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How does your organization fit into the City as a whole?
The Mayor's Office of Ethics and Integrity (OEI) will impact all employees- classified and unclassified- who work in departments under the Mayor. The department opened its doors the week of January 30, 2006, and is headed by the Deputy Chief of Ethics and Integrity.
OEI provides ethics training and education for all City employees. OEI also maintains the Employee Hotline, where any employee may confidentially report unethical behavior, in addition to waste, fraud, and abuse. The Diversity Commitment Program has been transferred to OEI; the activities of the Citizens Review Board on Police Practices and the Human Relations Commission are also housed in this office.
How does City leadership feel about OEI initiatives?
City leadership supports the office, which according to Mayor Jerry Sanders, is working to "enhance every City employee's [classified and unclassified] ability to make ethical decisions at work" through its programs. Says Sanders, "I promised citizens that if I were elected mayor, I would build trust back into City Hall... The Office of Ethics and Integrity was established to foster high ethical standards for all City employees, unclassified and classified, and to promote employee conduct that strengthens and enhances the public's confident in the integrity and reliability of the work that City employees perform."
How is the training OEI will provide different from Ethics Commission training?
OEI training is different from Ethics Commission training in reach and scope. OEI training will be mandatory for all employees, classified and unclassified, who report to the Mayor. Ethics Commission training on the other hand, is only for unclassified managers, elected officials, and appointed officials.
Training provided by OEI will include relevant ethics-related local & state laws/regulations/policies and procedures. In addition, practice with ethical "gray areas" will be provided with the purpose of strengthening each employee's ethical decision-making skills. Ethics Commission training is focused on compliance with governmental ethics laws, such as the Ethics Ordinance in the San Diego Municipal Code.
What is the relationship between OEI and the Ethics Commission?
Each group has a different scope, reach and focus. The Office of Ethics and Integrity's focus is the City's workplace environment. Programming from OEI will target City employees at all levels, and the City's organizational culture. Services from OEI will include training for classified employees and unclassified management, investigation of complaints from an employee hotline, and proactive efforts to elevate the extent to which ethics is valued and understood by employees at all levels in the organization.
The focus of the Ethics Commission's work is elected officials and unclassified management. Services from the Ethics Commission include training on governmental ethics laws for City officials, investigating complaints lodged against City officials, addressing requests from elected officials for help with existing laws and regulations, and auditing disclosure statements.
Why is "honor" so important? How do you define honor?
Honor, defined as behavior worthy of emulation, is important to us because our strategy is to acknowledge the ethical foundation in each employee. This ethical foundation includes a sense of honor that each employee already has.
How does OEI handle complaints about unethical activities?
Complaints come to OEI in a variety of ways, including the office's Employee Hotline where any employee may confidentially report unethical behavior, in addition to waste, fraud, and abuse. They also come in letters, calls, e-mails, in-person visits, and referral from City Council offices. OEI coordinates investigations and assists in the resolution of complaints as appropriate, in collaboration with internal and external agencies (Equal Employment Office, law enforcement, individual departments, etc.). A summary report containing numbers, types and disposition of complaints, as well as affected departments, is prepared each month and each quarter. This report is available on the OEI website.
What is the Employee Hotline?
The Employee Hotline is a confidential means to report unethical behavior, in addition to waste, fraud, and abuse. The Employee Hotline is not a substitute for employment-related grievances or appeals, as existing City policy and procedures provide channels for resolution of these issues.
Face to face reporting is always the best form of communication, although that is not always feasible. Current City procedures and/or department instructions state that all complaints should be sent through the chain of command. Recognizing that employees are not always comfortable going through the chain of command, the Employee Hotline is another vehicle to report unethical behavior, waste, fraud or abuse.
The Employee Hotline utilizes the services of The Network, an independent third-party hotline provider contracted by OEI. Reports can be made anonymously.
Why does the City need an Employee Hotline?
The Employee Hotline was established to foster an environment of openness and honesty, where employees feel comfortable to discuss controversial issues. Through open channels of communication, employees can participate in improving the City and helping to promote a safe and ethical environment.
Employees may have knowledge of an activity that may be cause for concern. Reporting concerns to a supervisor or OEI can minimize the potential negative impact on the City and its employees. The Employee Hotline is an additional avenue for employees to report their concerns.
Why should employees make a report if they suspect unethical behavior?
In order to maintain a strong ethical culture, employees have the responsibility of acting in an ethical manner and letting the appropriate people know if someone is not acting properly. Any unethical conduct, at any level, ultimately hurts the City and its employees. By working together, we ensure that we maintain a healthy and productive environment.
