurate manner that is not

false, misleading, deceptive, or

fraudulent.

C.3.b. Testimonials

Career development professionals

who use testimonials do not solicit

them from individuals who may be

products or training events in a

manner that is deceptive or would

exert undue inuence on individuals

who may be vulnerable (e.g.,

underage, mentally or emotionally

impaired, extremely dependent on

the career development professional,

etc.). However, educators may adopt

textbooks and/or other materials

they have authored or developed for

instructional purposes.

C.4. Professional

Qualications

C.4.a. Accurate Representation

Career development professionals

claim or imply only professional

qualications actually completed and

correct any known misrepresentations

of their qualications by others.

Career development professionals

truthfully represent the qualications

of their professional colleagues.

Career development professionals

clearly distinguish between paid

and volunteer work experience and

accurately describe their continuing

education and specialized training.

C.4.b. Credentials

Career development professionals

claim only licenses or certications

that are current and in good standing.

C.4.c. Educational Degrees

Career development professionals

clearly dierentiate between earned

and honorary degrees.

C.4.d. Implying Doctoral-Level

Competence

Career development professionals

clearly state their highest earned

degree in counseling or a closely

related eld. Career development

professionals do not imply doctoral-

level competence when possessing

only a master’s degree in counseling

or a related eld. Career development

professionals do not use the title

“Dr.” nor refer to themselves as “Dr.”

in a counseling or career services

vulnerable (e.g., underage, mentally

or emotionally impaired, extremely

dependent on the career development

professional, etc.) to undue inuence.

Career development professionals

discuss with clients the implications

(e.g., the client’s name and/or picture

would appear online or in print

and the client may be contacted by

those seeking service by the career

development professional) of and

obtain permission for the use of any

testimonial.

C.3.c. Statements by Others

Career development professionals

make reasonable eorts to ensure

that statements made by others about

them or the services they provide are

accurate.

C.3.d. Recruiting rough

Employment

Career development professionals do

not use their places of employment

or institutional aliations to recruit

or gain clients, supervisees, or

consultees for their private practices,

unless they have permission. If

permitted to solicit for their private

practices, career development

professionals must make potential

clients, supervisees, or consultees

aware of the free or low-cost services

already provided by them or others

through their place of employment or

institutional aliation.

C.3.e. Products and Training

Advertisements

Career development professionals

who develop products related to their

profession or conduct workshops

or training events ensure that the

advertisements concerning these

products or events are accurate and

disclose adequate information for

consumers to make informed choices.

C.3.f. Promoting to ose Served

Career development professionals

do not use individual consultation,

teaching, training, or supervisory

relationships to promote their

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 12 •

context when their doctorate is not in

counseling or a related eld. Career

development professionals do not use

“ABD” (all but dissertation) or other

such terms to imply competency.

C.4.e. Program Accreditation

Status

Career development professionals

accurately represent the accreditation

status of their degree program at the

time the degree was earned.

C.4.f. Professional Membership

Career development professionals

clearly dierentiate between current,

active memberships and former

memberships in associations. Career

development professionals only

claim a membership designation in

NCDA for which their education and

experience entitles them.

C.5. Nondiscrimination

Career development professionals

do not condone or engage in

discrimination against any individual

based on any characteristic

not specically relevant to job

performance or on any basis

prohibited by law, any other

characteristics not specically

relevant to job performance, or

any basis prohibited by law. Career

development professionals do not

discriminate against clients, students,

employees, supervisees, or research

participants in a manner that has a

negative impact on these persons.

C.6.Public Responsibility

C.6.a. Sexual Harassment

Career development professionals

do not engage in or condone sexual

harassment. Sexual harassment is

dened as sexual solicitation, physical

advances, or verbal or nonverbal

conduct that is sexual in nature,

that occurs in connection with

professional activities or roles, and

that is either

C.6.d. Exploitation of Others

Career development professionals do

not exploit others in their professional

relationships.

C.6.e. Scientic Bases for

Treatment Modalities

Career development professionals

use interventions that are grounded

in theory and/or practice, are

generally considered to be established

professional practice in the elds

of counseling, coaching, and career

development, and/or have an

empirical or scientic foundation.

Career development professionals

who do not must dene the

techniques/procedures as

“unproven” or “developing” and

explain the potential risks and

ethical considerations of using such

techniques/ procedures and take

steps to protect clients from possible

harm. is does not preclude career

development professionals from using

card sorts, checklists, or online tools

which are not empirically based as

long as they accurately describe the

tool to their clients/students.

C.6.f. Contributing to the Public

Good (Pro Bono Publico)

Career development professionals

make a reasonable eort to provide

services to the public for which

there is little or no nancial return

(e.g., speaking to groups, sharing

professional information, oering

reduced fees).

C.7. Responsibility to Other

Professionals

C.7.a. Personal Public Statements

When making personal statements in

a public context, career development

professionals clarify that they

are speaking from their personal

perspectives and that they are not

speaking on behalf of all career

development professionals or the

profession.

1. unwelcome, oensive, or creates

a hostile workplace or learning

environment, and career

development professionals know or

are told this; or

2. suciently severe or intense to

be perceived as harassment to a

reasonable person in the context

in which the behavior occurred.

Sexual harassment can consist of

a single intense or severe act or

multiple persistent or pervasive

acts.

C.6.b. Reports to ird Parties

Career development professionals

are accurate, honest, and objective in

reporting their professional activities

and judgments to appropriate third

parties, including courts, health

insurance companies, those who are

the recipients of evaluation reports,

and others.

C.6.c. Media Presentations

When career development

professionals provide advice or

comment by means of public lectures,

demonstrations, radio or television

programs, recordings, technology-

based applications, printed articles,

mailed material, or other media, they

take reasonable precautions to ensure

that

1. the statements are based on

appropriate professional literature

and practice,

2. the statements are otherwise

consistent with the NCDA Code of

Ethics,

3. the recipients of the information

are informed that a professional

relationship has not been

established, and

4. all media used is up-to-date and

accessible (to the extent the career

development professional has

control of the media).

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 13 •

C.8. Policies and Guidelines

C.8.a. Creating & Maintaining

Policy Statements & Guidelines

As part of informed consent,

policy statements and guidelines

assist in anticipating questions

and concerns and serve as part of

an ongoing dialogue with clients.

Career development professionals

are encouraged to create policy

statements and guidelines for use in

their practice. Career development

professionals ensure that clients are

fully informed, understand, and agree

to the parameters and limitations

of receiving career services. Policy

statements and guidelines may

include, but are not limited to, all

areas of informed consent, such as

incorporating the use of social media

and electronic/video communication

in professional practice, privacy

and condentiality (e.g., limits of

condentiality, documentation, and

records maintenance), boundaries

and multiple relationships, collection

of fees, termination of services, etc.

Career development professionals

are expected to review their policy

statements and guidelines annually

and to update them as needed.

Section D

Relationships with

other Professionals

Introduction

Career development professionals

recognize that the quality of their

interactions with colleagues can

inuence the quality of services

provided to clients. ey work

to become knowledgeable about

colleagues within and outside the

profession. Career development

professionals develop positive

working relationships and systems

expectations and the parameters of

condentiality with their colleagues.

D.1.e. Establishing Professional

and Ethical Obligations

Career development professionals

who are members of interdisciplinary

teams clarify professional and ethical

obligations of the team as a whole and

of its individual members. When a

team decision raises ethical concerns,

career development professionals

rst attempt to resolve the concern

within the team. If they cannot reach

resolution among team members,

career development professionals

pursue other avenues to address their

concerns consistent with client well-

being.

D.1.f. Personnel Selection and

Assignment

Career development professionals

select competent sta and assign

responsibilities compatible with their

knowledge, skills, and experiences.

D.1.g. Employer Policies

e acceptance of employment in

an agency or institution implies that

career development professionals

are in agreement with its general

policies and principles. Career

development professionals strive to

reach agreement with employers as

to acceptable standards of conduct

that allow for changes in institutional

policy conducive to the growth and

development of clients.

D.1.h. Negative Conditions

Career development professionals

alert their employers of inappropriate

policies and practices. ey attempt

to eect changes in such policies or

procedures through constructive

action within the organization.

When such policies are potentially

disruptive or damaging to clients

or may limit the eectiveness of

services provided and change cannot

be achieved, career development

professionals take appropriate

further action. Such action may

of communication with colleagues

to enhance services to clients.

Career development professionals

may provide coaching and/

or consultation to individuals,

groups, or organizations. If career

development professionals perform

such services, they must provide only

the services that are within the scope

of their professional competence and

qualications.

D.1. Relationships with

Colleagues, Employers,

and Employees

D.1.a. Dierent Approaches

Career development professionals

are respectful of approaches to career

services that dier from their own.

Career development professionals are

respectful of traditions and practices

of other professional groups with

which they work.

D.1.b. Forming Relationships

Career development professionals

work to develop and strengthen

interdisciplinary relations with

colleagues from other disciplines to

best serve clients.

D.1.c. Interdisciplinary

Teamwork

Career development professionals

who are members of interdisciplinary

teams delivering multifaceted services

to clients ensure that the focus is

kept on how to best serve the clients.

ey participate in and contribute

to decisions that aect the well-

being of clients by drawing on the

perspectives, values, and experiences

of the profession and those of

colleagues from other disciplines.

D.1.d. Condentiality

When career development

professionals are required by law,

institutional policy, or extraordinary

circumstances to serve in more than

one role in judicial or administrative

proceedings, they clarify role

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 14 •

include referral to appropriate

certication, accreditation, or state

licensure organizations, or voluntary

termination of employment.

D.1.i. Protection from Punitive

Action

Career development professionals

take care not to harass or dismiss

an employee who has acted in a

responsible and ethical manner

to expose inappropriate employer

policies or practices.

D.2. Consultation

D.2.a. Consultant Competency

Career development professionals

take reasonable steps to ensure that

they have the appropriate resources

and competencies when providing

coaching and/or consultation services.

Career development professionals

provide appropriate referral resources

when requested or needed.

D.2.b. Understanding Consultees

When providing coaching or

consultation, career development

professionals attempt to develop with

their consultees a clear understanding

of problem denition, goals for

change, and predicted consequences

of interventions selected.

D.2.c. Consultant Goals

e coaching/consulting relationship

is one in which consultee adaptability

and growth toward self-direction

are consistently encouraged and

cultivated.

