EDucation & Training

Ethics Training
The Ethics Office offers classroom training programs to educate city officials and employees about the city's ethical standards, how to comply with the Code of Ethics, and how to avoid the appearance of impropriety. In addition to the citywide workshops, which are open to any employee or board member, the Ethics Office conducts workshops for individuals boards or departments.

There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch - a three-hour workshop for employees on gratuities and conflicts of interest. Using case studies, the Ethics Officer presents a short vignette that raises an ethical question, leads a discussion in which participants examine the issue, and then explains how the issue was decided.
Don't Get Conflicted Out - a one-hour presentation for new employees on gratuities, outside employment, and use of city property. The aim is for employees to think critically about various situations so that they can identify and resolve conflicts of interest that arise in the workplace.
Doing the Right Thing: Both Reality and Appearance Matter - a two-hour workshop for citizens serving on city boards and commissions, as city representatives on other public boards, and as neighborhood planning unit officers. The workshop covers gratuities, exceptions to the gift ban, conflicts of interest, how to recuse, doing business with the City, appearing before city agencies, fundraising and solicitations, and the one-year cooling off period. Participants should come away with an understanding of the ethical standards that apply to their service as volunteer city officials.

Workshops for city employees and board members will resume in the fall of 2009.

Integrity Matters
Integrity Matters is an educational program to promote ethical behavior by city officials, employees, and contractors. City officials and employees are encouraged to act with honesty and integrity in their work and to speak up if they observe or suspect unethical, fraudulent, or illegal conduct in city government. They may call the Integrity Line to report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation.

Mayor’s letter to all city employees (.pdf)
Wallet card (.pdf)
Integrity Matters brochure (.pdf)
Integrity Line fact sheet (.pdf)

Ethical Guidelines

Ask the Ethics Officer
The enewsletter Ethics Matters features a regular column called "Ask the Ethics Officer," which addresses commonly asked questions about gifts and conflicts of interest.