CMM Legal & Ethical Considerations 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), meeting planners are required to:
- Provide accommodations only to attendees who request them in writing 90 days in advance
- Ensure that events are held in accessible venues and that reasonable accommodations are made for attendees with disabilities (Correct answer)
- Charge additional fees to cover the cost of accessibility accommodations
- Limit attendance of persons with disabilities to 10% of total capacity
Correct answer: Ensure that events are held in accessible venues and that reasonable accommodations are made for attendees with disabilities
The ADA requires that events be accessible to individuals with disabilities, including accessible venues, sign language interpretation if requested, and other reasonable accommodations.
Question 2: What is 'professional liability' (Errors & Omissions) insurance for meeting planners?
- Insurance that covers damage to the venue caused by the event
- Coverage that protects the planner against claims of negligence or mistakes in professional services provided (Correct answer)
- A policy covering the personal belongings of all attendees
- Insurance that covers cancellation due to weather events
Correct answer: Coverage that protects the planner against claims of negligence or mistakes in professional services provided
E&O or professional liability insurance protects meeting planners from financial loss if a client claims the planner's error, omission, or negligence caused them financial harm.
Question 3: What is the purpose of an indemnification clause in a meeting contract?
- To ensure the venue provides free parking
- To specify which party is responsible for covering losses, damages, or legal claims arising from the event (Correct answer)
- To define the menu for all catered functions
- To set the refund policy for attendee registration fees
Correct answer: To specify which party is responsible for covering losses, damages, or legal claims arising from the event
An indemnification clause allocates responsibility for defending and covering costs if a third party files a claim related to the event, protecting one party from another's negligence.
Question 4: Which of the following is an example of a conflict of interest that a meeting planner must disclose?
- Preferring one hotel brand over another based on personal experience
- Receiving a commission or referral fee from a venue or vendor recommended to a client (Correct answer)
- Having attended a conference at the recommended venue
- Knowing a speaker personally from a professional association
Correct answer: Receiving a commission or referral fee from a venue or vendor recommended to a client
Receiving undisclosed financial compensation from recommended vendors creates a conflict of interest that compromises the planner's objectivity and must be disclosed to the client.
Question 5: What does 'intellectual property' (IP) protection mean for meeting content?
- Ensuring all meeting rooms have proper internet bandwidth
- Respecting copyright ownership of presentations, images, and recordings and obtaining proper permissions before reproducing or sharing them (Correct answer)
- Registering the conference name as a trademark before the event
- Installing copyright software on all conference computers
Correct answer: Respecting copyright ownership of presentations, images, and recordings and obtaining proper permissions before reproducing or sharing them
Meeting planners must obtain permission from content creators before reproducing, distributing, or recording presentations to avoid copyright infringement.
Question 6: What is 'general liability' insurance for events, and who typically needs it?
- Insurance specifically covering the meeting planner's professional errors
- Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising from the event, typically required of the hosting organization by the venue (Correct answer)
- A policy covering all attendees' personal health during the event
- Insurance that covers speakers' travel cancellations
Correct answer: Coverage for bodily injury or property damage claims arising from the event, typically required of the hosting organization by the venue
General liability insurance covers third-party claims of bodily injury or property damage that occur during an event and is almost universally required by venues as a condition of the contract.
CMM Legal & Ethical Considerations 1
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), meeting planners are required to: