Worcester County Trusted Partner Program Agreement

Effective Date: Upon Enrollment

Worcester County Trusted (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a brand owned and operated by In the News LLC, a limited liability company.

All references to “Worcester County Trusted” throughout these Terms refer to its operation under In the News LLC.

Welcome to Worcester County Trusted. These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your participation in our Trusted Partner Program (“Program”).

By enrolling in the Worcester County Trusted Partner Program, you (“Member”) agree to the following terms and conditions:

1. 

Program Overview

As a Trusted Partner, you will receive:

An exclusive listing in the Worcester County Trusted Partner Directory (one business per profession)

A custom feature article on WorcesterCountyNews.com

A Trusted Partner Badge to use on your website and marketing materials

Organic promotion and paid advertising, including on social media, TV, and online placements

Search engine optimization benefits through high-authority backlinks

2. 

Eligibility Requirements

To maintain eligibility, you must:

Be in business for a minimum of 2 years

Hold and maintain a 4.0-star rating or higher on at least one major review platform (e.g. Google, Facebook)

Demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to the local community

Worcester County News reserves the right to review, update, or refine eligibility requirements at any time.

3. 

Auto-Renewal & Billing Terms

All memberships (quarterly and yearly) automatically renew unless canceled at least five (5) business days before the next billing date. Business days are defined as Monday through Friday, excluding public holidays.

By enrolling, you authorize Worcester County News to charge your selected payment method for each renewal period. No partial refunds will be issued once a billing cycle has started.

4. 

Membership Review and Accountability

If your public rating falls below 4.0 stars, your directory profile will be temporarily greyed out, and you will have:

30 days to restore your rating to 4.0 or higher

An additional 30-day grace period, if needed

If the rating is not corrected within 60 days, Worcester County News reserves the right to remove your business from the Trusted Partner Program without refund.

5. 

Removal from the Program

We reserve the right to suspend or remove any member from the Program at our sole discretion, particularly if the business:

Falls out of compliance with the program requirements

Damages public trust

Misuses the badge or Worcester County News branding

Engages in deceptive practices

Worcester County News is committed to maintaining the integrity of this endorsement for the benefit of all businesses and consumers.

6. 

Refunds & Chargebacks

All purchases are non-refundable. By enrolling, you agree not to initiate chargebacks under any circumstance.

If a chargeback is attempted, we reserve the right to:

Seek reimbursement through all legal remedies

Pursue legal action and damages to the fullest extent permitted under applicable law

7. 

Badge & Branding Use

As an active Trusted Partner, you are authorized to display:

The official “Worcester County News Trusted Partner” badge

The label “Endorsed by Worcester County News”

If your membership ends for any reason, you must:

Immediately discontinue use of the badge

Remove all digital and print materials referring to Worcester County News endorsement

Refrain from publicly representing yourself as a Trusted Partner

Misuse or continued use after removal may result in legal consequences, including cease-and-desist action.

8. 

Limitation of Liability

Worcester County News makes no guarantees regarding increased traffic, leads, or revenue. This is a visibility and brand authority program, not a performance-based guarantee. We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from participation.

9. 

Jurisdiction & Governing Law

This Agreement shall be governed and interpreted under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, regardless of where the business owner resides or where the business is incorporated.

10. 

Agreement to Terms

By checking the box and completing your purchase, you confirm that:

You have read, understood, and agree to all the terms outlined above

You are authorized to bind the business to this agreement

You acknowledge Worcester County News’ right to update this agreement as needed