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Dec
12

For King County employees

Who must file

King County Code 3.04.050(B) requires annual filing of statements of financial and other interests by employees in the following categories:

  • Employees appointed by the county executive
  • Employees appointed by the county administrative officer or department directors and who are subject to approval by the county executive
  • Employees of the county council

In addition, under county code, the Board of Ethics has designated other County employees required to file statements of financial and other interests based on their responsibilities within County government:

  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for the administration of agreements or contracts for the purchase, lease, rental, disposal, or sale of personal tangible property or real property or public works contracts
  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for grants and services contracts, whose duties include but are not limited to the following activities: writing or preparing specifications; evaluating bids and proposals; negotiating, administering or monitoring performance on contracts; and exercising contract signature authority
  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for the investment, management, or expenditure of county funds
  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for policy and its implementation in the Department of Assessments
  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for policy and its implementation in the Sheriff's Office
  • Employees whose duties and responsibilities include having access to information that is not available as a matter of public knowledge or public record, including, but not limited to, administrative assistants and confidential secretaries in non-career service positions
  • Employees who provide administrative support, greater than clerical support, to county boards, commissions, committees, and other multi-member bodies that are established by county council action and whose members are appointed by the executive or county council
  • Employees who conduct or supervise the conduct of audits, including audits of county programs and third party activities
  • Employees who participate in or have decision-making responsibilities for policy and its implementation in the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, and employees appointed by the Prosecuting Attorney to serve as their deputies
  • Employees who supervise, directly or through others, employees identified in these categories
  • Nominees for appointment by the executive or county council and persons appointed by the executive or county council to serve on county boards, commissions, committees and other multi-member bodies that are established by county council action

County elected officials may file a copy of their Washington State Public Disclosure Commission F-1 form with the Ethics Program in lieu of the King County form.

When and where to file

  • Candidates for county elective office, except judicial candidates, nominees for appointment to any county elective office, and nominees for appointment to county boards and commissions, file with the Board of Ethics within two weeks of becoming a candidate or nominee
  • Affected county employees file with the Board of Ethics within ten days of employment or appointment
  • All elected officials, members of affected boards, commissions and multi-member bodies, and affected county employees file with the Board of Ethics each year by April 15. Candidates and elected officials may file with the Board of Ethics a copy of the report required to be filed by state law if this report contains an original signature of the person filing the report

What to disclose

  • Any compensation, gifts, or things of value received by you or a member of your immediate family from any person engaged in any transaction with King County in which you participated or for which you had responsibility
  • Any financial interest held by you or your immediate family in any person engaged in any transaction with King County in which you participated or for which you had responsibility
  • Any position held by you or your immediate family in any person engaged in any transaction with King County in which you participated or for which you had responsibility
  • Any real property in which you or a member of your immediate family held a financial interest that was involved in or the subject of a county action (not including valuation for tax purposes)

Protections and confidentiality

The Board of Ethics maintains all financial disclosure statements in a secure location and is the only county agency authorized to release such statements with the exception of the following: the statements of elected officials, candidates for county elective office, department directors, division managers, the county administrative officer, chief officers of administrative offices, and the county executive's administrative assistants. The statements of these employees are public record.

If the Board of Ethics receives a public request to release a statement, the request must be signed and the requestor agrees not to use the information for commercial purposes. The Board will then notify the county employee or board and commission member that a request has been received for release of the statement. An employee or board of commission member will have 14 days to file a motion in Superior Court to block release and assert a right to privacy. If the Board does not receive notification of such action within the 14-day period, the statement will be released.

Continuing duty to notify supervisor

Filing a statement of financial and other interests does not relieve an employee of the duty to notify their supervisor or appointing authority in writing of a potential conflict of interest under King County Code. The supervisor or appointing authority is required to resolve the conflict of interest and keep records of any actions taken.

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