(A) The city strictly prohibits retaliation or discrimination against any employee who reports a violation of the policies contained in this handbook, or a violation of any applicable federal, state or local laws, or regulations to the city’s supervisory staff, the Board of Ethics, law enforcement authorities or other appropriate officials.
(1) No city employee will use or threaten to use his or her supervisory authority or influence to discourage, restrain, suppress, dissuade, deter, prevent, interfere with or coerce an employee from reporting any violation of the policies contained in this handbook to his or her supervisor or any other member of the city’s supervisory staff.
(2) No city employee will retaliate or discriminate against an employee because he or she supports, aids or otherwise substantiates another employee who reports a violation of the policies contained in this handbook to the Board of Ethics.
(3) No city employee will retaliate or discriminate against another employee because he or she reports a violation of the policies contained in this handbook to the Board of Ethics after informing members of the city’s supervisory staff without satisfactory resolution.
(4) The city strictly prohibits retaliation or discrimination against any employee who reports a violation of any applicable federal, state or local laws or regulations to the city’s supervisory staff, the Board of Ethics, law enforcement authorities or other appropriate officials.
(5) The provisions of this policy in no way alter the at-will employment status of city employees. This policy does not create any contractual or other rights for employees and the city may alter, amend or remove any policy contained in this handbook at any time.
(B) Any employee who receives an official request from an outside agency for information related to the city will promptly inform his or her immediate supervisor of the request. Any employee who receives a request from the media for information related to the city will forward the request to the City Clerk and will otherwise follow the media communications policy in § 36.068.
(C) Any city employee who makes a false report of a violation or discloses information related to a report of a violation of city policies or the law with reckless disregard for the truth will be subject to disciplinary action including the possibility of immediate dismissal.