2023-398 - Laserfiche WebLink

Ethics Board Docket Nos. 2023-398 Page 7 of 12 the Technology Department. Further, it is the opinion of the Board that Gabriel Diaz violated La. R.S. 42:1119A by virtue of his employment with the Technology Department for the Tangipahoa Parish Schooi System while his father, Michael Diaz, served as the Director of Technology for the Technology Department. As the administrative officer who had supervision and direction over all empioyees of the Technology Department of the Tangipahoa Parish School System in the position of Director of Technology, Michael Diaz was an agency head as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(3) and his agency, as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(2)(a)(vi), is the Technology Department. Gabriel Diaz is the biological son of Michael Diaz and his immediate family member as defined by La. R.S. 42:1102(13). As the agency head of the Technology Department,Michael Diaz's immediate family members were prohibited from being employed in the Technology Department. Therefore, Gabriel Diaz's employment as a Computer Technician-1 with the Technology Department while his father served as the Director of Technology violated La. R.S. 42:1119A. In addition, as the Director of Technology, Michael Diaz's job duties included approving timesheets of the employees of the Technology Department for payroll purposes. Michael Diaz provided fnal approval of Gabriel Diaz's timesheets after preauthorization by the Network Administrator for Gabriel Diaz to be paid by the Tangipahoa Parish School System. Since the approval of the timesheets resulted in Gabriel Diaz being paid for his employment, Gabriel Diaz had a substantial economic interest in his father's approval of his timesheets. Therefore, Michael Diaz violated La. R.S. 42:1112B(1) by virtue of his taking part and having responsibility in the approval process of his son's timesheets for payroll purposes.