(A) The city strictly prohibits retaliation, or discrimination, against any employee who reports a violation of the policies contained in this chapter, or a violation of any applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation to city supervisory staff, the Board of Ethics, law enforcement authorities, or other appropriate officials.
(1) No city employee shall use, or threaten to use, their 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 chapter to their supervisor or any other member of the city's supervisory staff.
(2) No city employee shall retaliate, or discriminate, against an employee because they support, aid, or otherwise substantiate another employee who reports a violation of the policies contained in this chapter to the Board of Ethics.
(3) No city employee shall retaliate, or discriminate, against another employee because they report a violation of the policies contained in this chapter to the Board of Ethics after informing members of city 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 law or regulation to city 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 chapter at any time.
(B) Any employee who receives an official request from an outside agency for information related to the city shall promptly inform their immediate supervisor of the request. Any employee who receives a request from the media for information related to the city shall forward the request to the City Clerk and shall otherwise follow the Media Communications Policy in § 37.069 of this chapter.
(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 shall be subject to disciplinary action, including the possibility of immediate dismissal.
(Ord. 5-11-2023-A, passed 6-8-2023)