D.2.d. Informed Consent in

Consultation

When providing consultation, career

development professionals have an

obligation to review, in writing and

orally, the rights and responsibilities

of career development professionals

and consultees. Career development

professionals use clear and

understandable language to inform all

parties involved about the purpose of

the services to be provided, relevant

E.1.b. Client Welfare

Career development professionals

do not misuse assessment results

and interpretations, and they take

reasonable steps to prevent others

from misusing the information

these tools provide. ey respect the

client’s right to know the results, the

interpretations made, and the bases

for career development professionals’

conclusions and recommendations.

E.2. Competence to Use and

Interpret Assessment

Instruments

E.2.a. Limits of Competence

Career development professionals

utilize only those testing and

assessment services for which they

have been trained and are competent

in administering and interpreting.

Career development professionals

using technology-assisted test

interpretations are trained in the

construct being measured and the

specic instrument being used

prior to using its technology-based

application. Career development

professionals take reasonable

measures to ensure the proper use of

psychological and career assessment

techniques by persons under their

supervision.

E.2.b. Appropriate Use

Career development professionals

are responsible for the appropriate

application, scoring, interpretation,

and use of assessment instruments

relevant to the needs of the client,

whether they score and interpret

such assessments themselves or use

technology or other services.

E.2.c. Decisions Based on Results

Career development professionals

responsible for decisions involving

individuals or policies that are based

on assessment results have a thorough

understanding of psychometrics

involving educational, psychological,

and career measurement, including

costs, potential risks and benets, and

the limits of condentiality. Working

in conjunction with the consultee,

career development professionals

attempt to develop a clear denition

of the problem, goals for change,

and predicted consequences of

interventions that are culturally

responsive and appropriate to the

needs of consultees.

Section E

Evaluation,

Assessment and

Interpretation

Introduction

Career development professionals

use assessment instruments as one

component of the career services

process, taking into account the

client’s personal and cultural context.

Career development professionals

promote the well-being of individual

clients or groups of clients by

developing and using appropriate

career, educational, and psychological

assessment instruments.

E.1. General

E.1.a. Assessment

e primary purpose of educational,

psychological, and career assessments

is to provide measurements that

are valid and reliable in either

comparative or absolute terms.

ese include, but are not limited to,

measurements of ability, personality,

interest, intelligence, achievement,

skills, values, and performance.

Career development professionals

recognize the need to interpret the

statements in this section as applying

to both quantitative and qualitative

assessments.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 15 •

validation criteria, assessment

research, and guidelines for

assessment development and use.

E.3. Informed Consent in

Assessment

E.3.a. Explanation to Clients

Prior to assessment, career

development professionals explain the

nature and purposes of assessment

and the specic use of results by

potential recipients. e explanation

will be given in the language of the

client (or other legally authorized

person on behalf of the client), unless

an explicit exception has been agreed

upon in advance. Career development

professionals consider the client’s

personal or cultural context, the level

of the client’s understanding of the

results, and the impact of the results

on the client.

E.3.b. Recipients of Results

Career development professionals

consider the examinee’s welfare,

explicit understandings, and prior

agreements in determining who

receives the assessment results.

Career development professionals

include accurate and appropriate

interpretations with any release

of individual or group assessment

results.

E.4. Release of Data to Qualied

Professionals

Career development professionals

release assessment data in which

the client is identied only with the

consent of the client or the client’s

legal representative. Such data are

released only to persons recognized

by career development professionals

as qualied to interpret the data.

E.5. Diagnosis &

Recommendations

E.5.a. Proper Diagnosis &

Recommendations

Career development professionals

assessment, data, and/or instruments

in forming conclusions, diagnoses, or

recommendations.

E.6.b. Referral Information

If a client is referred to a third

party for assessment, the career

development professional provides

specic referral questions and

sucient objective data about the

client to ensure that appropriate

assessment instruments are utilized.

E.7. Conditions of

Assessment

Administration

E.7.a. Administration Conditions

Career development professionals

administer assessments under the

same conditions that were established

in their standardization. When

assessments are not administered

under standard conditions, as may

be necessary to accommodate clients

with disabilities, or when unusual

behavior or irregularities occur

during the administration, those

conditions are noted in interpretation,

and the results may be designated as

invalid or of questionable validity.

E.7.b. Technological

Administration

Career development professionals

ensure that administration programs

function properly and provide clients

with accurate results.

E.7.c. Unsupervised Assessments

Unless the assessment instrument is

designed, intended, and validated for

self-administration and/or scoring,

career development professionals do

not permit inadequately supervised

use of any assessment.

E.7.d. Provision of Favorable

Conditions

Career development professionals

provide an appropriate environment

for the administration of assessments

(e.g., privacy, comfort, freedom from

distraction).

take special care to provide proper

diagnosis and recommendations and

do so only when making a diagnosis

is appropriate and when properly

trained. Assessment techniques

(including personal interviews) used

to determine client care (e.g., locus of

treatment, type of treatment/services,

or recommended follow-up) are

carefully selected and appropriately

used.

E.5.b. Cultural Sensitivity

Career development professionals

recognize that culture aects the

manner in which clients’ issues are

dened. Clients’ socioeconomic and

cultural experiences are considered

when making a diagnosis.

E.5.c. Historical and Social

Prejudices in Diagnosis

Career development professionals

recognize historical and social

prejudices in the misdiagnosis and

pathologizing of certain individuals

and groups and the role career

development professionals can play

in avoiding the perpetuation of these

prejudices through proper diagnosis,

recommendations, and provision of

services.

E.5.d. Refraining From Diagnosis

Career development professionals

may refrain from making and/

or reporting a diagnosis or

recommendation if they believe

it would cause harm to the client

or others. Career development

professionals carefully consider both

the positive and negative implications

of a diagnosis/ recommendation.

E.6. Instrument Selection

E.6.a. Appropriateness of

Instruments

Career development professionals

carefully consider the validity,

reliability, psychometric limitations,

and appropriateness of instruments

when selecting assessments and,

when possible, use multiple forms of

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 16 •

E.8. Multicultural Issues/

Diversity in Assessment

Career development professionals use,

with caution, assessment techniques

that were normed on populations

other than that of the client. Career

development professionals recognize

the possible eects of age, culture,

disability, ethnic group, gender,

race, language preference, religion,

spirituality, sexual orientation,

and socioeconomic status on test

administration and interpretation,

and place test results in proper

perspective with other relevant

factors. Career development

professionals use caution when

selecting assessments for culturally

diverse populations to avoid the use

of instruments that lack appropriate

psychometric properties for the client

population.

E.9. Scoring and

Interpretation of

Assessments

E.9.a. Reporting

When career development

professionals report assessment

results, they consider the client’s

personal and cultural background,

the level of the client’s understanding

of the results, and the impact

of the results on the client. In

reporting assessment results,

career development professionals

indicate reservations that exist

regarding validity or reliability due to

circumstances of the assessment or

the inappropriateness of the norms

for the person tested.

E.9.b. Research Instruments

Career development professionals

exercise caution when interpreting

the results of research instruments

not having sucient technical data

to support respondent results. e

specic purposes for the use of such

instruments are stated explicitly to

the examinee. Career development

E.12. Assessment

Construction

Career development professionals

use established scientic

procedures, relevant standards, and

current professional knowledge

for assessment design in the

development, publication, and

utilization of educational and

psychological assessment techniques.

E.13. Forensic Evaluation:

Evaluation for Legal

Proceedings

E.13.a. Primary Obligations

When providing forensic evaluations,

the primary obligation of career

development professionals is to

produce objective ndings that can be

substantiated based on information

and techniques appropriate to the

evaluation, which may include

examination of the individual

and/or review of records. Career

development professionals form

professional opinions based on their

professional knowledge and expertise

that can be supported by the data

gathered in evaluations. Career

development professionals dene the

limits of their reports or testimony,

especially when an examination of the

individual has not been conducted.

E.13.b. Consent for Evaluation

Individuals being evaluated are

informed in writing that the

relationship is for the purposes of

an evaluation, not to provide career

services. Entities or individuals who

will receive the evaluation report

are identied. Written consent to

be evaluated is obtained from those

being evaluated unless a court orders

evaluations to be conducted without

the written consent of individuals

being evaluated. When children or

vulnerable adults are being evaluated,

informed written consent is obtained

from a parent or guardian.

professionals qualify any conclusions,

diagnoses, or recommendations

made that are based on assessments

or instruments with questionable

validity or reliability.

E.9.c. Assessment Services

Career development professionals

who provide assessment scoring and

interpretation services to support

the assessment process conrm

the validity of such interpretations.

ey understand and accurately

describe the purpose, norms,

validity, reliability, and applications

of the procedures and any special

qualications applicable to their

use. e public oering of an

automated test interpretation

service is considered a professional-

to-professional consultation. e

formal responsibility of the career

development professional is to the

individual/organization requesting

the assessment, but the ultimate and

overriding responsibility is to the

client.

E.10. Assessment Security

Career development professionals

maintain the integrity and security of

tests and other assessment techniques

consistent with legal and contractual

obligations. Career development

professionals do not appropriate,

reproduce, or modify published

assessments or parts thereof without

acknowledgment and permission

from the publisher.

E.11. Obsolete Assessments

and Outdated Results

Career development professionals

do not use data or results from

assessments that are obsolete or

outdated for the current purpose.

Career development professionals

make every eort to prevent the

misuse of obsolete measures and

assessment data by others.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 17 •

E.13.c. Client Evaluation

Prohibited

Career development professionals

do not evaluate current or former

clients, clients’ romantic partners, or

clients’ family members for forensic

purposes. Career development

professionals do not counsel

individuals they are evaluating.

E.13.d. Avoid Potentially Harmful

Relationships

Career development professionals

who provide forensic evaluations

avoid potentially harmful professional

or personal relationships with family

members, romantic partners, and

close friends of individuals they are

evaluating or have evaluated in the

past.

Section F

Providing Career

Services Online,

Technology, and

Social Media

Introduction

Career development professionals

actively attempt to understand the

evolving nature of the profession with

regard to providing career services

online and the use of technology

and/or social media and how such

resources may be used to better serve

their clients. Career development

professionals strive to become

knowledgeable about these resources,

recognizing that periodic training is

needed to develop necessary technical

and professional competencies.

Career development professionals

understand the additional concerns

related to the use of providing career

services online, along with the use

of current and emerging technology

(including Articial Intelligence;

AI) and/or social media tools and

assistance when using technology-

based applications, particularly when

the use of such applications crosses

state lines and/or international

boundaries.

