Using Public Resources: Special Issues Around Expenses and Expense Reimbursement, continued from page 9
If an agency issues credit cards to individuals, the safest practice is never to allow the card to be used for personal purchases. Spouse or Domestic Partner Travel In the private sector, company officials sometimes travel with their spouses on business trips at company expense. This is not the case in the public sector. The attorney general has concluded this would constitute a gift of public funds because there is no direct and substantial public purpose in paying for the expenses of a public official’s spouse. The specific question related to whether it would be proper for a hospital district to pay for a district director’s spouse to attend a conference on official business. The attorney general said no.
P
R
O
F
E
S
www.bobmurrayassoc.com
west coast headquarters 1677 Eureka Road, Suite 202 Roseville, CA 95661 phone 916•784•9080
east coast 2910 Kerry Forest Parkway D4-242 Tallahassee, FL 32309 phone 850•391•0000
www.westerncity.com
S
I
O
political use of public resources was the basis for convicting a county supervisor who, among other things, used county facilities and staff time for her private law practice and campaign activities. ■
This, of course, does not mean a spouse or partner cannot come to official functions; the spouse’s expenses are a personal expense as opposed to a public agency expense.
Use of Public Resources for Business Finally, public servants are wise to be sensitive to incurring any expenses — including using public agency facilities, equipment, supplies or staff time — for personal purposes. This includes using public resources in a way that benefits their business or political endeavors. The prohibition against the personal and
N
A
L
S
E
R
V
I
C
William Avery & Associates, Inc. Labor Relations / Executive Search / Human Resources Consulting 31/2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A Los Gatos, CA 95030 408.399.4424 Fax: 408.399.4423 email: jobs@averyassoc.net www.averyassoc.net
E
More Resources Online For more information and links to related resources, read the online version of this article at www.westerncity.com.
S
D
I
R
E
C
T
O
R
Y
Bobbi C. Peckham • Phil McKenney
Peckham&McKenney “All About Fit” www.peckhamandmckenney.com Roseville, CA
866.912.1919
Western City, October 2013
27