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EthicsCheck Exam

About the Examination

The EthicsCheck Examination for Virtual Assistants assesses the Virtual Assistant's business ethics competencies in key areas, including:

• Billing Issues
• Conflicts of Interest
• Privacy and Confidentiality
• Ability to Perform the Work.

Questions are formatted as either multiple-choice, case studies followed by a series of true-or-false or multiple-choice statements, or scale-rating scenarios (i.e., "Never"; "Almost Never"; "Seldom"; etc.).

Please review our Frequently Asked Questions for more information on exam content.

Note: The EthicsCheck Examination is available to all Virtual Assistants -- IVAA membership is not required, nor does membership status affect scoring in any way.

An EthicsCheck Study Guide is available for download here. The EthicsCheck Study Guide was written by Jeannine Clontz, approved in September 2006, and provides basic information about the focus of the examination.

Jeannine Clontz, owner of Accurate Business Services, specializes in Realtor support although she provides support to clients in all industries. Jeannine's passion and research in the area of business ethics has led to a speaking and writing career on the subject. She has written articles on business ethics for the IVAACast in 2003/2004, and speaks on business ethics nationwide. Clontz holds many industry specific certifications and designations, and served as the President of the International Virtual Assistants Association in 2005-2006.

The Process

All examinees must review and agree to adhere to the Code of Ethics for EthicsChecked Virtual Assistants. Failure to agree disallows registration for the examination.

The VA registers for a UserID and password and pays the examination fee via the secure online form. Within seven business days, the examinee will receive the URL for the online examination and a single-use password that will allow access to the page.

Scores are automatically forwarded to the EthicsCheck Center when the examinee completes the examination. The examinee will be notified via email of their results.

Those who receive a passing score will be contacted via email within seven business days with their EthicsChecked verification number, the URL where they may pick up their Trustmark Seal, and acknowledgment of their addition to the Directory of EthicsChecked Virtual Assistants.

Those who do not pass on their first attempt will be contacted via email within seven business days with instructions for retaking the examination.

Scoring - Pass/Fail

The EthicsCheck Examination is made up of thirty (30) questions.

Answer values:

+5 Correct
0 Incorrect
+1 Don't Know -- I would have to research further

Perfect score (100%) = 150 points. Examinees must receive a score of at least 77% to pass the examination and receive the EthicsChecked Trustmark seal.

Should an examinee not pass the exam on the first attempt, two retakes shall be available at 50% of the original exam price. Examinees must wait a minimum of 30 days but not more than 3 months to apply for a retake exam.

Examination Fees (US Funds)

**IMPORTANT**

Hotmail accounts are not compatible with our testing system.
If you are using Hotmail, please use a different email account to access and take the exams.

Exam must be taken within 30 days of receiving login information. Login accounts expire after 30 days, and examinees must re-register and re-pay to receive a new login account and password. Please evaluate your upcoming calendar to ensure your schedule will accommodate this timeframe.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is "Business Ethics"?
   

   In its most general sense, "business ethics" is the collection of rules -- written and unwritten -- that govern our conduct at work and in the marketplace.

2. How are Business Ethics different for Virtual Assistants (VAs)?
   

   The ethics themselves (the principles) are not different, but their application differs markedly. In the "traditional" work environment an individual is generally working alongside or under the direct supervision of others, who provide a reference or context for ethical conduct. A VA, by contrast, usually works alone and must self-monitor continually, often without easy access to guidance or advice.

3. Why has the EthicsCheck examination and trustmark seal process been developed?
   

   With the "products phase" of e-commerce in the leading economies firmly in place, the Internet is now moving into its "services phase". A rising number of independent contractors internationally are "hanging out their shingles" online, hoping to provide knowledge-based services remotely. However, the mistrust inherent in the anonymous online environment prevents the majority of independents from finding work, and the problem only worsens as e-services industries attempt to bridge widely-disparate cultures.

The EthicsCheck examination and Code of Ethics were designed to mitigate this mistrust and serve to enable e-services internationally. They do so by bringing a single ethical benchmark to the diverse e-marketplace, setting a standard for cross-border business practices, helping ethical VAs set themselves apart from others, and helping prospective contractors to find e-service providers with a confirmed ethical foundation.

4. What areas does the EthicsCheck examination assess?

The examination assesses the virtual service provider's (VA's) business ethics competencies in key areas including:

• Billing Issues
• Conflicts of Interest
• Privacy and Confidentiality
• Ability to Perform the Work
5. Can you "measure" business ethics?

Business ethics have been taught, and measured, for thousands of years. Universities around the world teach (and test their students in) business ethics, and the subject has become a significant component of business school curricula in particular.

6. Are you "selling" ethics?

No. We charge an examination fee (as do universities and private testing companies) and for other limited services, but our seal is not for sale.

7. Once earned, can the EthicsCheck "EthicsChecked Virtual Assistant" seal be revoked?

Yes. Our management is empowered to revoke any seal where the facts warrant.

8. Do you guarantee that Virtual Assistants who display your seal will act ethically?

No. Just as the ethics section of medical or bar examinations cannot guarantee the conduct of doctors or lawyers, we cannot guarantee the behavior of our examinees.

9. What "do" you guarantee?

The EthicsChecked seal certifies that the holder has demonstrated a specific understanding of core business ethics principles as applied in the provision of e-services.

10. How do I know that a Virtual Assistant is EthicsChecked?

Only EthicsChecked Virtual Assistants are authorized to display our seal 'with approval'. Approval to use our Trustmark seal is only granted after the Virtual Assistant has passed the EthicsCheck Examination. Every valid seal should be accompanied by a unique Verification Number and a link to the EthicsChecked Directory where the user can double-check the authenticity of the Seal.

11. How does IVAA handle complaints about EthicsChecked Virtual Assistants?

Complaints about any EthicsChecked Virtual Assistant can be filed via eMail to president@ivaa.org. All complaints are investigated by the IVAA Special Review Committee.

**IMPORTANT**

Exam must be taken within 30 days of receiving login information. Login accounts expire after 30 days, and examinees must re-register and re-pay to receive a new login account and password. Please evaluate your upcoming calendar to ensure your schedule will accommodate this timeframe.