F.2. Informed Consent and

Security

F.2.a. Informed Consent and

Disclosure

Clients have the freedom to choose

whether to access career services

online or to engage in the use of

technology and/or social media

within the career development

process. In addition to the usual and

customary protocol of informed

consent between career development

professional and client for face-to-face

services, the following issues, unique

to the use of career services online,

and the use of technology and/or

social media, should be addressed in

the informed consent process:

• professional credentials, physical

location of practice, and contact

information;

• risks and benets of engaging in

the use of career services online,

and the use of technology and/or

social media;

• possibility of technology failure

and alternate methods of service

delivery;

• anticipated response time;

• emergency procedures to follow

when the career development

professional is not available;

• time zone dierences, local

customs, and cultural and/or

language dierences that may aect

delivery of services;

• where applicable, pertinent legal

rights and limitations governing

the practice of a profession

over state lines or international

boundaries; and

• social media policy.

make every attempt to protect

condentiality and data security, to

ensure transparency and equitable

treatment of clients, and to meet any

legal and ethical requirements for the

use of such resources.

F.1. Knowledge and Legal

Considerations

F.1.a. Knowledge and

Competency

Career development professionals

who engage in providing career

services online, and the use of

technology and/or social media

develop knowledge and skills

regarding related technical,

ethical, and legal considerations.

Career development professionals

understand and follow the terms of

service of any technology or social

media platform employed. With new

and emerging technology, such as AI,

career development professionals gain

the training and experience needed to

eectively use such tools.

F.1.b. Laws and Statutes

Career development professionals

who engage in providing career

services online, and the use of

technology and/or social media

within their practice understand

that they may be subject to laws

and regulations of both the career

development professional’s practicing

location and the client’s place of

work/residence. Career development

professionals ensure that use of

technology services with clients is in

accordance with all applicable federal,

state, local, and/or institutional

statutes, laws, regulations, and

procedures, particularly when the

services are oered via technology

across state lines and/or international

boundaries.

F.1.c. Outside Assistance

When necessary and appropriate,

career development professionals

seek business, legal, and technical

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 18 •

F.2.b. Condentiality and

Limitations

Career development professionals

inform clients about the inherent

limits of condentiality when using

technology and acknowledge the

limitations of maintaining the

condentiality of electronic records

and transmissions. Where feasible,

career development professionals

inform clients of anyone who may

have access to such records or

transmissions. Career development

professionals urge clients to be aware

of those to whom they give access

to information disclosed using this

medium during the professional

relationship.

F.2.c. Security

Career development professionals

take reasonable precautions to ensure

the condentiality of information

transmitted through any electronic

means, including using current

encryption standards within their

websites and/or technology-based

communications where appropriate

to meet applicable legal requirements.

Where new or emerging technology

(such as AI) pose security and/or

privacy concerns, career development

professionals seek guidance and

training, and take all reasonable

precautions to ensure condentiality

and to protect client information.

F.3. Client Verication

Career development professionals

who engage in providing career

services online, and the use of

technology and/or social media

to interact with clients take steps

to verify the client’s identity at the

beginning and throughout the

working relationship. Verication can

include, but is not limited to, using

code words, numbers, graphics, or

other nondescript identiers.

that clients understand the purpose

and operation of technology-based

applications and follow up with

clients to address any issues that may

arise.

F.4.d. Access

Career development professionals

provide information to clients

regarding reasonable access to

pertinent applications when providing

technology-assisted services. is

access may include being aware of

free and/or low-cost public access

points to technology resources and

the Internet within the community,

so that a lack of nancial resources

does not create a signicant barrier

to clients accessing career services

or information, assessment, or

instructional resources. If career

development professionals are unable

to provide access to technology

resources, they provide an alternative

method of service delivery.

F.4.e. Communication Dierences

in Electronic Media

Career development professionals

consider the dierences between face-

to-face and electronic communication

(nonverbal and verbal cues) and

how these may aect the career

development process. Career

development professionals educate

clients on how to prevent and address

potential misunderstandings arising

from the lack of visual cues and voice

intonations when communicating

electronically.

F.4.g. Use of Assessments via

Electronic Media

When using assessments carried

out via electronic media, career

development professionals are

responsible for knowing and abiding

by other standard ethical practices

related to client assessment, such as

those outlined in Section E of this

Code of Ethics. In addition, where

applicable, career development

professionals should:

F.4. Providing Career

Services Online

F.4.a. Benets and Limitations

Career development professionals

inform clients of the benets and

limitations of using technology-based

applications in the provision of career

services. Such technologies include,

but are not limited to, computer

hardware and/or soware, telephones

and applications, social media and

Internet-based applications and other

audio and/or video communication,

or data storage devices or media.

F.4.b. Professional Boundaries in

Providing Career Services

Online

Career development professionals

understand the necessity of

maintaining a professional

relationship with their clients.

Career development professionals

discuss and establish professional

boundaries with clients regarding the

appropriate use and/or application

of technology and the limitations of

its use (e.g., lack of condentiality,

times when not appropriate to use).

When technology-assisted career

services are deemed inappropriate by

the career development professional

or client, career development

professionals provide appropriate

alternatives, including face-to-face

service. If the career development

professional is not able to provide

face-to-face services (e.g., lives in

another state), the career development

professional assists the client in

identifying appropriate services.

F.4.c. Technology-Assisted

Services

When providing technology-

assisted services, career development

professionals make reasonable eorts

to determine that clients are fully

capable of using the application and

that the application is appropriate

for the needs of the client. Career

development professionals verify

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 19 •

• determine if the assessments have

been tested for online delivery and

ensure that their psychometric

properties are the same as in

print form; or the client must be

informed that the assessments have

not yet been tested for this mode of

delivery;

• determine if the assessments have

been validated for self-help use

or that appropriate intervention

is provided before and aer

completion of the assessment

resource if the resource has not

been validated for self-help use;

• make every eort to protect the

condentiality of client results; and

• refer clients to qualied career

development professionals in his

or her geographic area if there is

evidence that the client does not

understand the assessment results.

F.5. Records

Career development professionals

create and maintain electronic

documents and records in accordance

with relevant laws and statutes and

all other relevant aspects of this

Code of Ethics. Career development

professionals inform clients on how

records are maintained electronically.

is includes, but is not limited to,

the type of encryption and security

assigned to the records, and if/for how

long archival storage of transaction

records is maintained.

F.6. Web Maintenance

and Technology

Development

F.6.a. Maintaining Websites and

Technology Resources

Career development professionals

who maintain websites or other

technology resources are expected to

do the following:

• Regularly ensure that electronic

links are working and are

professionally appropriate.

F.6.d. Managing Job Posting

and Searching Websites or

Databases

All job postings must represent

a valid opening for which those

searching have an opportunity to

apply. It is encouraged that job

postings be removed from the

database once application acceptance

deadlines have passed or shortly

aer announcements have been

made that positions have been lled.

Names, addresses, résumés, and other

information that may be gained about

individuals should not be used for

any purposes other than provision

of further information about job

openings.

F.7. Social Media

F.7.a. Creating and Maintaining

a Virtual Professional

Presence

When creating a virtual professional

presence, career development

professionals carefully reect on

the goals and objectives for using

available social media tools. Career

development professionals who

maintain a professional virtual

presence commit the necessary time

and eort to ensure a continual

presence, avoiding extended gaps

in involvement or communication

with clients that could have negative

eects.

F.7.b. Separating Professional

Presence from Personal

Presence

When career development

professionals maintain a professional

and personal presence on social

media, separate professional and

personal web pages and proles are

created to clearly distinguish between

the two kinds of virtual presence.

F.7.c. Identifying Professional

Roles and Expertise

When using social media, career

development professionals clearly

• Provide electronic links to

relevant licensure and professional

certication boards to protect

consumer rights and facilitate

addressing ethical concerns.

• Assist clients, where feasible,

in determining the validity and

reliability of information found on

websites and in other technology

applications.

• If a website includes links to other

websites, the career development

professional who creates this

linkage is responsible for ensuring

that the services to which the site

is linked meet all applicable ethical

standards. If this is not possible,

career development professionals

should post a disclaimer explaining

that the linked site may not meet

all applicable ethical standards and

(if known) which standards are not

met by the site.

F.6.b. Accessibility

Considerations

Career development professionals

who maintain websites and other

technology resources provide

accessibility or inform persons with

disabilities of assistive devices that

will make the content accessible,

when feasible. ey provide access to

translation capabilities for clients who

have a dierent primary language,

when feasible. Career development

professionals acknowledge the

imperfect nature of such translations

and accessibilities.

F.6.c. Qualications of the

Developer or Provider

Websites and other services designed

to assist clients with career planning

and job searching should be

developed with content input from

career development professionals.

e service should clearly state the

qualications and credentials of the

developers.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 20 •

identify their names, training and

expertise, and aliation to an

organization or employer. Career

development professionals only

post information and address

questions that are within the scope

of their professional competence and

qualications.

F.7.d. Maintaining

Condentiality in Virtual

Spaces

Career development professionals

act judiciously to protect the privacy,

condentiality, and reputation of

clients, colleagues, organizations, and

others. Applicable federal guidelines

(such as HIPAA and FERPA) provide

guidance on protecting condential

and proprietary information. Career

development professionals must

avoid posting identiable images

(without obtaining permission of

those identied) or any personally

identiable information that could

be used to locate someone oine

(e.g., phone numbers or addresses).

In no situation should protected or

highly sensitive information be shared

via social media platforms (e.g.,

Social Security number, nancial

information, credit card or payment

information, counseling or health

records, information subject to non-

disclosure agreements, etc.).

F.7.e. Respect Privacy of Clients’

Virtual Presence

Career development professionals

respect the privacy of their clients’

presence on social media, and avoid

searching clients’ virtual presence

unless given consent to view such

information.

F.7.f. Social Media as Part of

Informed Consent

As a part of the informed consent

procedure, career development

professionals clearly explain to their

clients the benets, limitations, and

boundaries of the use of social media.

F.7.i. Respect Copyright and

Original Sources

Career development professionals

post information, photos, videos, etc.

only in compliance with copyright,

trademark, and fair use laws. When

others’ content is posted, sources

are clearly identied, with links to

original materials if applicable.

F.7.j. Educating Clients about

the Role of Social Media in

the Career Development

Process

Career development professionals

educate their clients about the role of

social media platforms in the career

development and job search process.

is includes encouraging both

knowledge of the potential impact

that social media use may have on

the professional relationship between

the client and career development

professional, and promoting an

understanding of the benets and

risks of using social media within the

career exploration, job search, and

career management process.

