Let’s Get Ethical!

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With St. Patrick’s and Cesar Chavez days this month, we don’t want you to forget that it is also Ethics Awareness Month.

Joe Cordero, Director of the County’s Office of Ethics and Compliance (OEC), said he hopes employees show their support for this fundamental value by taking the time to participate in some of the educational activities planned for March.

“Let’s reaffirm our commitment to a high standard of ethics—let’s make it our personal cause this month and every month. After all, doing no harm, treating others appropriately and doing the right thing is important all-year round,” said Cordero.

An Ethics Awareness Month Information Fair will be held noon to 2 p.m., March 10 in the plaza area outside the Commons at the County Operations Center. There will be music, prizes, free goodies, information about County departments and other resources available for employees. More than 20 exhibitors will be present. Some of the participating departments include Animal Services, the Department of Human Resources’ Wellness Division and Veterans Outreach Program, and the County Library. Representatives from the County’s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as well as representative from the County’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force will also be present providing information.

If you bring proof of completing the online Ethics 101 training, you’ll be entered into a raffle.

Then later in the month, former Chief Administrative Officer Walt Ekard returns to speak about public service and ethics in a talk titled “Character is King.” That will be at 12 noon, March 18 in the COC Chambers.

If you cannot make it to the COC events, there’s still an opportunity to get in on the action! Employees can participate in the following ways:

  • Take the Ethics 101 online training. Head over to LMS and search for “Ethics 101.” The video is just 8 minutes long.

  • Request that OEC conduct an on-site ethics training or speak at your March all-hands department meeting.

  • Sign up your department for an information table at the Ethics Awareness Info Fair in March at the COC.

  • Check out the "Ethics In-a-Box” training resources for managers/supervisors.

If you have a question about what is ethical in the meanwhile, don’t wait to get answers. The first place employees can turn if they have a concern about possible unethical, illegal or unsafe activity is their department’s chain of command.

If an employee isn’t comfortable going to a supervisor or other manager, or if their concern relates to a supervisor or manager, they can call OEC or the County’s Ethics Hotline at (866) 549-0004. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is operated by a third party. So employees can report concerns anonymously. Employees can also report concerns online.

Get pumped for Ethics Awareness Month with this short video parody from “The Office.”

Happy Ethics Awareness Month!