2014_1112_Ethics Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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expense reiinbursements. This is the provision inost frequently violated by ordinary emplo�rees. 8. Transactions with Subordinates and Political Activity. In a certain sense, this is a subcatebory of misuse of government property, except that it involves usinb bovernment people for one's personal benefit. Political activit�- limitations and bans on soliciting employees prevent the use of subordinates for political purposes and help to prevent patronabe systems. 9. Ne�otism. Nepotism provisions deal with the conflict of hirinb or manabinb an official's family members. Police and fire departments are often excepted, but should not be. 10. Com�licity and Knowledge. People who violate ethics laws rarely act in isolation. LIsually, they act with the support, acceptance, or silence of their colleagues. This provision requires the reporting of ethics violations and makes complicity a�-iolation. This requires officials to violate ethics laws alone and in secret, or talze a big risk of being caught. People rarely violate ethics laws when they know they cannot count on those around them to lceep their conduct secret. 3. Disclosure The disclosure of relationships (e.g., family inembers, employers, partners, and clients) and information that suggests possible confliets (e.g., property� and business ownership) does three things, all of which are intended to prevent ethics violations. One, by disclosing, officials remind themselves of possible conflict situations when the�r have more time to deal �vith them responsibly. Two, disclosure lets other officials (such as supervisors, fellow board members, and those providinb oversight) and the public (including the news media) know about conflicts that inight arise, so that when a conflict situation does occur, there is information available for these people to make sure the conflict is dealt with responsibly. Because officials lrnow their relationships and interests are not secret, they are more likely to seek ethics advice and less likely to engabe in ethical misconduct. 20