Become a Member

A.  Purpose

 This policy establishes limitations and restrictions of services for members of Franklin-Somerset Federal Credit Union (the “Credit Union”) under certain circumstances.  The policy is intended to protect the Credit Union’s directors, employees, members, volunteers, and vendors from abusive members and other persons.

This policy also establishes limitations and restrictions of services to members who are not in good standing with the Credit Union.  This policy shall apply to any member considered not to be in good standing, any person who has access to Credit Union services directly or indirectly through a member, or a member or other person’s conduct through the use of online, mobile, ATM or electronic devices, or through any shared network.

B.  Restrictions for Abusive Conduct

 Any combination or all the following restrictions may be imposed by the management of the Credit Union in response to any abusive conduct:

• Suspension, restriction, or termination of all or some services.  This shall not include a member’s right to maintain a share account and the right to vote at annual and special meetings.
• Suspension or termination of services that involve personal contact with credit union employees.
• Suspension or termination of access to the Credit Union’s premises.
• Any other sanctions or restrictions that Management deems necessary or appropriate under the circumstances and that are not otherwise prohibited by the Federal Credit Union Act, National Credit Union Administration Rules and Regulations, other applicable law, or by the Credit Union’s Bylaws.

Threats of any nature may be reported to the appropriate law enforcement authorities, and the Credit Union may seek a court order to protect the Credit Union’s premises, members, employees, officials, and officers.

For purpose of the above, “abusive conduct” shall include, but is not limited to, any of the following:

• Any conduct, language, behavior, or other action directed toward the Credit Union or its employee, officer, official, or volunteer while in the performance of his or her duties that is abusive, belligerent, or disruptive.
• Any type of harassment, including age, sexual, ethnic or racial harassment, directed toward any Credit Union employee, officer, official, volunteer, or fellow member;
• Engaging in sexual conduct or making sexual overtures, advances, propositions directed toward any Credit Union employee, official, officer, volunteer or fellow member;
• Engaging in offensive or abusive physical contact directed toward any credit union any Credit Union employee, official, officer, volunteer or fellow member;
• Making false, vicious, slanderous, or malicious statements about any employee, official, officer, volunteer or the Credit Union and its services, operations, policies, practice or management;
• Using profane, abusive, intimidating, or threatening language toward any Credit Union employee, official, officer, volunteer or fellow member;
• Making or suggesting threats of bodily harm or property damage to an any employee, official, officer, volunteer, or the family members of those individuals;
• Conducting or attempting to conduct or engage in any fraudulent, dishonest, or deceptive activity or any kind involving Credit Union employees, officials, officers, or volunteers or Credit Union services;
• Misappropriating Credit Union funds, property or other material proprietary to the Credit Union;
• Deliberate or repeated violations of security procedures, rules, restrictions, or transaction limitations;
• Possession, use, or being under the influence of drugs or alcoholic substances on the Credit Union’s premises;
• Fighting or possession weapons of any kind on the Credit Union’s premises (except for on-duty law enforcement officers or security officers).

C.  Suspension of Member Services

 The Credit Union may take action to limit, restrict, deny, or terminate member services to any member not in good standing, including:

• Denial, restriction or termination of any products or services.
• Denial of service that requires personal contact with Credit Union employees.
• Denial of access to the Credit Union’s premises.
• Denial of access to any electronic networks.
• Denial of, revocation of, or limitation of shared branching privileges.
• Any other action deemed necessary under the circumstances and that is not precluded by any account contract or agreement, bylaws, and any state or federal law.

“Member Services” include any products or services provided by or sponsored by the Credit Union or otherwise made available to Credit Union Members, including, but not limited to:

loans or other extensions of credit, share draft accounts, share certificates, ATM and other card services, home banking services, telephone banking services, and other electronic transfer services.  If Credit Union terminates or limits access to Member Services, the member may still maintain a share account and vote at annual and special membership meetings subject to applicable Bylaws and policies.

A member is “not in good standing” if any of the following apply:

• The member’s failure to comply with the terms and conditions of any lawful obligations with Credit Union and/or causes, or can potentially cause, the Credit Union a loss.
• The member is delinquent and in default on any Credit Union loan.
• The member has an overdrawn savings or share account, or has repeated overdrafts in the member checking account;
• The member manipulates or otherwise abuses services or products to the detriment of the Credit Union or its membership;
• The member manipulates or otherwise abuses services or products in the furtherance of an illegal purpose or otherwise for improper personal gain for that member or a third party;
• The member engages in threatening, abusive, disruptive, harassing, belligerent, or illegal behavior during any communication with the Credit Union, or otherwise injures any person or damages any property while on the Credit Union’s premises, at any Credit Union function, or while using any electronic or network services; and
• The member inflicts injury upon any person or damages any property while on the Credit Union’s premises or at any Credit Union function.

D.  Member Expulsion and Withdrawal

A member of the Credit Union may be expelled at any regularly called meeting and upon by a two-thirds vote of the members present at that meeting.  A member may terminate membership in the Credit Union by filing a written notice of such intention and closing all accounts.  Such member, upon termination of membership, shall have no further right in the Credit Union or to any of its benefits, but such expulsions or withdrawal shall not relieve the member from any remaining liability to the Credit Union.

E.  Effective Date of Policy

 This policy shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the Board of Directors and shall be made available upon request to all members and posted on the Credit Union’s website.

Approved by the Board: January 25, 2021

Reviewed: January 2022