No county officer or any other employee of the county government or employee of any office covered by this chapter shall subject to reprisal, or directly or indirectly use, or threaten to use, an official authority or influence, in any manner whatsoever, which tends to discourage, restrain, depress, dissuade, deter, prevent, interfere with, coerce, or discriminate against any officer or employee who in good faith reports, discloses, divulges, or otherwise brings to the attention of the Ethics Commission, any appointing authority, any law enforcement agency or its employees, or any other appropriate body or authority, any facts or information relative to an actual or suspected violation of this chapter or any law, statute, executive order, administrative regulation, mandate, rule, or ordinance of the United States, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, or the county government, or any facts or information relative to actual or suspected mismanagement, waste, fraud, abuse of authority, or a substantial and specific danger to public health or safety. No county officer or county government employee or employee of any office covered by this chapter shall be required to give notice of any kind prior to making such a report, disclosure, or divulgence.
(A) No person shall be subject to discharge or disciplinary action if such person elects not to answer inquiries or speak or testify about any complaint or at any proceeding of the Ethics Commission.
(B) No county officer or any other employee of the county government shall subject to reprisal or discriminate against, or use any official authority or influence to cause reprisal or discrimination by others against, any person who supports, aids, or substantiates any officer or employee who makes public any wrongdoing set forth in division (A).
(Ord. 556, passed passed 3-17-2015)