New policy changes are in effect for chapters requesting National Speaker Bureau (NSB) members, APA Board members, or APA Staff to speak at chapter meetings or events. If you missed the live Speaker Updates webinar in February, read the recap below and register for the Webinar on Demand.
The process for requesting a speaker will now take place as follows:
First, APA will distribute an agreement detailing the process of contracting NSB members, APA Board members, or APA Staff. All chapters must review and sign the agreement to schedule any APA speakers. Starting in 2020, the agreement will be incorporated into the annual reaffiliation process.
Second, chapters will submit a Speaker Request form, which is now available online. If a speaker is asked separately, the engagement will not be guaranteed until APA’s Speaker Administration department has reviewed and processed the request.
Third, APA’s Speaker Administration department will provide the chapter with a contract containing the speaker information, pertinent details, and an estimate of total expenses. Chapters will be required to sign the contract and pay an up-front deposit of $500 (in most cases) to confirm the speaker. APA will book all travel and flights to help keep costs down.
Fourth, shortly after the event chapters will receive an invoice from the APA for the speaker’s fee, travel expenses, and incidentals, minus the initial deposit. Payment will be due immediately upon receipt of the invoice. Chapters will not be allowed to schedule future speakers until the invoice is paid.
Webinar attendees came prepared with many great questions for the webinar presenters. Below are a few of the Q&As during the live webinar:
Q1: Do we still need to pay a deposit if the speaker waives their fee and there is no travel expense?
A1: No. In cases like this it will be indicated in the confirmation contract that no deposit will be required. Each request will be reviewed individually and payment will be determined based on the estimated costs for which the chapter will be responsible.
Q2: Do we have to know the topic to confirm the speaker?
A2: It is recommended but not required. We can work with the chapter and fill in the topic at a later time.
Q3: Do we still have to submit a Speaker Request to Speaker Admin if an NSB member will be speaking at their own chapter event and waiving their fee?
A3: Yes, a Speaker Request is always required for NSB members. They may still choose to waive their fee, but Speaker Administration will need to know of any speaking engagements for scheduling purposes.
Q4: What if we already booked a speaker prior to these updates?
A4: APA’s Speaker Administration will work with these chapters on a case-by-case basis and inform them of any requirements they need to meet.
Still have questions? Check out the Webinar on Demand or email the Speaker Administration department.
