At the NAR Legislative Meetings, your leadership was on Capitol Hill attending meetings with our Massachusetts Senators and Representatives, where we pushed for passage of an act expanding the federal protected classes to include sexual orientation and gender identity to align with our commitment in the Code of Ethics. Happy Pride Month.  The NAR Board of Directors also ratified changes related to the definitions of harassment. Article 10 of our Code of Ethics already prohibits REALTORS® from denying equal professional services and employment opportunities based on protected characteristics. The changes approved (1) create a more specific definition of “harassment,” and (2) focus Article 10’s on conduct in a REALTOR’s professional capacity. Prior to this change the language was being legally challenged for free speech issues because it extended beyond a REALTOR’s business practice.

Standard of Practice 10-5:  REALTORS®, in their capacity as real estate professionals, in association with their real estate businesses, or in their real estate-related activities shall not harass any person or persons based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

As used in this Code of Ethics, harassment is unwelcome behavior directed at an individual or group based on one or more of the above protected characteristics where the purpose or effect of the behavior is to create a hostile, abusive, or intimidating environment which adversely affects their ability to access equal professional services or employment opportunity. 

This is only one of five standards of practice that further explain discrimination restrictions found in Article 10:

Article 10

REALTORS® shall not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. REALTORS® shall not be parties to any plan or agreement to discriminate against a person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. (Amended 1/23)

REALTORS®, in their real estate employment practices, shall not discriminate against any person or persons on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. (Amended 1/23)