File:  GBEA-E - Staff Ethics/Conflict of Interest

NOTE: This exhibit does not need to be filed in the Board's policy manual. It is provided as informational only and if applicable, may be kept by the district in another location.

According to the Colorado Revised Statutes 24-18-105, the following ethical principles for school district employees "are intended as guides to conduct and do not constitute violations as such of the public trust of office or employment..."

1. An employee "should not acquire or hold an interest in any business or undertaking which the employee has reason to believe may be directly and substantially affected to its economic benefit by official action to be taken by an agency over which the employee has substantive authority."

2.  An employee "should not, within six months following the termination of employment, obtain employment in which the employee will take direct advantage, unavailable to others, of matters with which the employee was directly involved during the employee's term of employment. These matters include rules, other than rules of general application, which the employee actively helped to formulate and applications, claims or contested cases in the consideration of which the employee was an active participant."

3.  An employee "should not perform an official act directly and substantially affecting a business or other undertaking to its economic detriment when the employee has a substantial financial interest in a competing firm or undertaking."

4. An employee is discouraged "from assisting or enabling members of [the employee's] immediate family in obtaining employment, a gift of substantial value, or an economic benefit tantamount to a gift of substantial value from a person whom [the employee] is in a position to reward with official action or has rewarded with official action in the past."

(Issue date)

NOTE:  It would be appropriate also to include as exhibits under this category, for information purposes, the codes of ethics of professional groups with which staff members are affiliated. Normally, codes of ethics are determined by professions themselves and not imposed upon them. Boards may well have policies on staff conflicts of interest and staff responsibilities which relate to ethics. See policies coded GBEA and GBEB.

[Revised July 2013]

COLORADO SAMPLE EXHIBIT 1988