Employees may receive a gift on behalf of the District. Employees shall not, either directly or indirectly, solicit, accept, or receive any gift, series of gifts, or an honorarium unless the donor does not meet the definition of "restricted donor" stated below, or the gift or honorarium does not meet the definition of gift or honorarium stated below.
A "restricted donor" is defined as a person or other entity which:
- Is seeking to be, or is a party to, any one or any combination of sales, purchases, leases or contracts to, from or with the District;
- Will be directly and substantially affected financially by the performance or nonperformance of the employee's official duty in a way that is greater than the effect on the public generally or on a substantial class of persons to which the person belongs as a member of a profession, occupation, industry or region; or,
- Is a lobbyist or a client of a lobbyist with respect to matters within the District's jurisdiction.
A "gift" is the giving of anything of value in return for which something of equal or greater value is not given or received. However, "gift" does not include any of the following:
- Contributions to a candidate or a candidate's committee;
- Information material relevant to an employee's official function, such as books, pamphlets, reports, documents, periodicals or other information that is recorded in a written, audio or visual format;
- Anything received from a person related within the fourth degree by kinship or marriage, unless the donor is acting as an agent or intermediary for another person not so related;
- An inheritance;
- Anything available or distributed to the general public free of charge without regard to the official status of the employee;
- Items received from a charitable, professional, educational or business organization to which the employee belongs as a dues paying member if the items are given to all members of the organization without regard to an individual member's status or positions held outside of the organization and if the dues paid are not inconsequential when compared to the items received;
- Actual expenses of an employee for food, beverages, travel and lodging for a meeting, which is given in return for participation in a panel or speaking engagement at the meeting when the expenses relate directly to the day or days on which the employee has participation or presentation responsibilities;
- Plaques or items of negligible resale value given as recognition for public service;
- Nonmonetary items with a value of less than three dollars that are received from any one donor during one calendar day;
Approved: December 2008
Reviewed: February 2022