F.8. New & Emerging

Technology

F.8.a. Competence in Using New

& Emerging Technology

Career development professionals

are expected to utilize only those

tools and technology for which they

have been trained and in which

they are competent. Should career

development professionals desire to

utilize new and emerging technology

(including AI) to assist clients, they

explore the cost/benet with the client

and proceed only when expressly

directed by the client. Should

alternative approaches be available,

these are presented to the client.

F.8.b. Informed Consent when

Using New & Emerging

Technology

Career development professionals

are transparent, inform clients,

F.7.g. Social Media Policies &

Fair and Equitable

Treatment

Career development professionals

develop social media strategies and

guidelines that provide fair and

equitable treatment to all clients.

For clients who may lack access or

have limited technical knowledge,

fair and equitable treatment may

mean providing alternative service

delivery methods. Additionally,

fair, and equitable treatment means

creating an approach to using

social media that is consistently

applied and clearly communicated

to all clients. For example, some

organizations may choose a policy

of not linking to any current clients,

while another organization allows

career development professionals to

link to current clients only when the

client makes a request and agrees

to a social media informed consent.

Still another organization may nd it

more favorable to “link” all clients to

an organization page rather than to

link clients to a career development

professional’s individual social

media account. Career development

professionals work within their

organizations to develop and clearly

communicate an approach so that the

social media practice is transparent,

consistent, and easily understood by

clients.

F.7.h. Permanence of

Information, Accuracy, and

Audience

Career development professionals

recognize that information posted

on social media sites are largely

permanent and easily shared beyond

the privacy settings of any particular

site. Postings should be respectful

and appropriate for broad audiences.

Postings should also be regularly

checked to ensure accuracy of

information shared.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 21 •

and obtain consent whenever

they use new and emerging

technology when providing services.

Careerdevelopment professionals do

not enter any client information into

an Articial Intelligence (AI)platform

without express consent.

F.8.c. Limitations of New &

Emerging Technology

Career development professionals

are aware of and inform clients of

any limitations of using new and

emerging technology.

F.8.d. Emergence of AI in Career

Development

Articial Intelligence (AI) is a new

and emerging eld. Its full impact

on career development services may

not be known for many years to

come. As such, career development

professionals are expected to study,

receive training, and to seek guidance

when considering the use of AI

when working with clients. Career

development professionals also use

caution when using or recommending

AI and related tools when working

with students, clients (individuals,

groups, or organizational), research

participants, supervisees, and

colleagues (including employers and

employees).

Section G

Supervision, Training,

and Teaching

Introduction

Career development professionals

foster meaningful and respectful

professional relationships and

maintain appropriate boundaries

with supervisees and students.

Career development professionals

have theoretical and pedagogical

foundations for their work and aim

to be fair, accurate, and honest in

services regularly pursue continuing

education activities including both

career services and supervision topics

and skills.

G.2.b. Cultural Competence in

Supervision

Supervisors are aware of and address

the role of cultural competence in the

supervisory relationship.

G.2.c. Online Supervision

When using technology in

supervision, supervisors are

competent in the use of those

technologies. Supervisors take the

necessary precautions to protect the

condentiality of all information

transmitted through any electronic

means.

G.3. Multiple Relationships

G.3.a. Relationship Boundaries

Supervisors and educators clearly

dene and maintain ethical

professional, personal, and social

relationships with their supervisees/

students, and they avoid or keep

to a minimum nonprofessional

relationships with current

supervisees/students. If supervisors

and educators must assume other

professional roles (e.g., clinical and

administrative supervisor, instructor,

etc.) with supervisees/students, they

work to minimize potential conicts

and explain to supervisees/students

the expectations and responsibilities

associated with each role. ey do not

engage in any form of nonprofessional

interaction in which there is a risk

of potential harm to the supervisee/

student or that may compromise the

supervisory/training relationship,

experience or grades assigned.

G.3.b. Sexual Relationships

Any form of sexual or romantic

interactions or relationships with

current students or supervisees is

prohibited.

their assessments of other career

development professionals, students,

and supervisees.

G.1. Client Welfare

G.1.a. Client Welfare

A primary obligation of supervisors

and educators is to monitor the

services provided by other career

development professionals or students

for whom they have responsibility.

Supervisors and educators also

monitor client welfare and supervisee/

student performance and professional

development. To fulll these

obligations, supervisors and educators

meet regularly with supervisees/

students. Supervisees and students

have a responsibility to understand

and follow the NCDA Code of Ethics.

G.1.b. Credentials

Supervisors and educators work to

ensure that supervisees/students

communicate their qualications to

render services to their clients.

G.1.c. Informed Consent and

Client Rights

Supervisors and educators make

supervisees/students aware of client

rights including the protection of

client privacy and condentiality

in the professional relationship.

Supervisees/students provide

clients with professional disclosure

information and inform them of how

the supervision process inuences the

limits of condentiality. Supervisees/

students make clients aware of who

will have access to records of the

professional relationship and how

these records will be utilized.

G.2. Supervisor Competence

G.2.a. Supervisor Preparation

Prior to oering supervision services,

career development professionals

are trained in supervision methods

and techniques. Career development

professionals who oer supervision

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 22 •

G.3.c. Harassment

Supervisors and educators do not

condone or subject students or

supervisees to harassment, sexual or

otherwise.

G.3.d. Close Relatives and Friends

Supervisors and educators avoid

accepting close relatives, romantic

partners, or friends as students/

supervisees and are prohibited from

engaging in supervisory or training

relationships with individuals with

whom they have an inability to

remain objective.

G.3.e. Potentially Benecial

Relationships

Supervisors and educators are

aware of the power dierential

in their relationships with

supervisees/ students. If they believe

nonprofessional relationships with a

supervisee/student may be potentially

benecial to the supervisee/

student, they take precautions

similar to those taken by career

development professionals when

working with clients. Examples of

potentially benecial interactions

or relationships include attending

a formal ceremony; hospital visits;

providing support during a stressful

event; or mutual membership in a

professional association, organization,

or community. Supervisors and

educators engage in open discussions

with supervisees/students when

they consider entering into

relationships with them outside of

their supervisory or training roles.

Before engaging in nonprofessional

relationships, supervisors and

educators discuss with supervisees/

students and document the rationale

for such interactions, potential

benets or drawbacks, and anticipated

consequences for the supervisee.

Supervisors and educators clarify the

specic nature and limitations of the

additional role(s) they will have with

the supervisee/student.

G.5. Student Responsibilities

& Evaluation,

Remediation, and

Endorsement

G.5.a. Ethical Responsibilities

Students/supervisees have a

responsibility to understand and

follow the NCDA Code of Ethics.

Students/supervisees have the

same obligation to clients as those

required of other career development

professionals.

G.5.b. Impairment

Students/supervisees monitor

themselves for signs of impairment

from their own physical, mental, or

emotional problems and refrain from

oering or providing professional

services when such impairment is

likely to harm a client or others. ey

notify their faculty and/or supervisors

and seek assistance for problems

that reach the level of professional

impairment, and, if necessary, they

limit, suspend, or terminate their

professional responsibilities until it

is determined that they may safely

resume their work.

G.5.c. Professional Disclosure

Before providing services, students/

supervisees disclose their status and

explain how this status aects the

limits of condentiality. Supervisors

and educators ensure that clients are

aware of the services rendered and

the qualications of the students/

supervisees rendering those services.

Students/ supervisees obtain

client permission before they use

any information concerning the

counseling relationship in the training

process.

G.5.d. Evaluation

Supervisors and educators clearly

state to students/supervisees, prior

to and throughout the training

program, the levels of competency

expected, appraisal methods, and

timing of evaluations for all areas

G.3.f. Relationships with Former

Supervisees/Students

Supervisors and educators are aware

of the power dierential in the

relationship between supervisees/

students and thus do not engage in

romantic and sexual relationships

with former supervisees/ students.

G.4. Supervisor

Responsibilities

G.4.a. Informed Consent for

Supervision

Supervisors are responsible for

incorporating into their supervision

the principles of informed consent

and participation. Supervisors

inform supervisees of the policies

and procedures to which they are

to adhere and the mechanisms for

due process appeal of individual

supervisory actions.

G.4.b. Emergencies and Absences

Supervisors establish and

communicate to supervisees

procedures for contacting them or,

in their absence, alternative on-call

supervisors to assist in handling

crises.

G.4.c. Standards for Supervisees

Supervisors make their supervisees

aware of professional and ethical

standards and legal responsibilities.

G.4.d. Termination of the

Supervisory Relationship

Supervisors or supervisees have the

right to terminate the supervisory

relationship with adequate notice.

Reasons for withdrawal are provided

to the other party. When cultural,

professional, or other issues are

crucial to the viability of the

supervisory relationship, both parties

make eorts to resolve dierences.

When termination is warranted,

supervisors make appropriate

referrals to possible alternative

supervisors.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 23 •

of competency. Supervisors and

educators document and provide

students/supervisees with ongoing

performance appraisal and evaluation

feedback throughout the training

program.

G.5.e. Limitations & Remediation

rough ongoing evaluation and

appraisal, supervisors and educators

are aware of the limitations of

students/supervisees that might

impede performance. Supervisors and

educators assist students/ supervisees

in securing remedial assistance when

needed. If students/supervisees

request counseling or if counseling

services are required as part of a

remediation process, educators

and supervisors provide acceptable

referrals. Supervisors and educators

recommend dismissal from training

programs, applied practice settings,

or state or voluntary professional

credentialing processes when those

students/ supervisees are unable

to provide competent professional

services. Supervisors and educators

seek consultation and document

their decisions to dismiss or refer

students/supervisees for assistance.

ey ensure that students/supervisees

are aware of options available to

them to address such decisions and

ensure that students/supervisees

have recourse in a timely manner to

address decisions to require them to

seek assistance or to dismiss them

and provide them with due process

according to institutional policies and

procedures.

G.5.f. Multiple Roles/

Relationships with Students

& Supervisees

If students/supervisees request

counseling, career services, or any

other professional service which a

supervisor or educator may ordinarily

oer, the supervisor or educator will

provide the student/ supervisee with

acceptable referrals. Supervisors and

educators do not typically engage

skilled in applying that knowledge,

and make students and supervisees

aware of their responsibilities.

