OFFICIAL RULES
The Union Plus “Union Moments” Contest (the “Contest”) is intended for legal residents of the United States of America (“USA”) and shall only be construed and evaluated according to applicable USA law and applicable state law. Do not enter this Contest if you are not a USA resident or are otherwise ineligible to enter in accordance with these Official Rules at the time of entry. The Contest is sponsored by Union Privilege, 1100 First Street NE Suite 850, Washington, DC 20002 (the “Sponsor”).
ELIGIBILITY: The Sweepstakes is open to any legal resident of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands; age eighteen (18) or older; who has a valid social security number and is a current or retired union member in good standing with a union nationally affiliated with the AFL-CIO (see eligible unions in Appendix A of the Official Rules) (the “Entrants”). The Contest is not open to the general public. The Sponsor, the Administrator, their respective parent companies, employees, officers, directors, subsidiaries, affiliates, distributors, sales representatives and advertising and promotional agencies, and the officers, directors, agents, and employees of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Released Parties”), and members of their immediate families (defined as including spouse, biological parents, adoptive parents and step-parents, grandparents, siblings, children and grandchildren, and each of their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) or households (whether related or not) of any of the above are NOT eligible to participate in this Contest. Non-eligibility or non-compliance with any of these Official Rules will result in disqualification. NOTE: Previous winners of any Union Plus Contest or Sweepstakes in the last two (2) calendar years who have won a prize greater than $1,000 are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. (For the avoidance of doubt, any references in these Rules to Entrants shall also include the Entrant who is deemed the Winner (as defined below)).
AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: By participating, Entrants agree to abide by and be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Contest. Winning the Prize (defined below) is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
TIMING: The Submission Period of the Contest will begin at 12:00:01 am EDT on October 1, 2024, and end at 11:59:59 pm ET on November 15, 2024 (“Submission Period”). The Judging Period of the Contest will begin at 12:00:01 am on November 16, 2024 and end at 11:59:59 pm ET November 30, 2024 (“Judging Period”). The Voting Period of the Contest will begin at 12:00:01 am on December 1, 2024, and end at 11:59:59 pm ET December 31, 2024(“Voting Period”). The Sponsor’s database clock is the official time-keeping device for the Contest.
HOW TO ENTER: During the Submission Period, eligible Entrants can be entered into the Contest by visiting the Sponsor’s Contest website, www.unionplus.org/unionmoments (the “Website”). At the Website, Entrants will be asked to complete the Contest registration form requesting the Entrant’s full name, complete mailing address, phone number, email address, union relationship, union acronym, union local, etc. In addition, Entrants will be asked to upload a video (not to exceed 5 minutes in duration) showcasing their stories of personal triumph, community service, organizing successes, and more (the “Theme”). NOTE: VIDEO ENTRIES MUST NOT CONTAIN MUSIC OF ANY KIND OR CLOSED-CAPTIONING. By completing the Contest registration form and providing a Theme-applicable video, an Entrant will receive one (1) Contest entry. Limit one (1) entry per Entrant.
All entries need to be submitted using the English language only. The Entrant is responsible for all costs associated with entry. In the event that more than one of exactly the same video is submitted, only the first submission received shall be accepted. All information submitted by Entrants will be treated according to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, available at https://www.unionplus.org/page/privacy. By participating in the Contest and providing any personal contact information, Entrants hereby agree to Sponsor’s collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted Sponsor’s Privacy Policy.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS/RESTRICTIONS: In order to be eligible, entries must actually be received by Sponsor during the Submission Period. Entries received by Sponsor before the start of the Submission Period or after the end of the Submission Period will be discarded and deemed VOID. Those who do not follow all of the instructions or do not abide by these Official Rules or other instructions of Sponsor will be disqualified.
Entrants represent and warrant that their submitted entry is the original work of the Entrant, has not been previously published, has not won previous awards, and does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity and must have been created in a legal and safe manner. If the entry contains any material or elements that are not owned by the Entrant or provided by the Sponsor, and/or are subject to the rights of third parties, the Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the entry, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the entry by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules, including, without limitation, name and likeness releases for any person who appears in or is identifiable in the entry (collectively, the “Clearances”).
By submitting an entry, an Entrant warrants and represents that he/she/they consent(s) to the submission and use of the entry in the Contest. By submitting an entry, each Entrant: 1) irrevocably grants Sponsor a perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, non-exclusive license throughout the world to use, re-use, copy, publish, republish in whole or in part, edit, add to, modify, and rearrange the entry in whatever media, including, without limitation, to edit, rearrange, and/or copy the entry for use in the Contest of Sponsor's products and services, without further permission, consideration or payment to the Entrant, except where prohibited; 2) warrants and represents that the Entry is entirely the original creation/work of the Entrant and that use of the Entry as described herein will not violate any law or infringe upon the rights, title, claim or interest of any third party; and 3) certifies that Entrant is the creator and sole copyright owner of the Entry.
