While the Gloucester BNI chapter is a fun-loving group that strives to hold light-hearted, though still professional, meetings, it is good to be aware of some basic BNI policies.

• Only one person from each professional classification is permitted to join a chapter of BNI. Membership Committees of each chapter have final authority relating to classification conflicts. Members must represent their primary occupation, not a part-time business.
• An individual may be a member of only one chapter of BNI at any given time.
• If a member cannot attend, you may send a substitute (not a member of your chapter) to the meeting. This will not count as an absence. A member is allowed three absences every six months. (April through September and October-March). More than this and the member's classification is subject to being opened by the chapter's Leadership Team or Membership Committee. Arriving to a meeting late or leaving early counts as half an absence.
• Visitors may attend chapter meetings up to two times.
• A member may take up to eight weeks medical leave with the Membership Committee's prior approval. If fees are pre-paid for that period of time, an attempt is made to have someone "fill-in" during the medical leave.
• It is the member's responsibility to file a concern with the Membership Committee of the chapter if a visitor in any way conflicts with the member's classification. This should be done before the visitor is approved for membership. If there are no complaints, the Membership Committee will "assume their consent."

These policies have been extracted from the official BNI Member Success Program Handbook.