The Annual Policy feature provides officiating organization administrators with a powerful tool to establish and enforce policy agreements within their organization. This feature allows administrators to create and require referees and umpires to approve an annual policy document, agreement, terms of service, terms of use, or terms of employment before accessing their organization's platform. By implementing this feature, organizations can ensure that their officials are aware of and comply with the established policies and guidelines.

Administrators can enable the Annual Policy feature in the System Settings page, specifically under the Preferences tab. The feature is labeled as "Require Officials To Approve Policy Annually." Once enabled, administrators can click on the edit pencil icon next to the feature to customize and edit the actual policy document. It is important to note that the system does not support uploading standalone documents, but administrators can easily copy and paste the policy into the rich text editor provided.

Officials are required to read, acknowledge, and accept the organization's policy once per year. The timeline for reacceptance is based on the date the official last accepted the policy. Exactly one year from that date, officials will be prompted to reaccept the policy. This ensures that officials stay up-to-date with any policy changes and remain compliant with the organization's guidelines.

Whenever changes are made to the organization's policy, the system automatically triggers a requirement for officials to reaccept the updated policy. This ensures that officials are aware of any modifications and agree to the revised terms.

Organizations also have the option to force all users to reaccept the policy at a specific date, such as the beginning of a new season. By making slight changes to the policy, such as updating the "Last Modified" or "Effective" date at the top, administrators can effectively trigger a reset and prompt all officials to reaccept the policy.

Upon their next login, officials will be presented with the policy and must complete the requirement before accessing the subscription or other areas of the software. This ensures that officials are aware of and agree to the organization's policies, fostering a culture of compliance and accountability.

It is important to note that the Annual Policy feature only applies to referees and umpires within an officiating organization. Other user types, such as Coaches, Athletic Directors, League Personnel, or Location Personnel, are not subject to the annual policy requirement.

By utilizing the Annual Policy feature, officiating organizations can establish clear guidelines and ensure that their officials are informed, compliant, and aligned with the organization's policies.

Please note that the specific implementation and utilization of the Annual Policy feature may vary based on individual organization requirements and preferences. Referees and umpires should contact their local officiating organization directly if they have questions about the specific terms or language listed in the association policy document.