A. Prohibition: A city employee shall not accept, participate, or engage in any outside employment or business, whether or not compensated, which is inconsistent, incompatible, or conflicts with the employees' duties, functions, or responsibilities as a city employee. Inconsistent or incompatible employment or business includes, but is not limited to, the following situations:
1. Employment or business which involves hours of work or physical effort which could be reasonably expected to reduce the quality or quantity of the employee's services to the city;
2. Employment or business which involves hours or locations of work which could be reasonably expected to interfere with the employee's availability for overtime emergency services to the city, particularly when the employee is on call for emergency services;
3. Employment or business which is directly or indirectly connected with the employee's duties in the city, such as dealing in merchandise or services with persons contacted in the course of city employment;
4. Employment or business which involves services of the employee in a capacity of advisor, consultant, or witness which could reasonably be expected to conflict with the interests of the City; or
5. Employment or business which causes the employee to become financially interested in any contract, sale, or transaction to which the City is a party.
B. Authorization:
1. Full time employees who desire to: a) engage in outside employment for compensation or operate a business for compensation; or b) invest or participate in any business venture conducting business in the City of Beverly Hills (except for stock ownership in any company whose capital stock is publicly held and regularly traded), shall first obtain the written approval of the applicable department head and the Director of Human Resources, except that the City Manager, Assistant and Deputy City Managers, and all department heads (including the Chief of Police and Fire Chief), shall first obtain the approval of the City Council.
The Director of Human Resources shall send written notice to the City Council and City Manager within two (2) business days from the date on which any approval is granted relating to a member of the executive management group, other than a department head. Any such approval relating to any member of the executive management group shall not become effective until the expiration of ten (10) business days after dispatch of notice to the City Council and City Manager. The Council may order a review of any approval relating to a member of the executive management group. Such review may be ordered by motion of the Council duly adopted within ten (10) business days after dispatch of notice to the City Council. If the Council orders a review of a decision approving outside employment or engagement or investment in a business venture, the effectiveness of such decision shall be stayed until Council review is final.
Approval shall not be granted if the employment or business or investment would violate the prohibition set forth in subsection A of this section.
2. Employees who seek approval for compensated outside employment or to engage or invest in a business must describe the outside employment or business, including the employer, the types of duties or activities involved, the location, hours and duration of employment.
3. The Human Resources Department shall maintain a copy of all written approvals for outside employment, business or investment. Approvals shall not exceed a period of one year; provided, however, further extensions of one year each may be granted if such extension request is filed not later than two (2) months prior to the expiration of the one year term. The employee shall immediately notify the City of any change in the extent or character of the outside employment.
C. Compensation: For the purposes of this section, compensation shall not include any cash payment or exchange of noncash goods or services of less than fifty dollars ($50.00) in any one year. Additionally, free admission and refreshments and similar noncash nominal benefits provided to an employee during an event at which an employee gives a speech, participates in a panel or seminar, or provides a service, and actual transportation and any necessary lodging and subsistence provided directly in connection with the speech, panel, seminar, or service, including, but not limited to, meals and beverages on the day of the activity, shall not be considered compensation for the purposes of this section.
D. Purchase Or Investment In Real Estate: Employees shall also report to their department head the purchase or investment in any real estate or real property improvements in the City of Beverly Hills, except that the City Manager, Assistant and Deputy City Managers, and department heads shall make such report to the City Council. (Ord. 15-O-2693, eff. 12-4-2015; amd. Ord. 18-O-2750, eff. 4-6-2018)