Educators are to conduct education

and training programs in an ethical

manner and serve as role models

for professional behavior. Career

development professionals who

function as educators or supervisors

are expected to provide instruction

within their areas of knowledge and

competence and provide instruction

based on current information and

knowledge available in the profession.

When using technology to deliver

instruction, educators are expected to

develop competence in the use of the

technology.

G.6.b. Integration of Study and

Practice

Educators are expected to establish

education and training programs

that integrate academic study and

supervised practice.

G.6.c. Teaching Ethics

Educators make students and

supervisees aware of the ethical

responsibilities and standards

of the profession and the ethical

responsibilities of students to the

profession. Educators infuse ethical

considerations throughout the

curriculum.

G.6.d. Peer Relationships

Educators make every eort to

ensure that the rights of peers are

not compromised when students or

supervisees lead career groups or

provide supervision. Educators take

steps to ensure that students and

supervisees understand they have the

same ethical obligations as educators,

trainers, and supervisors.

G.6.e. Innovative eories and

Techniques

When educators teach techniques/

procedures that are innovative,

without an empirical foundation, or

without a well-grounded theoretical

foundation, they dene the

in multiple roles/relationships with

students/supervisees. If supervisors

or educators must provide a service

to a student or supervisee in

addition to providing supervision,

they work to minimize potential

conicts and explain to students/

supervisees the expectations and

responsibilities associated with each

role. In addition, the supervisor or

educator must address participation

in multiple roles/relationships with

the students/supervisees in terms of

the impact of these issues on clients,

the supervisory relationship, and

professional functioning.

G.5.g. Endorsement

Supervisors and educators endorse

students/supervisees for certication,

licensure, employment, or completion

of an academic or training program

only when they believe the students/

supervisees are qualied for the

endorsement. In addition, supervisors

and educators do not withhold

endorsement of qualied students/

supervisees for certication, licensure,

employment, or completion of an

academic or training program for any

reason unrelated to their tness as a

student or professional. Regardless

of qualications, supervisors and

educators do not endorse students/

supervisees whom they believe to

be impaired in any way that would

interfere with the performance

of the duties associated with the

endorsement.

G.6. Responsibilities of

Educators

G.6.a. Educators

Educators who are responsible for

developing, implementing, and

supervising educational programs

are expected to be skilled as teachers

and practitioners. ey are expected

to be knowledgeable regarding the

ethical, legal, and regulatory aspects

of the profession, are expected to be

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 24 •

techniques/procedures as “unproven”

or “developing” and explain to

students the potential risks and

ethical considerations of using such

techniques/procedures.

G.6.f. Field Placements

Educators develop clear policies

within their training programs

regarding eld placement and other

practical experiences. Educators

provide clearly stated roles and

responsibilities for the student or

supervisee, the site supervisor, and

the program supervisor. ey conrm

that site supervisors are qualied to

provide supervision and inform site

supervisors of their professional and

ethical responsibilities in this role.

In addition, educators do not accept

any form of professional services,

fees, commissions, reimbursement, or

remuneration from a site for student

or supervisee placement.

G.7. Student Welfare

G.7.a. Orientation

Educators recognize that orientation

is a developmental process that

continues throughout the education

and training of students. Faculty

provide prospective and current

students with information about the

educational program’s expectations

including but not necessarily limited

to:

1. the type and level of skill and

knowledge acquisition required

for successful completion of the

training;

2. training program goals, objectives,

and mission, and subject matter to

be covered, including technology

requirements;

3. bases for evaluation;

4. training components that

encourage self-growth or self-

disclosure as part of the training

process;

5. the type of supervision settings

and requirements of the sites for

bring to the training experience.

Educators provide appropriate

accommodations that enhance and

support diverse student well-being

and academic performance.

G.8.c. Multicultural/Diversity

Competence

Educators actively infuse

multicultural/diversity competency

in their training and supervision

practices. ey actively train students

to gain awareness, knowledge,

and skills in the competencies of

multicultural practice.

Section H

Research and

Publication

Introduction

Career development professionals

who conduct research are encouraged

to contribute to the knowledge base of

the profession and promote a clearer

understanding of the conditions

that lead to a healthy and more

just society. Career development

professionals support the eorts of

researchers by participating fully and

willingly whenever possible. Career

development professionals minimize

bias and respect diversity in designing

and implementing research.

H.1. Research

Responsibilities

H.1.a. Use of Human Research

Participants

Career development professionals

plan, design, conduct, and report

research in a manner that is consistent

with pertinent ethical principles, all

applicable federal, state, and local

statutes, laws, regulations, and/

or procedures, host institutional

regulations, and scientic standards

required clinical eld experiences;

6. student and supervisee evaluation

and dismissal policies and

procedures; and

7. up-to-date employment prospects

for graduates and career advising,

including making them aware of

opportunities in the eld.

G.7.b. Self-Growth Experiences

Education programs delineate

requirements for self-disclosure

or self-growth experiences in their

admission and program materials.

Educators use professional judgment

when designing training experiences

they conduct that require student

and supervisee self-growth or self-

disclosure. Students and supervisees

are made aware of the ramications

their self-disclosure may have when

career development professionals

whose primary role as teacher, trainer,

or supervisor requires acting on

ethical obligations to the profession.

Evaluative components of experiential

training activities explicitly delineate

predetermined academic standards

that are separate from and do not

depend on the student’s level of self-

disclosure. Educators and supervisors

may require students/supervisees

to seek professional help to address

any personal concerns that may be

aecting their competency.

G.8. Multicultural/Diversity

Competence in

Education and Training

Programs

G.8.a. Faculty Diversity

Educators are committed to recruiting

and retaining a diverse faculty.

G.8.b. Student Diversity

Educators actively attempt to recruit

and retain a diverse student body.

Educators demonstrate commitment

to multicultural/diversity competence

by recognizing and valuing diverse

cultures and types of abilities students

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 25 •

governing research with human

research participants.

H.1.b. Need for Research and

Review

Career development professionals

have an obligation to contribute to

periodic evaluations of the services

they provide to their clients. e

interventions, techniques, and

methods of service delivery they

use should be evaluated to establish

evidence-informed practice. Career

development professionals also have

an obligation to periodically review

the evaluation and research literature

in their area of expertise so that

the career services they provide to

their clients reect established best

practice.

H.1.c. Deviation from Standard

Practice

Career development professionals

seek consultation and observe

stringent safeguards to protect the

rights of research participants when a

research problem suggests a deviation

from standard or acceptable practices.

H.1.d. Independent Researchers

When career development

professionals conduct independent

research and do not have access

to an Institutional Review Board

(IRB), they are bound to the ethical

principles and federal and state laws

that pertain to the review of their

plan, design, conduct and reporting

of research. When independent

researchers do not have access to

an IRB, they should consult with

researchers who are familiar with IRB

procedures to provide appropriate

safeguards.

H.1.e. Precautions to Avoid

Injury

Career development professionals

who conduct research with human

participants are responsible for the

welfare of participants throughout

the research process and should

take reasonable precautions to avoid

advantageous for participants;

6. oers to answer any inquiries

concerning the procedures;

7. describes any limitations on

condentiality;

8. describes the format and

potential target audiences for the

dissemination of research ndings;

and

9. instructs participants that they are

free to withdraw their consent and

to discontinue participation in the

project at any time without penalty.

H.2.b. Deception

Career development professionals

do not conduct research involving

deception unless alternative

procedures are not feasible, and

the prospective value of the

research justies the deception. If

such deception has the potential

to cause physical or emotional

harm to research participants, the

research is not conducted, regardless

of prospective value. When the

methodological requirements of a

study necessitate concealment or

deception, the investigator explains

the reasons for this action as soon as

possible during the debrieng.

H.2.c. Student/Supervisee

Participation

Researchers who involve students or

supervisees in research make clear

to them that the decision regarding

whether or not to participate

in research activities does not

aect one’s academic standing or

supervisory relationship. Students

or supervisees who choose not to

participate in educational research

are provided with an appropriate

alternative to fulll academic or other

requirements.

H.2.d. Client Participation

Career development professionals

conducting research involving

clients make clear in the informed

consent process that clients are

free to choose whether or not to

causing injurious psychological,

emotional, physical, or social eects

to participants.

H.1.f. Principal Researcher

Responsibility

e ultimate responsibility for

ethical research practice lies with

the principal researcher. All others

involved in the research activities

share ethical obligations and

responsibility for their own actions.

H.1.g. Minimal Interference

Career development professionals

take reasonable precautions to avoid

causing disruptions in the lives of

research participants that could

be caused by their involvement in

research.

H.1.h. Multicultural/Diversity

Considerations in

Research

Career development professionals are

sensitive to incorporating research

procedures that take into account

cultural considerations. ey seek

consultation when appropriate.

H.2. Rights of Research

Participants

H.2.a. Informed Consent in

Research

Individuals have the right to

decline requests to become research

participants. In seeking consent,

career development professionals use

language that:

1. accurately explains the purpose

and procedures to be followed;

2. identies any procedures that are

experimental or relatively untried;

3. describes any attendant

discomforts, risks, and potential

power dierentials between

researchers and participants;

4. describes any benets or changes

in individuals or organizations that

might be reasonably expected;

5. discloses appropriate alternative

procedures that would be

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 26 •

participate in research activities.

Career development professionals

take necessary precautions to protect

clients from adverse consequences

of declining or withdrawing from

participation.

H.2.e. Condentiality of

Information

Information obtained about research

participants during the course of

an investigation is condential.

Procedures are implemented to

protect condentiality.

H.2.f. Persons Not Capable of

Giving Informed Consent

When a person is not capable of

giving informed consent, career

development professionals provide

an appropriate explanation to obtain

agreement for participation from, and

obtain the appropriate consent of a

legally authorized person.

H.2.g. Commitments to

Participants

Career development professionals

take reasonable measures to honor

all commitments to research

participants.

H.2.h. Explanations Aer Data

Collection

Aer data are collected, career

development professionals provide

participants with full clarication of

the nature of the study to remove any

misconceptions participants might

have regarding the research. Where

scientic or human values justify

delaying or withholding information,

career development professionals take

reasonable measures to avoid causing

harm.

H.2.i. Informing Sponsors

Career development professionals

inform sponsors, institutions, and

publication channels regarding

research procedures and outcomes.

