Village employees shall adhere to and uphold this policy both in practice and in spirit. It is expected that employees act in the public’s interest first and not their own. It is further expected that their behavior, both on the job and off, reflects positively on the Village, its reputation, and its employees. Pursuant to this policy, an employee’s duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
(A) Duty to Protect the Reputation of the Village. It is the duty of every employee to uphold and protect the good reputation of the Village and his or her fellow workers.
(B) Duty to Obey the Law. It is the responsibility of every employee to obey the law in the execution of his or her duties. Ignorance of the law or a particular regulation may not be considered an excuse for committing a violation or oversight.
(C) Duty to Comply with Village Policies. It is the responsibility of every employee to comply with all Village policies.
(D) Conflicts of Interest Must be Avoided. In the broadest sense of the meaning, no employee shall engage in a behavior that may appear to be or give rise to a conflict of interest between him or herself and that employee’s official capacity or duties. Should a conflict of interest arise, the employee involved shall report it in the manner described below.
(E) Disqualification from Acting on Village Business. An employee shall disqualify him or herself and shall not act on any matter in which he or she, a member of his or her immediate family, or another employer of the employee has a financial interest.
(F) Prohibition of Certain Financial Interest or Activity. No employee, regardless of any prior disclosure, who has a material interest, personally or through a member of his or her immediate family, in any business entity doing or seeking to do business within the Village shall influence or attempt to influence the selection of the business entity or the making of a contract between such business entity and the Village. Employees may not have financial interests in contracts.
(G) Solicitation of Gifts or Loans is Prohibited. No employee shall solicit anything of monetary value (even such things which might be returned or repaid) if it would appear to have been solicited with intent of obtaining something in return. Nothing shall prohibit contributions of gifts including political contributions, which are reported in accordance with applicable law or which are accepted on behalf of the Village.
(H) Gifts in Excess of the $300 Annual Gift Limitation Amount are Prohibited. No employee or family member of an employee shall accept gifts that exceed an aggregate value of the adjusted annual gift limitation amount in accordance with Government Code in any twelve (12) consecutive months from an individual or entity that is doing business with the Village.
(I) Improper Disclosure of Privileged, Personal or Confidential Information. Unless expressly authorized, no employee shall intentionally disclose privileged, personal or confidential information obtained as a result of, or in connection with, his or her employment with the Village for any purpose. Privileged, personal or confidential information does not include information that is a matter of public knowledge or that is available to the public on request. Nothing in this policy is intended to prohibit or infringe upon any communication, speech or expression that is protected or privileged under law. This includes speech and expression protected under state and federal constitutions as well as labor or other applicable laws.
(J) Improper Using One’s Village Employment. No employee shall use or permit the use of any Village assets for a non-Village purpose that is for the private benefit of the employee or any other person unless available on equal terms to the general public.
(K) Improper Influence. No employee, except in the course of his or her official duties, shall assist any person in any transaction with the Village when such employee’s assistance would appear to a reasonable person to be enhanced by that employee’s position with the Village for their own personal benefit. This subsection shall not apply to any employee appearing on his own behalf or representing himself as to any matter in which he has a proprietary interest, if not otherwise prohibited by law.
(L) Duty to Identify, Report and Work to Eliminate Fraud, Waste and Abuse. It is the responsibility and duty of every employee to identify, report and work to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse at all levels of the Village administration and operations. Employees are encouraged to bring to the attention of management any opportunity to reduce or eliminate fraud, waste and abuse.
(M) Duty to Cooperate. It is the duty of every employee to cooperate in an investigation involving a violation or an alleged violation of this policy. Upon the Village’s request, an employee will participate and fully cooperate in any investigation. This policy does not preclude an employee from exercising his or her Constitutional rights or those afforded to him or her by a Village recognized labor contract. However, the exercising of one’s rights does not preclude Village from disciplining an employee for his or her failure to participate or cooperate in an investigation if the Village may lawfully do so.
(N) Handling of Anonymous Complaints or Allegations of Violations of this Policy. Employees are prohibited from attempting to identify or intentionally exposing the identity of any party making an anonymous report or complaint pursuant to this policy.