Rationale

Staff members of the Simcoe County District Health Unit may be given gifts/donations or honoraria for services rendered. To clarify appropriateness of accepting such gifts, etc., the following policy and guidelines have been developed.

Policy

The Simcoe County District Health Unit delivers a range of publicly funded services. Staff are reimbursed fairly and equitably for services provided on behalf on the Health Unit and should not solicit personal benefits in addition to salary. From time to time service recipients may choose to express appreciation through gifts/donations or honoraria which staff may in some instances accept.

• Staff will not solicit personal gifts.
• Expensive gifts (over $30.00) and any honoraria (gift of money - any amount) must be reported and discussed with the manager.

Guiding Principles:

1. Personal gifts or honoraria deemed inappropriate or potentially compromising to the employee or Health Unit will be returned. Where a judgement call is required, acceptance of the gift should be discussed with the manager.
2. Honoraria may be kept by the individual employee when actual time and preparation were done on own time unless deemed inappropriate or potentially compromising (see a).
3. Honoraria will be transferred to the agency when time and preparation were done on work time to be used at the discretion of the Service Area Director.
4. Unusual circumstances will be discussed with the Service Area Director and Medical Officer of Health, if necessary.

Gifts of money given to the Health Unit or to a specific office or program must be directed to Accounts Payable-Administrative Services for deposit. These funds will be used at the discretion of the Director(s) of the Service Area(s) involved, consistent with the intent of the gift.