Entries may not contain any image or depiction of the following: (i) materials which include or constitute trademarks, trade names or copyrighted works created or owned by any person or entity other than Entrant or for which the Entrant has not obtained owner’s written permission to use (Sponsor’s discretion; does not apply to Sponsor’s name or products); (ii) materials bearing profanities, or bearing the name or likeness of any celebrity, living or dead; (iii) materials which contain visible identifiable or potentially identifiable information, including but not limited to, phone numbers, website links, street addresses, email addresses or license plate numbers; (iv) inappropriate behavior for a general audience; (v) any depiction of real or simulated sexual acts; (vi) violence in any form; (vii) materials which violate anyone’s reasonable privacy expectations, violate any known agreement, or which are defamatory in nature; (viii) materials which are derogatory to Sponsor, or any affiliated entity or person; (ix) materials which are discriminatory based on race, religion, national origin, physical disability, age, sex, or sexual orientation or preference; (x) materials in which any person identifiably appears unless Entrant has obtained an appropriate written release from such person granting all rights required herein; and, (xi) materials which do not comply with all other requirements in these Official Rules; (xii) materials which depict minor children who are less than 18 years at the time of entry. Entries that do not conform to these guidelines will be disqualified. Sponsor reserves the right to reject or disqualify any entry which Sponsor, in its sole and absolute discretion, determines to be inconsistent with the letter or spirit of the Official Rules or potentially damaging to its, the Contest’s, or another’s image or reputation.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: If for any reason the operation or administration of this Contest is impaired or incapable of running as planned for any reason, including but not limited to: (a) infection by computer virus, bugs, (b) tampering, unauthorized intervention, (c) fraud, (d) technical failures, or (e) any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Contest, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, to (i) disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or (ii) cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest in whole or in part, at any time, without notice and award the Prize (defined below) using all non-suspect eligible entries received as of, or after (if applicable) this cancellation, termination, modification or suspension date, or in any manner that is fair and equitable and best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual deemed to be (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or Sponsor’s Website; or (b) acting in violation of these Official Rules or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE; THE SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
Failure by the Sponsor to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner based on an email address, the winning entry will be declared by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.
RELEASE AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: By participating in the Contest, Entrants agree to release and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) any technical errors that may prevent an Entrant from submitting an entry; (b) unauthorized human intervention in the Contest; (c) printing errors; (d) errors in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (e) injury, death, or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt of any prize. Released Parties assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. Released Parties are not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or telephone lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to Entrant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participation in this Contest or downloading any materials in this Contest. Entrants further agree that in any cause of action, the Released Parties’ liability will be limited to the cost of entering and participating in the Contest, and in no event shall the Released Parties be liable for attorney’s fees. Entrants waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages. Released Parties are not liable in the event that any portion of the Contest is cancelled due to weather, fire, strike, acts of war or terrorism, pandemic, or any other condition beyond their control. The releases hereunder are intended to apply to all claims not known or suspected to exist with the intent of waiving the effect of laws requiring the intent to release future unknown claims. For New Jersey Residents: nothing herein bars recovery of damages or attorneys’ fees where mandated by statute.
Except as expressly provided above, IN NO EVENT WILL RELEASED PARTIES BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST OR THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF, OR ANY HARM RESULTING FROM THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE OR MISUSE OF A PRIZE.
By participating, Entrants release and agree to hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all liability for any injuries, death or losses or damages to persons or property AS WELL AS CLAIMS/ACTIONS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY that may arise from participating in this Contest or its related activities or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of, or any harm resulting from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of a Prize. Released Parties are not liable in the event that any portion of the Contest is cancelled due to weather, fire, strike, acts of war or terrorism, pandemic, or any other condition beyond their control.
EACH ENTRANT UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT ALL RIGHTS UNDER SECTION 1542 OF THE CIVIL CODE OF CALIFORNIA AND ANY SIMILAR LAW OF ANY STATE OR TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES ARE HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVED BY HIM/HER. SECTION 1542 READS AS FOLLOWS:
“A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS THAT THE CREDITOR OR RELEASING PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE AND THAT, IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER, WOULD HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR OR RELEASED PARTY.”
WINNER DETERMINATION/NOTIFICATION: During the Judging Period, each entry will be reviewed by a qualified judge or panel of judges appointed by the Sponsor. Each entry will be judged based on the clear relationship between the submission and the following criteria:
- 40% Memorability – Be unique, heartwarming, and/or fun!
- 50% Impact – Show us how you make a difference in the lives of those around you including at home, at work and in your community.
