§ 23-118. Administration of sections pertaining to public employees.

(a)

Jurisdiction. The ethics board shall administer and enforce the provisions of this division and the regulations, rules and orders issued hereunder regarding ethical standards.

(b)

Preventive measures by agency heads:

(1)

Filing of reports. Every department or agency head shall file confidential reports with the ethics board on any matters that come to his attention which may constitute a violation of this division.

(2)

Cooperation with ethics board. Every department or agency head shall cooperate in every possible manner in connection with any investigation or hearing which may be conducted by the ethics board.

(3)

Compliance with order of ethics board. Every department or agency head shall forthwith comply with any lawful order received from the ethics board and shall immediately take disciplinary action against any employee under his supervision when ordered to do so by the ethics board.

(4)

Failure of department or agency head to comply with ethics board order. Failure on the part of any department or agency head who is not an elected official to comply promptly with any lawful order received from the ethics board shall subject him to all penalties provided for elsewhere in this article and shall cause the immediate suspension of all salary and other benefits which he otherwise would be entitled to receive. Such suspension shall remain in effect during the period in which he fails or refuses to comply, and all public employees are hereby directed to refuse to honor any drafts or other documents which would violate this provision.

(c)

Administrative enforcement as to current public employees:

(1)

Every department or agency head shall take such action as may be ordered by the ethics board with respect to any public employee of his department or agency upon a finding by the ethics board that such employee has violated any provision of this division or any order, rule or regulation promulgated hereunder.

(2)

Any public employee or other person, whether or not such person is covered by the provisions of this division, having the authority to appoint a person to any position of public employment, regardless of whether or not such appointment requires the approval of the parish council or any other body, employee or person, shall take such action as may be ordered by the ethics board with respect to any such appointee upon the ethics board's finding that such appointee has violated any provision of this division.

(d)

Civil action for damages. The parish attorney, pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Charter or other attorney authorized by law, may bring a civil action against any public employee or former public employee in the district court in which the employee or former employee is domiciled who shall, to his economic advantage, have acted in violation of this division, and in such action may recover on behalf of the parish an amount equal to such economic advantage.

(e)

Civil penalties for illegal payments. The parish attorney, pursuant to Section 4.04 of the Charter or other attorney authorized by law, may bring on behalf of the parish a civil action to recover from any person who shall violate the provisions of this division in the district court having jurisdiction where such violation occurs, a civil penalty in an amount equal to the maximum penalty allowed by law.

(Code 1961, § 13-51; Ord. No. 24011, § 5, 5-11-11)