Career development professionals

ensure that appropriate bodies

and authorities are given pertinent

H.3.d. Potentially Benecial

Interactions

When a nonprofessional interaction

between the researcher and the

research participant may be

potentially benecial, the researcher

must document, prior to the

interaction (when feasible), the

rationale for such an interaction, the

potential benet, and anticipated

consequences for the research

participant. Such interactions

should be initiated with appropriate

consent of the research participant.

Where unintentional harm occurs

to the research participant due to

the nonprofessional interaction, the

researcher must show evidence of an

attempt to remedy such harm.

H.4. Reporting Results

H.4.a. Accurate Results

Career development professionals

plan, conduct, and report research

accurately. ey provide thorough

discussions of the limitations of their

data and alternative hypotheses.

Career development professionals

do not engage in misleading or

fraudulent research, distort data,

misrepresent data, or deliberately

bias their results. ey explicitly

mention all variables and conditions

known to the investigator that may

have aected the outcome of a study

or the interpretation of data. ey

describe the extent to which results

are applicable for diverse populations.

H.4.b. Obligation to Report

Unfavorable Results

Career development professionals

report the results of any research of

professional value. Results that reect

unfavorably on institutions, programs,

services, prevailing opinions, or

vested interests are not withheld.

H.4.c. Reporting Errors

If career development professionals

discover signicant errors in their

published research, they take

information and acknowledgment.

H.2.j. Disposal of Research

Documents and Records

Within a reasonable period of time

following the completion of a research

project or study, career development

professionals take steps to destroy

records or documents (audio, video,

digital, and written) containing

condential data or information that

identies research participants in

accordance with all applicable federal,

state, local, and/or institutional

statutes, laws, regulations, and

procedures. Career development

professionals are encouraged to purge

their les according to the time frame

required by federal, state, local, and/or

institutional statute, law, regulation,

or procedure, particularly when there

is no reasonable expectation that

anyone will benet from maintaining

the records any longer.

H.3. Relationships with

Research Participants

(When Research

Involves Intensive or

Extended Interactions)

H.3.a. Nonprofessional

Relationships

Nonprofessional relationships with

research participants should be

avoided as these interactions may

set up dual relationships and role

confusion that may be harmful to the

emotional health of participants.

H.3.b. Relationships with

Research Participants

Sexual or romantic interactions

or relationships between career

development professionals/

researchers and current research

participants are prohibited.

H.3.c. Harassment and Research

Participants

Researchers do not condone or

subject research participants to

harassment, sexual or otherwise.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 27 •

reasonable steps to correct such errors

in a correction erratum, or through

other appropriate publication means.

H.4.d. Identity of Participants

Career development professionals

who supply data, aid in the research

of another person, report research

results, or make original data available

take due care to disguise the identity

of respective participants in the

absence of specic authorization from

the participants to do otherwise. In

situations where participants self-

identify their involvement in research

studies, researchers take active

steps to ensure that data is adapted/

changed to protect the identity

and welfare of all parties and that

discussion of results does not cause

harm to participants.

H.4.e. Replication Studies

Career development professionals are

obligated to make available sucient

original research data to qualied

professionals who may wish to

replicate a study.

H.5. Publication

H.5.a. Recognizing Contributions

When conducting and reporting

research, career development

professionals are familiar with and

give recognition to previous work

on the topic, observe copyright laws,

and give full credit to those to whom

credit is due.

H.5.b. Plagiarism

Career development professionals

do not plagiarize; that is, they do not

present another person’s work as their

own.

H.5.c. Review/Republication of

Data or Ideas

Career development professionals

fully acknowledge and make editorial

reviewers aware of prior publication

of ideas or data where such ideas

or data are submitted for review or

publication.

review article submissions in a

timely manner and based on their

scope and competency in research

methodologies. Career development

professionals who serve as reviewers

at the request of editors or publishers

make every eort to review only

materials that are within their scope

of competency and use care to avoid

personal biases.

Section I

Resolving Ethical

Issues

Introduction

Career development professionals

behave in a legal, ethical, and moral

manner in the conduct of their

professional work. ey are aware

that client protection and trust in the

profession depend on a high level of

professional conduct. ey hold other

career development professionals to

the same standards and are willing to

take appropriate action to ensure that

these standards are upheld. Career

development professionals work to

resolve ethical dilemmas with direct

and open communication among all

parties involved and seek consultation

with colleagues and supervisors

when necessary. Career development

professionals incorporate ethical

practice into their daily work. ey

engage in ongoing learning and

development regarding current topics

in ethical and legal issues in the

profession.

I.1. Standards and the Law

I.1.a. Knowledge

Career development professionals

understand the NCDA Code of Ethics

and other applicable ethics codes

from professional organizations

or from certication and licensure

bodies of which they are members

H.5.d. Contributors

Career development professionals

give credit through joint authorship,

acknowledgment, footnote

statements, or other appropriate

means to those who have contributed

signicantly to research or concept

development in accordance with

such contributions. e principal

contributor is listed rst, and

minor technical or professional

contributions are acknowledged in

notes or introductory statements.

H.5.e. Agreement of Contributors

Career development professionals

who conduct joint research with

colleagues or students/supervisees

establish agreements in advance

regarding allocation of tasks,

publication credit, and types of

acknowledgment that will be received.

H.5.f. Student Research

Manuscripts or professional

presentations in any medium that

are substantially based on a student’s

course papers, projects, dissertations,

or theses are used only with the

student’s permission and list the

student as lead author.

H.5.g. Duplicate Submission

Career development professionals

submit manuscripts for consideration

to only one journal at a time.

Manuscripts that are published

in whole or in substantial part in

another journal or published work are

not submitted for publication without

acknowledgement and permission

from the previous publication.

H.5.h. Professional Review

Career development professionals

who review material submitted

for publication, research, or other

scholarly purposes respect the

condentiality and proprietary rights

of those who submitted it. Career

development professionals use care

to make publication decisions based

on valid and defensible standards.

Career development professionals

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 28 •

and/or which regulate practice in a

state or territory. Career development

professionals ensure that they

are knowledgeable of and follow

all applicable federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statutes, laws,

regulations, and procedures. Lack of

knowledge or misunderstanding of an

ethical responsibility is not a defense

against a charge of unethical conduct.

I.1.b. Conicts Between Ethics

and Laws

If ethical responsibilities conict with

laws, regulations, or other governing

legal authorities, career development

professionals make known their

commitment to the NCDA Code

of Ethics and take steps to resolve

the conict. If the conict cannot

be resolved by acknowledging and

discussing the pertinent principles

in the NCDA Code of Ethics, career

development professionals must

adhere to the requirements of all

applicable federal, state, local,

and/or institutional statutes, laws,

regulations, and procedures.

I.2. Suspected Violations

I.2.a. Ethical Behavior Expected

Career development professionals

expect colleagues to adhere to the

NCDA Code of Ethics. When career

development professionals possess

knowledge that raises doubts as to

whether another career development

professional is acting in an ethical

manner, they take appropriate action,

as noted in I.2.b-I.2.g.

I.2.b. Informal Resolution

When career development

professionals have reason to believe

that another career development

professional is violating or has

violated an ethical standard, they

attempt rst to resolve the issue

informally with the other career

development professional if feasible,

provided such action does not violate

organization to allow full adherence

to the NCDA Code of Ethics. In doing

so, they are mindful of and address

any condentiality issues.

I.2.f. Unwarranted Complaints

Career development professionals

do not initiate, participate in,

or encourage the ling of ethics

complaints that are made with

reckless disregard or willful ignorance

of facts that would disprove the

allegation.

I.2.g. Unfair Discrimination

Against Complainants and

Respondents

Career development professionals do

not deny employment, advancement,

admission to academic or other

programs, tenure, or promotion to

anyone based solely upon their having

made or their being the subject of

an ethics complaint. is does not

preclude taking action based upon

the outcome of such proceedings

or considering other appropriate

information.

I.3. Cooperation with Ethics

Committees

Career development professionals

assist in the process of enforcing

the NCDA Code of Ethics. Career

development professionals cooperate

with investigations, proceedings, and

requirements of the NCDA Ethics

Committee or ethics committees of

other duly constituted associations or

licensing/certications boards having

jurisdiction over those charged with

a violation. Career development

professionals are familiar with the

NCDA Policy and Procedures for

Processing Complaints of Ethical

Violations and use it as a reference for

assisting in the enforcement of the

NCDA Code of Ethics.

condentiality rights that may be

involved.

I.2.c. Reporting Ethical

Violations and Complaints

If an apparent violation has

substantially harmed, or is likely

to substantially harm, a person or

organization and is not appropriate

for informal resolution or is not

resolved properly, career development

professionals take further action

appropriate to the situation. Such

action might include referral to

state or national committees on

professional ethics, voluntary national

certication bodies, state licensing

boards, law enforcement or other

appropriate institutional authorities.

is standard does not apply when

an intervention would violate

condentiality rights or when career

development professionals have been

retained to review the work of another

career development professional

whose conduct is in question.

I.2.d. Consultation

When uncertain as to whether

a particular situation or course

of action may be in violation of

the NCDA Code of Ethics, career

development professionals consult

with others who are knowledgeable

about ethics and the NCDA Code of

Ethics, with colleagues, the Ethics

Committee and/or with appropriate

authorities.

I.2.e. Organizational Conicts

If the demands of an organization

with which career development

professionals are aliated pose

a conict with the NCDA Code

of Ethics, career development

professionals specify the nature of

such conicts and express to their

supervisors or other responsible

ocials their commitment to the

NCDA Code of Ethics. When possible,

career development professionals

work toward changes within the

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 29 •

Advocacy – promotion of the well-

being of individuals and groups,

and the career development

profession within systems and

organizations. Advocacy seeks

to remove barriers and obstacles

that inhibit access, growth, and

development.

Assent – to demonstrate agreement,

when a person is otherwise not

capable or competent to give

formal consent (e.g., informed

consent) to a career development

service or plan.

Career Advisors - Career advisors

foster academically related career

planning and engagement within

an educational setting (high school,

post-secondary institution). ey

proactively integrate educational

and vocational support to teach

students decision-making and

career management strategies.

Advisors connect degree

requirements, course content,

co-curricular opportunities, and

educational choices to students’

career goals. Besides facilitating

holistic individual career

conversations with students, career

advisors also collaborate with

others to strategically (re)design

educational systems so all students

have access to career well-being.

Career Counselor – a professional

(or a student who is a career

counselor-in-training) engaged in a

career counseling practice or other

career counseling-related services.

Career counselors fulll many roles

and responsibilities such as career

counselor educators, researchers,

supervisors, practitioners, and

consultants.