- 10% Clarity – Your video should be in focus and easy to see/read.
Up to ten (10) entries will be selected based on the judges’ scoring/ranking according to the aforementioned criteria. Each selected entry will be considered a finalist entry (“Finalist”). All decisions of the Sponsor (and appointed judge(s)) are final and binding.
During the Voting Period, Finalist videos will be posted at the Website. The general public will be invited to visit the Website and vote for the video they find most deserving of the Grand Prize. Limit one (1) vote per Voter. The Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any vote(s)/Voter(s) deemed to be (a) tampering or attempting to tamper with the voting process; (b) submitting more than the maximum number of votes allowed; or (c) violating these Official Rules in any way. In addition, Finalists are not allowed to use or promote the use of any voting board or voting forum to increase their vote total. Any Finalist suspected of using or promoting use of a voting board or voting forum may be subject to disqualification, at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Finalists may not incentivize voting through the use of personal giveaways, Sweepstakes, or Contests. Any Finalist found attempting to violate or encourage violation of the voting limits and restrictions will be disqualified. The Finalist that receives the most votes during the Contest Period will be deemed the potential Grand Prize Winner. NOTE: VOTERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ANY PRIZE IN THIS CONTEST. The potential Prize Winner will be contacted by the Sponsor via phone and/or email.
PRIZE & PRIZE CONDITIONS: There will be one (1) Prize available. The Prize Winner (“Winner”), upon the Sponsor’s verification of eligibility, will receive a $2,000 cash award/check (“Prize”). All other expenses associated with Prize acceptance or usage not specifically mentioned herein are the responsibility of the Winner. NOTE: No substitution, assignment or transfer of a Prize is permitted, except by Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute the Prize with another of equal or greater value.
By accepting the Prize, the Winner agrees to release and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use of the Prize. The potential Winner must comply with notification instructions within three (3) business days from the first attempt to receive an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release (the “Affidavit”) in order to claim the Prize. The potential Winner must comply with instructions to sign and return the Affidavit to the Sponsor, within seven (7) days of when the Affidavit notice or attempted notice is sent.
By accepting the Prize, where permitted by law, the Winner grants to the Released Parties and those acting pursuant to the authority of Sponsor and the Released Parties (which grant will be confirmed in writing upon Sponsor’s request), the right to print, publish, broadcast and use worldwide IN ALL MEDIA without limitation at any time their full name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and/or biographical information for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further payment or additional consideration, and without review, approval or notification. The Winner also acknowledges that Released Parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the Prize.The Winner will be responsible for all local, state, and federal taxes associated with the receipt of the Prize. The Prize Winner must note that the value of the Prize is taxable as income and an IRS Form 1099 will be filed in the name of the Winner for the value of the Prize. The Winner is solely responsible for all matters relating to their Prize after it is awarded. If a Prize or Prize notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable to a potential Winner, if a potential Winner cannot be reached or does not comply with notification instructions within three (3) business days from the first notification attempt, if a potential Winner fails to return requisite document(s) within seven (7) business days, or if a potential Winner is not in compliance with these Official Rules, then such person shall be disqualified and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, an alternate Winner may be selected.
DISPUTES: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of Entrants, Administrator, and Sponsor in connection with the Contest shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s or jurisdiction’s laws. By participating in the Contest, Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Contest, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any judicial proceeding shall take place in a federal or state court within the District of Columbia; (iii) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Contest, but in no event will attorney fees be awarded or recoverable; (iv) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Entrant hereby waives all rights to seek, punitive, incidental, exemplary, consequential, special damages, lost profits, other damages, and/or any rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased; and (v) Entrant’s remedies are limited to a claim for money damages (if any) and he/she/they waives any right to seek injunctive or equitable relief.
SEVERABILITY: The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any provision of the Official Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were not contained herein.
MISCELLANEOUS: These Official Rules contain the full and complete understanding with respect to the Contest and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, representations, and understandings, whether oral or written. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of these Official Rules, and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. No amendment to, or waiver of, any provision of these Official Rules shall be effective unless in writing and signed by both Sponsor and Administrator. The waiver by Sponsor or Administrator of any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any other provision herein. The rights and obligations hereunder may not be assigned by Entrants, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Sponsor, and any attempted assignment in violation of the foregoing shall be null and void. These Official Rules shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the permitted successors and assigns of Sponsor, Administrator, and Entrant.
WINNERS LIST REQUEST: To request confirmation of the first name, last initial, city, and state of the Winner (available after January 1, 2025), please send a self-addressed, stamped business size envelope, by February 15, 2025, to: ASC/VS “Union Moments Contest” Q4 Winners List Request, 300 State St., Suite 402, Rochester, NY 14614.