Disclaimer

Professional Services Disclaimer

HiveWell LLC provides workplace culture assessment, certification, and consulting services. The information and services provided by HiveWell are for educational and advisory purposes only and do not constitute legal, HR, employment, or professional advice.

What HiveWell Certification Is

HiveWell Human-Centered Workplace™ Certification evaluates organizational policies, systems, and practices against evidence-based workplace culture standards. Certification validates that an organization has implemented human-centered practices as of the assessment date.

Certification represents:

• Assessment of documented policies and systems
• Evaluation of implementation evidence and employee feedback
• Independent validation of workplace practices
• Recognition of commitment to human-centered culture

What HiveWell Certification Is NOT

HiveWell Certification does not:

Guarantee Business Outcomes

• Certification does not guarantee improved retention, recruitment success, employee satisfaction, or any specific business results
• Organizations may experience different outcomes based on implementation quality, industry factors, and organizational context
• Past performance of certified organizations is not indicative of future results

Ensure Legal Compliance

• Certification does not replace legal counsel or ensure compliance with all applicable employment laws
• Organizations remain solely responsible for legal compliance with federal, state, and local employment regulations
• HiveWell does not provide legal advice regarding employment law, labor regulations, or compliance requirements

Replace Professional Expertise

• Certification does not substitute for HR professionals, legal counsel, or management consultants
• Organizations should consult appropriate professionals for specific legal, HR, or operational questions
• HiveWell's assessment and recommendations are advisory only

Warrant Future Performance

• Certification reflects organizational practices at a specific point in time
• Organizations may change policies, leadership, or practices after certification
• Annual recertification is required to maintain certified status

Cover All Organizational Aspects

• Certification evaluates workplace culture practices within defined assessment scope
• It does not assess product quality, financial stability, customer service, or other business aspects
• Certification applies only to practices and entities specifically evaluated during assessment

Organizational Responsibility

Organizations Are Solely Responsible For:

Legal Compliance

• Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws
• Adherence to labor regulations, wage and hour laws, and workplace safety standards
• Proper classification of employees and contractors
• Compliance with anti-discrimination, harassment, and retaliation laws

Workplace Practices

• All employment decisions, policies, and practices
• Treatment of employees, contractors, and applicants
• Implementation and enforcement of workplace policies
• Manager training, supervision, and accountability
• Investigation and resolution of complaints
• Workplace safety and employee wellbeing

Employee Relations

• Hiring, promotion, termination, and discipline decisions
• Compensation, benefits, and leave administration
• Accommodation of disabilities and religious practices
• Prevention and response to discrimination, harassment, and retaliation
• Union relations and collective bargaining (if applicable)

Risk Management

• Employment practices liability insurance
• Workers' compensation coverage
• Risk assessment and mitigation
• Crisis planning and response
• Data privacy and security

Limitations of Liability

No Warranties

HiveWell provides certification services "AS IS" without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to:

• Warranties of accuracy, completeness, or reliability
• Warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
• Warranties regarding business outcomes or results
• Warranties that certification will prevent workplace issues

Liability Cap

To the maximum extent permitted by law, HiveWell's total cumulative liability arising from or related to certification services shall not exceed the amount of fees paid by the organization to HiveWell in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to liability.

Exclusion of Damages

HiveWell shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including but not limited to:

• Lost profits or business opportunities
• Reputational harm
• Employee claims or lawsuits
• Regulatory fines or penalties
• Costs of defending legal claims
• Business interruption

Third-Party Claims

HiveWell is not liable for claims brought by third parties, including:

• Current or former employees
• Job applicants
• Contractors or vendors
• Regulatory agencies
• Labor unions

Assessment and Methodology Limitations

Assessment Scope

HiveWell's assessment evaluates:

• Written policies and documented practices
• Self-reported implementation data
• Employee survey responses (aggregate only)
• Information provided by organization

Assessment does not include:

• Independent verification of all claims
• Observation of daily workplace operations
• Investigation of individual employee complaints
• Review of legal compliance in all areas
• Audit of financial records or business operations

Methodology Evolution

HiveWell continuously refines its assessment methodology based on:

• Research developments in organizational psychology
• Feedback from certified organizations
• Advisory board recommendations
• Legal and regulatory changes

As a result:

• Assessment questions and criteria may change over time
• Scoring methodology may be updated
• Certification standards may evolve
• Organizations certified at different times may have been evaluated using different versions of methodology

Self-Reported Information

Certification relies significantly on information provided by organizations, including:

• Policy documents and handbooks
• Implementation data and usage statistics
• Employee survey responses
• Self-assessments and claims

HiveWell:

• Assumes information provided is accurate and complete
• Does not independently verify all claims
• Relies on employee survey validation to check organizational claims
• May conduct spot-checks or audits but cannot guarantee detection of all misrepresentations

Employee Survey Confidentiality

What HiveWell Does

• Administers anonymous employee surveys independently
• Protects individual employee identities
• Reports only aggregate, anonymized results to organizations
• Complies with data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.)

What HiveWell Does NOT Do

• Disclose individual employee responses to organizations
• Link employee identities to survey responses
• Investigate individual employee complaints
• Provide employee counseling or support services
• Serve as mediator or arbitrator in employee disputes

Employee Survey Limitations

• Survey reflects perceptions at a specific point in time
• Response rates and sample sizes vary by organization
• Employees may not respond honestly despite anonymity protections
• Survey captures employee perspectives but does not verify all claims

Certification Mark Usage

Organizations granted certification receive limited rights to use HiveWell certification marks, subject to:

• Certification Agreement terms and conditions
• Brand Usage Guidelines
• Ongoing compliance with certification standards
• Annual recertification requirements

Misuse of certification marks may result in:

• Immediate termination of certification
• Legal action for trademark infringement
• Liability for damages caused by misrepresentation

No Employment Relationship

HiveWell's services do not create:

• An employment relationship with certified organizations or their employees
• An agency or fiduciary relationship
• Liability for employment decisions made by certified organizations
• Obligation to advocate for or represent employees

No Endorsement Beyond Certification

HiveWell certification applies specifically to workplace culture practices evaluated during assessment.

Certification does NOT constitute endorsement of:

• Products or services offered by certified organizations
• Management decisions or business strategies
• Financial stability or business viability
• Customer service or product quality
• Ethical conduct in areas outside workplace culture
• Political positions or advocacy

Changes and Updates

HiveWell reserves the right to:

• Modify certification standards and assessment methodology
• Update this disclaimer at any time
• Change certification tiers or scoring criteria
• Adjust recertification requirements
• Modify certification fees and terms

Organizations and website visitors are responsible for reviewing this disclaimer periodically for updates.

Effective Date: This disclaimer applies to all services provided after the date listed above.

Governing Law and Disputes

This disclaimer and all HiveWell services are governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to conflicts of law principles.

Any disputes arising from or related to HiveWell services shall be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution provisions in the applicable service agreement (Certification Agreement, Pilot Partner Agreement, or Consulting Agreement).

Contact

Questions about this disclaimer or HiveWell services?

Email: certification@joinhivewell.com
Website: www.joinhivewell.com

Acknowledgment

By using HiveWell's website, services, or certification program, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to this disclaimer.

Organizations pursuing certification specifically acknowledge these limitations through execution of the applicable service agreement.