Career development professionals

– this term includes career

counselors, career coaches,

career consultants, career

development facilitators, career

advisors, certied career services

professionals (CCSP) and anyone

else who is a member of NCDA

and provides career counseling,

career advice/advising, career

coaching, career planning, job

search assistance, and/or related

services.

Career Services – all activities

delivered by Career development

professionals to individuals,

groups and organizations.

Services may include, but are

not necessarily limited to, career

counseling, career coaching,

career advising, career planning,

assessment, job search assistance,

skills practice, workshops and

training, homework assignments,

bibliographies, journaling,

and overall career program

development.

Client(s) – individuals seeking or

referred to the services of a career

development professional.

Condentiality – the ethical duty

of counselors to protect a client’s

identity, identifying characteristics,

and private communications.

Consultation – a professional

relationship that may include, but

is not limited to seeking advice,

information, and/or testimony.

Glossary of Terms

NOTE: NCDA has members in various career services positions (see Career development professionals), as well as in

instructional (counselor educators, counseling psychology professors, etc.) and supervisory roles (Director, Associate

Director, Career Supervisor, etc.). e term “career development professional” will be used throughout this document both

as a noun and as an adjective to refer to anyone holding NCDA membership and who is therefore expected to abide by

these ethical guidelines.

Culture – membership in a socially

constructed way of living, which

incorporates collective values,

beliefs, norms, boundaries,

and lifestyles that are co-

created with others who share

similar worldviews comprising

biological, psychosocial, historical,

psychological, and other factors.

Discrimination – the prejudicial

treatment of an individual or group

based on their actual or perceived

membership in a particular group,

class, or category.

Diversity – the similarities and

dierences that occur within

and across cultures, and the

intersection of cultural and social

identities.

Educator – a professional engaged

in developing, implementing,

and supervising the educational

preparation of students and/or

supervisees.

Informed Consent – a process of

information sharing associated

with possible actions clients

may choose to take, aimed at

assisting clients in acquiring a full

appreciation and understanding

of the facts and implications of a

given action or actions.

Multicultural/Diversity Competence

– Career development professionals

cultural and diversity awareness

and knowledge about self and

others, and how this awareness and

knowledge is applied eectively

in practice with clients and client

groups.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 30 •

Multiple Relationships –

relationships and/or interactions

with clients, students, supervisees,

and/or research participants that

involve the career development

professional in more than one

professional role or a combination

of professional and nonprofessional

roles.

Pro bono publico – contributing to

society by devoting a portion of

professional activities for little or

no nancial return (e.g., speaking

to groups, sharing professional

information, oering reduced fees).

Professional Relationship – a

relationship in which the roles

of client and career development

professional are dened, activities

and services are selected, and

fees are charged to a client,

an employer, or a referring

organization.

supervisee(s) in order to

(a) promote the growth and

development of the supervisee(s),

(b) protect the welfare of the clients

seen by the supervisee(s), and (c)

evaluate the performance of the

supervisee(s).

Supervisor – A career development

professional who is trained to

oversee career services and engages

in a formal relationship with a

practicing career development

professional or a student for the

purpose of ensuring quality career

services work and/or clinical skill

development.

Working Relationship – a current

agreement between a career

development professional and

a client in which the roles,

responsibilities and activities

of both career development

professional and client are clearly

dened.

Social Media – technology-based

platforms that enable people

to communicate and share

information across virtual

networks in real-time.

Student – an individual engaged in

formal educational preparation as a

career development professional.

Supervisee – a career development

professional or student whose

career services work and/or

clinical skill development is being

overseen in a formal supervisory

relationship by a qualied trained

professional.

Supervision – a process in which

one individual, usually a senior

member of a given profession

designated as the supervisor,

engages in a collaborative

relationship with another

individual or group, usually a

junior member(s) of a given

profession designated as the

Resources

American Counseling Association’s Ethics Code:

http://www.counseling.org/knowledge-center/ethics

An Ethical Decision-making Model:

https://www.ethics.org/resources/free-toolkit/decision-making-model/

Ethical Principles of Psychologists:

https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index.aspx

National Association of Colleges and Employers Ethics:

https://www.naceweb.org/career-development/organizational-structure/principles-for-ethical-professional-practice/

Use of Human Research Participants:

https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/index.html

Makela, J. P. & Perlus, J.G. (2017) A Case Study Approach to Ethics in Career Development. Broken Arrow, OK: NCDA.

