Chapter 192 Part 3

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality

• City and Agency employees are expected to conduct themselves with personal integrity, ethics, honesty, and diligence in performing their duties.
• Employees are required to support and advance the interests of the City or Agency and avoid placing themselves in situations where their private interests may be in conflict with the interests of the City or Agency.
• Employees must report any conflict of interest or perceived conflict of interest to their immediate supervisor/manager or their Ethics Executive.

Preferential Treatment

• City or Agency employees shall not use their positions to give anyone preferential treatment that would advance the employee's own private interest or that of any other party where such advance is contrary to the interests of the City or Agency.

Gifts

• City or Agency employees will not accept, arrange to accept, give or request to be given a reward, gift, advantage, or benefit of any kind from any person or entity that influences or could be perceived to influence the performance of the employee's duties.
• Employees may accept a gift of nominal value given as an expression of courtesy or hospitality if doing so does not influence, or would not be perceived to influence, the performance of the employee's duties.

Employment of Relatives

• The City and Agencies will maintain policies that govern the employment of relatives.
• Each policy at a minimum must outline the rules restricting supervisory relationships between relatives, and the recruitment and appointment of a relative.

Use of City or Agency Property

• City or Agency employees may not use, or permit the use of, City or Agency property, including facilities, equipment, supplies, or other resources, for activities not associated with the proper performance of their duties.
• Any exceptions to this must be approved by the City or Agency department or division head.

Use or Disclosure of Confidential Information

• City or Agency employees may not, during the term of their employment or any time thereafter, directly or indirectly use or disclose any confidential information obtained by them during the course of their employment with the City or Agency to another person or entity unless the employee is required by law, or authorized by the City or Agency.

Disclosure of Financial Interests

• City or Agency employees involved in a decision-making process related to a contract, sale, or business transaction who knowingly have a financial interest in the City or Agency contract, sale or business transaction, or have family members, friends or business associates with such interests, must disclose the interest to their immediate supervisor/manager or their Ethics Executive and remove themselves from any decision-making process.

Participating in Decision-Making

• City or Agency employees will not participate in a decision-making process with respect to a matter that the employee is able to influence in the course of their duties if the employee could benefit from the decision, unless the employee is authorized by the City or Agency department or division head.

Engaging in Outside Work or Business Activities

• City or Agency employees may not engage in any outside work or business activity that conflicts with their duties to the City or Agency; or could benefit from confidential information obtained during the course of their employment.

Appearing Before City or Agency Committees

• City or Agency employees may not appear before a City or Agency committee on behalf of a private citizen or third party other than for themselves or for a family member.
• City and Agency employees must identify themselves as such if they are making a deputation to a City or Agency committee, unless they appear as a private citizen on matters that do not relate to their employment.

Conduct Respecting Lobbyists

• City and Agency employees should be familiar with the requirements and expectations for dealing with lobbyists as outlined in Chapter 140, Lobbying.

Failure to Comply with the Policy

• Individuals who fail to comply with the conflict of interest rules in this article may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal and, where warranted, legal proceedings.