As a public employee the temptation is great to make unethical choices. Here’s a great article that deserves attention. While it is written for a Louisiana audience, the truth is all – especially elected officials – need to be vigilant regarding the temptation toward unethical conduct.
Here’s a link to the article: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/11/public_employees_risk_ethics_v.html
“It is spectacularly easy to make a mistake when it comes to gift giving in government ethics,” Richard Passler, a partner with the law firm Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson in New Orleans said.
Passler said that means public employees cannot accept things as basic as a gift basket or bottle of wine if the giver has a business relationship with the agency.
“When in doubt, politely decline the gift because odds are, your acceptance of that gift violates the government ethics law,” Passler said.
He said gift givers should also be mindful of the law because if they give a public employee an illegal gift, they could also be in violation of the law. He said safe gifts include things like calendars and pens that do not have a resale value and greeting cards.
Friendships do not matter in the eyes of the law, Passler said. Though they are public employees, teachers may receive nominal gifts from their students and parents of students.
