Enforcement
- Details
- Parent Category: ROOT
The Board of Ethics investigates and brings enforcement actions against city officials, employees, and prohibited sources that violate the Code of Ethics. Many cases begin as a complaint to the Ethics Office or the Integrity Line. The office may refer complaints to other agencies when appropriate.
Reporting Violations
To report an ethics violation or file a complaint, you may:
- Call the Ethics Office at (404) 330-6286
- Call the Integrity Hotline at 1-800-884-0911
- Send an E-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- File a written complaint
- File an electronic complaint
Penalties
If the board finds that the Ethics Code has been violated, it may impose an administrative sanction of up to $1,000 for each violation, issue a public reprimand, and order the recovery of any gratuity. The board may also recommend disciplinary action for employees and the suspension or disqualification of a contractor.
Enforcement Procedures
The Ethics Office conducts a preliminary review of complaints to determine whether it has jurisdiction. If the complaint provides sufficient facts to allege an ethics violation, the office investigates the complaint and reports to the board whether there is probable cause to believe that the Code of Ethics has been violated. If the board finds probable cause, it sets the matter down for an enforcement hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing, the board determines whether there has been an ethics violation and, if so, imposes a penalty.
Board Rules and Regulations
The board has adopted rules governing complaints, investigations, enforcement hearings, and the disposition of cases.
Public Records
The board’s decisions and orders in cases involving ethics violations are posted online. The records in all enforcement cases are subject to the Open Records Act and may be reviewed 10 days after the case is closed.
