Complaint Review and Use of Disciplinary Action

NFPT certified trainers and trainer candidates are expected to represent NFPT professional and ethical standards as expressed in the NFPT Codes of Conduct. These codes protect the interests of anyone who receives service from NFPT certified trainers. Every complaint and/or potential code of conduct violation will be reviewed by the NFPT Certification Council, which will take appropriate action.

All complaints must be submitted in writing via the NFPT Complaint Form, which can be provided as a PDF to edit and sent by email or mail. Use the Contact Us form to submit a complaint or to request a form by email or mail.

All personal and contact information of the complainant, including first and last name, address, phone numbers, email address and employer information, will remain confidential. Complainants may choose to remain anonymous. Complainants are not entitled to any relief or damages from NFPT.

If an NFPT trainer candidate or certified trainer is determined to be in violation of NFPT’s Codes of Conduct, the NFPT Certification Council may suspend or revoke the trainer’s eligibility status or existing credential.

Suspension is a temporary hold of certification status to allow the NFPT Certification Council to collect all relevant documentation of the incident. Suspension does not affect certification or trainer candidate expiration or eligibility dates; original expiration dates for both exam and recertification eligibility still apply.

Revocation can take effect for current trainers, as the NFPT credential is immediately revoked and recertification not granted. For trainer candidates, exam eligibility is immediately revoked. The NFPT Certification Council also may:

• Require a one-year revocation period. After this period, eligibility status may be reinstated. Re-enrollment and all subsequent test and administrative fees apply.
• Permanently revoke a certified personal trainer’s status and test eligibility. No re-enrollment is possible.

The NFPT Certification Council may contact and/or rely on information provided by the complainant and the trainer candidate or the certified personal trainer who is the subject of the complaint, their employer and from any individual who may have additional knowledge of the complaint.

The NFPT Certification Council will act in accordance with disciplinary policy. Deliberations of the Certification Council are conducted in complete confidence, objectively and without prejudgment.

The NFPT Certification Coordinator will:

1. Notify the NFPT trainer candidate or certified trainer of the detailed complaint. The identity and all personal and contact information of the complainant will remain confidential.
2. Investigate the complaint using all available resources, which may include the complainant, trainer candidate or certified trainer and their employer, third parties, administrative data, etc.
3. Provide the trainer candidate or certified trainer 30 days to respond. Additional time may be provided on a case-by-case basis; however, the accused must provide reasons for the additional time request within the initial 30 days. If the trainer candidate or certified trainer does not respond in the allotted time and/or does not request a time extension, the NFPT Certification Council may issue a suspension.
4. The NFPT Certification Council will review the complaint during its next scheduled meeting or within 30 days of the initial complaint. The trainer candidate or certified trainer will be notified of the NFPT Certification Council’s decision within 15 days of the council’s meeting.

The NFPT Certification Council may act in one of the following ways:

• Determine the complaint has insufficient merit or evidence. No action will be taken.
• Determine the complaint is legitimate but not severe enough to warrant disciplinary action. The complaint will be kept on file and considered should any future allegations arise. A written reprimand may be issued.
• Suspend the trainer candidacy or certification status to allow more information to be provided.
• Determine that the complaint is severe enough to warrant revocation of trainer candidacy or certification status. No refund or other reimbursements will be provided.

If the NFPT Certification Council acts to enforce disciplinary action, the council chairperson also may notify the trainer’s employer, if notification will further protect fitness clients.

Individuals whose certification status has been revoked or suspended or has expired by default of not pursuing recertification are expected to immediately remove all NFPT certification-related information from marketing literature and other promotional material.

Using NFPT branding in any way without the express written permission of NFPT following the expiration, suspension or revocation of certification is a violation and infringement of copyright, terms of use and common law rights. Also, upon expiration, suspension or revocation of certification, the trainer’s certification status will be immediately removed from NFPT’s Certified Personal Trainer Database. The NFPT Certification Council will assure that exposure and promotion, in appropriate locations on NFPT’s website, will encourage the use of this database for certification verification purposes.

In cases in which the NFPT Certification Council acts to enforce disciplinary action and notifies the trainer candidate or certified trainer of this decision, an appeal may be conducted by request.

Process to Appeal

The affected trainer candidate or certified trainer may submit to the NFPT Certification Council in writing a request for an appeal within 30 days from receipt of notice of a determination by the NFPT Certification Council that a candidate or certified trainer has been found in violation and that disciplinary action will be taken. Receive appeal process details by calling 800-729-6378 or by email.