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 31 •

Section A: e Professional Relationship .....3

Section A: Introduction ..................... 3

A.1.Welfare of ose Served by Career

Development Professionals ............... 3

A.1.a. Primary Responsibility ................3

A.1.b. Dierentiation Between Types

of Services Provided .....................3

A.1.c.Records & Documentation .............3

A.1.d. Career Services Plans .................3

A.1.e. Support Network Involvement .........3

A.2. Informed Consent in the Professional

Relationship ...........................3

A.2.a. Informed Consent ...................3

A.2.b. Types of Information Needed ..........4

A.2.c. Clients’ Right to Condentiality and

Right to Refuse Service ..................4

A.2.d. Inability to Give Consent .............. 4

A.2.e. Mandated Clients ....................4

A.3. Clients Served by Others ................ 4

A.4.Avoiding Harm and Imposing Values .....4

A.4.a. Avoiding Harm ......................4

A.4.b. Personal Values ......................4

A.5. Roles and Relationships with Clients .....4

A.5.a. Current Clients ......................4

A.5.b. Former Clients .......................4

A.5.c. Nonprofessional Interactions or

Relationships (Other an Sexual or

Romantic Interactions or Relationships) ...5

A.5.d. Potentially Benecial Interactions ......5

A.5.e. Role Changes in the Professional

Relationship ...........................5

A.5.f. Other Relationships ................... 5

A.6. Roles and Relationships at Individual,

Group, Institutional, and Societal Levels ...5

A.6.a. Advocacy ...........................5

A.6.b. Condentiality and Advocacy .......... 5

A.7. Multiple Clients .......................5

A.8. Group Work ..........................5

A.8.a. Screening ...........................5

A.8.b. Protecting Clients ....................5

A.9. Fees and Business Practices .............6

A.9.a. Self-Referrals & Unacceptable Business

Practices ..............................6

A.9.b. Establishing Fees .....................6

A.9.c. Nonpayment of Fees ..................6

A.9.d. Bartering ...........................6

A.9.e. Receiving Gis .......................6

A.10.Termination and Referral ............... 6

A.10.a. Abandonment Prohibited ............6

A.10.b. Inability to Assist Clients .............6

A.10.c. Appropriate Termination .............6

A.10.d. Appropriate Transfer of Services ......6

Section B: Condentiality, Privileged

Communication, and Privacy ...........7

Section B: Introduction .....................7

B.1. Respecting Client Rights ................7

B.1.a. Multicultural/Diversity Considerations ..7

B.1.b. Respect for Privacy ...................7

B.1.c. Respect for Condentiality ............. 7

B.1.d. Explanation of Limitations .............7

B.2. Exceptions ............................7

B.2.a. Danger and Legal Requirements ........7

B.2.b. Contagious, Life-reatening Diseases ..7

B.2.c. Court-Ordered Disclosure .............7

B.2.d. Minimal Disclosure ...................7

C.4.d. Implying Doctoral-Level Competence .. 11

C.4.e. Program Accreditation Status .........12

C.4.f. Professional Membership .............12

C.5. Nondiscrimination .................... 12

C.6.Public Responsibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

C.6.a. Sexual Harassment ..................12

C.6.b. Reports to ird Parties ..............12

C.6.c. Media Presentations .................12

C.6.d. Exploitation of Others ...............12

C.6.e. Scientic Bases for Treatment

Modalities ............................12

C.6.f. Contributing to the Public Good (Pro

Bono Publico) .........................12

C.7. Responsibility to Other Professionals ....12

C.7.a. Personal Public Statements ...........12

C.8. Policies and Guidelines ................13

C.8.a. Creating & Maintaining Policy

Statements & Guidelines ................13

Section D: Relationships with other

Professionals .........................13

Section D: Introduction ....................13

D.1. Relationships with Colleagues, Employers,

and Employees ........................13

D.1.a. Dierent Approaches ................13

D.1.b. Forming Relationships ...............13

D.1.c. Interdisciplinary Teamwork ........... 13

D.1.d. Condentiality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

D.1.e. Establishing Professional and Ethical

Obligations ...........................13

D.1.f. Personnel Selection and Assignment ...13

D.1.g. Employer Policies ...................13

D.1.h. Negative Conditions .................13

D.1.i. Protection from Punitive Action .......14

D.2. Consultation .........................14

D.2.a. Consultant Competency ..............14

D.2.b. Understanding Consultees ............ 14

D.2.c. Consultant Goals ....................14

D.2.d. Informed Consent in

Consultation ..........................14

Section E: Evaluation, Assessment and

Interpretation ........................14

Section E: Introduction ....................14

E.1. General ..............................14

E.1.a. Assessment .........................14

E.1.b. Client Welfare .......................14

E.2. Competence to Use and Interpret

Assessment Instruments ................14

E.2.a. Limits of Competence ................14

E.2.b. Appropriate Use .....................14

E.2.c. Decisions Based on Results ...........14

E.3. Informed Consent in Assessment. . . . . . . . 15

E.3.a. Explanation to Clients ................15

E.3.b. Recipients of Results .................15

E.4. Release of Data to Qualied Professionals

. 15

E.5. Diagnosis & Recommendations .........15

E.5.a. Proper Diagnosis & Recommendations . 15

E.5.b. Cultural Sensitivity ..................15

E.5.c. Historical and Social Prejudices in

Diagnosis .............................15

E.5.d. Refraining From Diagnosis ...........15

E.6. Instrument Selection ..................15

E.6.a. Appropriateness of Instruments .......15

E.6.b. Referral Information .................15

E.7. Conditions of Assessment Administration

B.3. Information Shared With Others .........7

B.3.a. Subordinates .........................7

B.3.b. Treatment Teams ....................7

B.3.c. Condential Settings ..................7

B.3.d. ird-Party Payers ....................8

B.3.e. Transmitting Condential Information ..8

B.3.f. Deceased Clients ......................8

B.4. Groups and Families ....................8

B.4.a. Group Work .........................8

B.4.b. Providing Career Services to Multiple

Family Members ........................ 8

B.5. Clients Lacking Capacity to Give Informed

Consent ...............................8

B.5.a. Responsibility to Clients ...............8

B.5.b. Responsibility to Parents and Legal

Guardians .............................8

B.5.c. Release of Condential Information .....8

B.6. Records and Documentation ............8

B.6.a. Creating & Maintaining Condential

Records & Documentation ...............8

B.6.b. Permission to Record .................8

B.6.c. Permission to Observe ................8

B.6.d. Client Access ........................8

B.6.e. Assistance with Records ...............9

B.6.f. Disclosure or Transfer .................9

B.6.g. Storage and Disposal Aer

Termination ...........................9

B.6.h. Reasonable Precautions ...............9

B.7. Research and Training ..................9

B.7.a. Institutional Approval .................9

B.7.b. Adherence to Guidelines ..............9

B.7.c. Condentiality of Information Obtained

in Research ............................9

B.7.d. Disclosure of Research Information .....9

B.7.e. Agreement for Identication ...........9

B.8. Consultation ..........................9

B.8.a. Agreements .......................... 9

B.8.b. Respect for Privacy ...................9

B.8.c. Disclosure of Condential Information . 10

Section C: Professional

Responsibility ...........................10

Section C: Introduction ....................10

C.1. Knowledge of and Compliance with

Standards .............................10

C.2. Professional Competence ..............10

C.2.a. Boundaries of Competence ...........10

C.2.b. New Specialty Areas of Practice .......10

C.2.c. Qualied for Employment ............10

C.2.d. Monitor Eectiveness ................10

C.2.e. Consultation on Ethical Obligations ...10

C.2.f. Professional Development ............10

C.2.g. Impairment ........................11

C.2.h. Incapacitation, Death, or Termination

of Practice ............................11

C.3. Advertising and Soliciting Clients .......11

C.3.a. Accurate Advertising ................11

C.3.b. Testimonials ........................11

C.3.c. Statements by Others ................11

C.3.d. Recruiting rough Employment ......11

C.3.e. Products and Training Advertisements . 11

C.3.f. Promoting to ose Served ...........11

C.4. Professional Qualications .............11

C.4.a. Accurate Representation .............11

C.4.b. Credentials .........................11

C.4.c. Educational Degrees .................11

Index

• NCDA Code of Ethics •

• 32 •

H.1. Research Responsibilities ..............24

H.1.a. Use of Human Research Participants ...24

H.1.b. Need for Research and Review .......25

H.1.c. Deviation from Standard Practice .....25

H.1.d. Independent Researchers ............25

H.1.e. Precautions to Avoid Injury ...........25

H.1.f. Principal Researcher

Responsibility .........................25

H.1.g. Minimal Interference ................25

H.1.h. Multicultural/Diversity Considerations

in Research ...........................25

H.2. Rights of Research Participants .........25

H.2.a. Informed Consent in Research ........25

H.2.b. Deception ..........................25

H.2.c. Student/Supervisee Participation ......25

H.2.d. Client Participation .................25

H.2.e. Condentiality of Information ........26

H.2.f. Persons Not Capable of Giving

Informed Consent .....................26

H.2.g. Commitments to Participants .........26

H.2.h. Explanations Aer Data

Collection ............................26

H.2.i. Informing Sponsors ..................26

H.2.j. Disposal of Research Documents and

Records ..............................26

H.3. Relationships with Research Participants

(When Research Involves Intensive or

Extended Interactions) .................26

H.3.a. Nonprofessional Relationships ........26

H.3.b. Relationships with Research

Participants ...........................26

H.3.c. Harassment and Research Participants . 26

H.3.d. Potentially Benecial

Interactions ...........................26

H.4. Reporting Results ..................... 26

H.4.a. Accurate Results ....................26

H.4.b. Obligation to Report Unfavorable

Results ...............................26

H.4.c. Reporting Errors ....................26

H.4.d. Identity of Participants ...............27

H.4.e. Replication Studies ..................27

H.5. Publication ..........................27

H.5.a. Recognizing Contributions ...........27

H.5.b. Plagiarism .........................27

H.5.c. Review/Republication of Data or Ideas . 27

H.5.d. Contributors .......................27

H.5.e. Agreement of Contributors ...........27

H.5.f. Student Research ....................27

H.5.g. Duplicate Submission ................27

H.5.h. Professional Review .................27

Section I: Resolving Ethical Issues .........27

Section I: Introduction ....................27

I.1. Standards and the Law .................27

I.1.a. Knowledge ..........................27

I.1.b. Conicts Between Ethics and Laws .....28

I.2. Suspected Violations ...................28

I.2.a. Ethical Behavior Expected ............. 28

I.2.b. Informal Resolution ..................28

I.2.c. Reporting Ethical Violations and

Complaints ...........................28

I.2.d. Consultation ........................28

I.2.e. Organizational Conicts ..............28

I.2.f. Unwarranted Complaints ..............28

I.2.g. Unfair Discrimination Against

Complainants and Respondents .........28

I.3. Cooperation with Ethics Committees. . . . . 28

F.7.h. Permanence of Information, Accuracy,

and Audience .........................20

F.7.i. Respect Copyright and Original Sources . 20

F.7.j. Educating Clients about the Role of

Social Media in the Career Development

Process ...............................20

F.8. New & Emerging Technology ...........20

F.8.a. Competence in Using New & Emerging

Technology ...........................20

F.8.b. Informed Consent when Using New &

Emerging Technology ..................20

F.8.c. Limitations of New & Emerging

Technology ...........................21

F.8.d. Emergence of AI in Career

Development .......................... 21

Section G: Supervision, Training, and

Teaching .............................21

Section G: Introduction ....................21

G.1. Client Welfare ........................21

G.1.a. Client Welfare ......................21

G.1.b. Credentials .........................21

G.1.c. Informed Consent and Client Rights ...21

G.2. Supervisor Competence ...............21

G.2.a. Supervisor Preparation ............... 21

G.2.b. Cultural Competence in Supervision ...21

G.2.c. Online Supervision ..................21

G.3. Multiple Relationships ................. 21

G.3.a. Relationship Boundaries .............21

G.3.b. Sexual Relationships .................21

G.3.c. Harassment ........................22

G.3.d. Close Relatives and Friends ...........22

G.3.e. Potentially Benecial Relationships ....22

G.3.f. Relationships with Former Supervisees/

Students ..............................22

G.4. Supervisor Responsibilities ............. 22

G.4.a. Informed Consent for Supervision .....22

G.4.b. Emergencies and Absences ...........22

G.4.c. Standards for Supervisees ............22

G.4.d. Termination of the Supervisory

Relationship ..........................22

G.5. Student Responsibilities & Evaluation,

Remediation, and Endorsement ..........22

G.5.a. Ethical Responsibilities ...............22

G.5.b. Impairment ........................22

G.5.c. Professional Disclosure ..............22

G.5.d. Evaluation .........................22

G.5.e. Limitations & Remediation ...........23

G.5.f. Multiple Roles/Relationships with

Students & Supervisees .................23

G.5.g. Endorsement .......................23

G.6. Responsibilities of Educators ...........23

G.6.a. Educators ..........................23

G.6.b. Integration of Study and Practice ......23

G.6.c. Teaching Ethics .....................23

G.6.d. Peer Relationships ...................23

G.6.e. Innovative eories and Techniques ...23

G.6.f. Field Placements ....................24

G.7. Student Welfare ......................24

G.7.a. Orientation ......................... 24

G.7.b. Self-Growth Experiences .............24

G.8. Multicultural/Diversity Competence in

Education and Training Programs ........ 24

G.8.a. Faculty Diversity ....................24

G.8.b. Student Diversity ....................24

G.8.c. Multicultural/Diversity Competence ...24

Section H: Research and Publication .......24

Section H: Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

E.7.a. Administration Conditions ...........15

E.7.b. Technological Administration .........15

E.7.c. Unsupervised Assessments ............ 15

E.7.d. Provision of Favorable Conditions .....15

E.8. Multicultural Issues/Diversity in

Assessment ...........................16

E.9. Scoring and Interpretation of

Assessments ..........................16

E.9.a. Reporting ..........................16

E.9.b. Research Instruments ................16

E.9.c. Assessment Services .................16

E.10. Assessment Security ..................16

E.11. Obsolete Assessments and Outdated

Results ...............................16

E.12. Assessment Construction .............16

E.13. Forensic Evaluation: Evaluation for

sLegal Proceedings .....................16

E.13.a. Primary Obligations ................16

E.13.b. Consent for Evaluation ..............16

E.13.c. Client Evaluation Prohibited .........17

E.13.d. Avoid Potentially Harmful

Relationships .........................17

Section F: Providing Career Services Online,

Technology, and Social Media ..........17

Section F: Introduction ....................17

F.1. Knowledge and Legal Considerations ....17

F.1.a. Knowledge and Competency ..........17

F.1.b. Laws and Statutes ....................17

F.1.c. Outside Assistance ...................17

F.2. Informed Consent and Security .........17

F.2.a. Informed Consent and Disclosure ......17

F.2.b. Condentiality and Limitations ........18

F.2.c. Security ............................18

F.3. Client Verication .....................18

F.4. Providing Career Services Online ........ 18

F.4.a. Benets and Limitations ..............18

F.4.b. Professional Boundaries in Providing

Career Services Online .................18

F.4.c. Technology-Assisted Services ..........18

F.4.d. Access .............................. 18

F.4.e. Communication Dierences in

Electronic Media ......................18

F.4.g. Use of Assessments via Electronic Media 18

F.5. Records ..............................19

F.6. Web Maintenance and Technology

Development .......................... 19

F.6.a. Maintaining Websites and Technology

Resources .............................19

F.6.b. Accessibility Considerations ...........19

F.6.c. Qualications of the Developer or

Provider ..............................19

F.6.d. Managing Job Posting and Searching

Websites or Databases ..................19

F.7. Social Media ..........................19

F.7.a. Creating and Maintaining a Virtual

Professional Presence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

F.7.b. Separating Professional Presence from

Personal Presence ...................... 19

F.7.c. Identifying Professional Roles and

Expertise .............................19

F.7.d. Maintaining Condentiality in Virtual

Spaces ................................20

F.7.e. Respect Privacy of Clients’ Virtual Presence

F.7.f. Social Media as Part of Informed

Consent ..............................20

F.7.g. Social Media Policies &

Fair and Equitable Treatment ............20

305 North Beech Circle

Broken Arrow, OK 74012

Phone: (918) 663-7060

Fax: (918) 663-7058