For purposes of this Chapter 1, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
“City” or “City agency” shall mean the City and County of San Francisco, its departments, commissions, task forces, committees, and boards.
“Complainant’s department” includes the complainant’s supervisor, the executive director or highest ranking officer in the complainant’s department, and the board or commission overseeing the complainant’s department.
“Deficiencies in the quality and delivery of government services” shall mean the failure to perform a service, when performance is required under any law, regulation or policy, or under a City contract or grant.
“Improper government activity” shall mean violation of any federal, state, or local law, regulation, or rule, including but not limited to laws, regulations, or rules governing campaign finance, conflicts of interest, or governmental ethics laws; or action which creates a danger to public health or safety by the failure of City officers or employees to perform duties required by their positions. “Improper government activity” does not include employment actions for which other remedies exist.
“Misuse of City funds” shall mean any use of City funds for purposes outside of those directed by the City.
“Preliminary investigation” shall be limited to, but need not include all of the following: review of the complaint and any documentary evidence provided with the complaint; interview of the complainant; interview of the respondent, counsel to respondent and any witnesses who voluntarily agree to be interviewed for this purpose; review of any relevant public documents and documents provided voluntarily to the Commission.
“Supervisor” shall mean any individual having the authority, on behalf of the City, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, reward, or discipline other employees, or the responsibility to routinely direct them, to adjust their grievances, or to effectively recommend such action, if, in connection with the foregoing, the exercise of that authority is not merely routine or clerical, but requires the use of independent judgment.
“Unlawful activity” shall mean violations of any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule including but not limited to those laws, regulations or rules governing campaign finance, conflicts of interest or governmental ethics laws; or actions which create a danger to public health or safety by the failure of City officers or employees to perform duties imposed by a City contract.
“Wasteful and inefficient City government practices” shall mean the expenditure of City funds that could be eliminated without harming public health or safety, or reducing the quality of government services.
(Added by Ord. 71-00, File No. 000358, App. 4/28/2000; amended by Ord. 29-02, File No. 020017, App. 3/15/2002; Ord. 299-18, File No. 180317, App. 12/21/2018, Eff. 1/21/2019; re-enacted by Proposition D, 3/5/2024, Eff. 4/12/2024, Oper. 10/12/2024)