Okaloosa County BOCC — September 2, 2014 — Code of Conduct and Outside Work DRAFT — reading text

CHAPTER XIII – CODE OF CONDUCT 1) Any attempt by an employee or officer to realize personal gain through conduct which is inconsistent with the proper discharge of the employee’s duties shall have committed a breach of public trust which constitutes a conflict of interest. Employees who believe they may have a potential conflict of interest in regard to their County employment, regardless if it is actual or perceived, are required to disclose the details of such conflict on the Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form at least annually or more frequently if their situation changes. Any employee who violates these standards of conduct is guilty of misconduct and may be subject to discipline up to and including dismissal. 2) No employee shall accept gifts, gratuities, or loans from organizations, business concerns, or individuals with whom the employee has official relationships or business of the Okaloosa County government. These limitations are not intended to prohibit the acceptance of articles of negligible value which are distributed generally, not to prohibit employees from accepting social courtesies which promote good public relations, nor to prohibit employees from obtaining loans from regular lending institutions. All employees must guard against relationships that might be construed as evidence of favoritism, coercion, unfair advantage or collusion. 3) No employee or, officer or agentof Okaloosa County shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a contract funded by public financial assistance which includes contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, appropriations, etc. if a real or apparent conflict of interest would be involved. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer or agent, any member of his/her immediate family, his/her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated, has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for an award. Employees, officers or agents shall neither solicit nor accept gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value from contractors or parties to subcontracts. Any employee who violates this policy is guilty of misconduct and is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal. 4) No employee acting in his/her official capacity as a purchasing agent or officer of Okaloosa County (as defined by F.S. 112.313) shall either directly or indirectly purchase, rent, or lease any realty, goods, or services in excess of $500.00 per calendar year for Okaloosa County from any business entity of which the employee, the employee’s spouse or employee’s child has a material interest or is an officer, partner, director, or proprietor. 5) No employee or officer of Okaloosa County acting in his/her private capacity shall rent, lease, or sell any realty, goods, or services in excess of $500.00 per calendar year to Okaloosa County. 6) No employee or officer of Okaloosa County shall participate directly or indirectly in any procurement when they know that: a) The employee or officer, or any member of their immediate family, is negotiating or has an arrangement concerning prospective employment with any person, business, or organization that will be participating in such procurement; or b) The employee or officer or any member of their immediate family has a financial interest pertaining to the procurement. However, any employee or any member of an employee’s immediate family who holds a financial interest in a disclosed blind trust shall not be deemed to have a conflict of interest with regard to matters pertaining to that financial interest. CHAPTER XIV – OUTSIDE WORKEMPLOYMENT & CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIPS 1) No employee shall have or hold any employment or contractual relationship with any business entity or any agency which: a) is subject to the regulation of, or is doing business with Okaloosa County; or b) in any way creates a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between his/her private interests and the performance of his/her public duties; or c) would impede the full and faithful discharge of his/her public duties. 1) No employee shall take employment outside his/her regular duties with the county that will in any way conflict with or impair the performance of his/her work with the County. 2) Prior approval to engage in private outside employment must be obtained in writing from your department director on the Outside Employment & Contractual Relationship Form. 3) If the specific conditions of the outside employment or contractual relationship change, a new request for approval must be submitted. 4) Failure to secure required approval may cause you to be suspended or dismissed. 5) Approval will at all times be subject to review and cancellation.