Page 77 - Employee Handbook 1-2015 rev9

Requesting or in any way encouraging or accepting a discount in the purchases of
personal goods or services directly or indirectly, as a result of city employment, is prohibited.
Such discounts offered by merchants, vendors or professionals, solicited or unsolicited, can
compromise the City's purchasing position with competitors and jeopardize both the City's and
employee's reputation.

Employees must avoid conflicts of interest and shall not seek personal gain as a result of
obtaining knowledge as to any City actions or potential actions that are not public knowledge.
Officers of the City and City employees who administer Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program activities, who are involved in the process of acquiring or disposing of
community development property, or who are engaged in the development and adoption of
community development plans or programs, and who exercise any administrative or decision-
making authority, including the designation of housing conditions by housing services staff with
respect to CDBG activities, shall not be eligible to receive any community developmental loans
or grants or other benefits (except relocation benefits mandated by law) under that program.
Determination of the applicability of this policy shall be made by the City Manager or his
designee.

City employees may not participate in any manner in the bidding, awarding or
administering of contracts in which they, or a member of their immediate family, their business
partner, or any organization in which they serve as an officer, director, trustee, or employee, have
a financial interest.

Additionally, no City employee or officer involved in any manner in the designation,
handling or disposition of surplus City property or who maintains custody, control or possession
of surplus City property shall bid upon surplus City property. This prohibition extends to any
member of the employee’s or officer’s immediate family, business partner, or any organization
in which either serves as an officer, director, trustee or employee. This prohibition also extends
to any individual, business or organization that places a bid upon surplus City property in order
to sell or with the intent to sell the property to a City employee or officer to circumvent the
prohibition against City employees and officers bidding on surplus City property. This provision
applies regardless of the method of sale utilized by the City.

Violation of these regulations is considered misconduct and may result in disciplinary
action as described under the Conduct section of this handbook. Check with the City Attorney's
Office for an interpretation.

Political Activity

It is the civic responsibility of every employee to support good government in an
appropriate manner and to exercise the right to vote in all legal elections. However, City
employees shall not:

 Engage in any political activity while on duty;
 Be required as a duty of office or employment or as a condition for employment,
promotion or tenure of office, to contribute funds for political or partisan purposes;

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City of Winston-Salem Employee Handbook (January 2015 Revision)