What type of situations should employees report?
The Employee Hotline is a confidential means to report unethical behavior, in addition to waste, fraud, and abuse. Below are some examples.
Examples of Activities Involving Fraud (not an inclusive list):
- Falsifying financial records to conceal the theft of money or City property.
- Theft or misuse of City of San Diego money, equipment, supplies and/or other materials.
- Intentionally misrepresenting the costs of good and services provided.
- Soliciting or accepting a bribe or kickback.
- Falsifying payroll information.
Examples of Activities Involving Waste (not an inclusive list):
- Unnecessary spending of City funds to purchase supplies or equipment.
- Failure to reuse or recycle major resources or reduce waste generation.
Examples of Activities Involving Abuse (not an inclusive list):
- Failure to report damage to City equipment or property.
- Receiving favor for awarding contacts to certain vendors.
- Using one's position in one City department to gain an advantage over another City resident when conducting personal business in another City department.
If an employee is unsure whether an action or interest violates relevant City regulations and policies, he/she should discuss with his/her supervisor or contact OEI.
What protections are in place for those who report concerns to OEI?
The City of San Diego will not retaliate, nor will it tolerate retaliation against those who, in good faith, report suspected ethics violations or who participate in an investigation of suspected ethics violations. An act of retaliation should be reported immediately to OEI, which will investigate any such report as a potential ethics violation. In addition, those who bring matters to OEI are protected through the state Whistleblower Protection Act.
What is the Ethics Culture Survey? Why did you do it?
In September 2006, all City employees, classified and unclassified, were invited to take a survey that provided their views of City ethics standards and behaviors. Results of the survey will show what employees think about the City's ethical culture/climate; what ethics issues are important to employees; how comfortable employees feel about their understanding of ethics policies, procedures and regulations; level of observation of misconduct (if any); and to what extent employees feel supported when/if they bring up ethical concerns.
The survey, which was confidential, voluntary, and multiple choice, was available online and in a pen and paper version. It was conducted by a professional outside survey firm. Survey results, expected in Fall 2006, will aid OEI in designing and focusing other initiatives, such as ethics training development and delivery, and the maintenance of a highly ethical culture among City of San Diego employees.
Why did you use and outside firm to conduct the Ethics Culture Survey ?
In order to get an objective assessment of employees' views of the City of San Diego's ethical climate, an outside survey firm administered and analyzed the Ethics Culture Survey. To ensure the confidentiality of the survey, employees sent their responses to the survey directly to the firm.
How does OEI get employee input?
The Citywide Advisory Committee to OEI, made up of classified and unclassified employees from across the organization, provides input and feedback to the department on issues ranging from ethics training to how to best reach employees. In addition, OEI staff is meeting with employee groups and departments in order to educate the organization about OEI, address employee questions and concerns, and listen to employee input about this new program.
What are some upcoming OEI initiatives?
Among the many initiatives OEI will implement in the coming year are an Employee Code of Conduct handbook; Contractor's Code of Conduct; a lending library of ethics materials; ethics training as requested; and mandatory ethics training for all City employees.
Are you looking at any changes to City policies?
OEI has begun inventorying and reviewing existing City/department ethics-related policies/procedures/regulations. As appropriate, the department will recommend other additions/amendments to strengthen City's ethical infrastructure. A preliminary assessment indicates that future additions/amendments include mandated ethics training for unclassified employees; strengthened post-employment prohibitions for designated staff with contractors/lobbyists; and gift/contribution disclosures by contractors and registered lobbyists.
Why are Diversity Commitment, Human Relations Commission, and the Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices under OEI?
The Mayor has taken a comprehensive view of ethics and ethical practices, as they apply to the City's workforce and to the community. Ethics values such as honesty, dignity, openness and respect are entirely consistent with the missions of each of these three other programs. An ethical community and an ethical workforce both value the participation and efforts of everyone. In an ethical community all voices are important, and everyone should feel safe to participate and contribute to the community. The Human Relations Commission works with organizations in the San Diego community to help eradicate problems such as racism, prejudice, hate crimes, religious intolerance and poverty. The Citizens' Review Board on Police Practices exists to ensure that the relationship between community members and police officers remains constructive, respectful and ethical. The City's Diversity Commitment works to ensure that employee differences are valued, so that all City employees can contribute their skills, work knowledge, organizational wisdom and creativity, in order to provide services to the community.
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