Regional Orientation Onboarding

POLICY Conflict of Interest Guidelines apply to all persons (individual or corporate) associated with the Interlake-Eastern RHA whether employed, volunteer, contract or fee-for-service. For the purposes of this policy, the term ‘employee’ shall refer to all these persons. Conflict of Interest shall be defined as any situation in which an employee has a private or personal interest that could appear to influence the objective exercise of their official duties. A conflict of interest is a divergence between the employee’s and/or their family’s personal, financial or business interests and the employee’s professional obligation to exercise their official duties such that an independent observer might reasonably question whether that employee’s actions, decisions or undertakings are influenced by personal gain – financial or otherwise.  Family includes spouse, common-law spouse, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, in-law, grandchild, former guardian, boyfriend, girlfriend, and business partner/associate.  Personal gain refers to any service or item that benefits an employee or their family (e.g. all forms of gifts, gratuities, favours, tickets, meals, discounts, preferential treatment, etc.). Employees shall perform their duties in a manner that does not place them in a conflict of interest. Additionally, employees shall make every effort to avoid any and all situations that place them in an apparent, potential or perceived conflict of interest. PROCEDURE 1.1 At all times, employees shall: 1.1.1 Maintain the highest standard of integrity and impartiality; 1.1.2 Act in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Interlake-Eastern RHA; 1.1.3 Be aware and vigilant of the need to avoid conflict of interest situations; 1.1.4 Not use their position with the Interlake-Eastern RHA for personal gain; 1.1.5 Not solicit any personal gain regardless of value; 1.1.6 Not use resources or information related to their role with the Interlakeu0002Eastern RHA for personal gain; GA-01-P-050 Conflict of Interest Page 2 of 3 1.1.7 Not disclose any information to a third party that would place that party in a position of advantage over its competitors in relation to the business of the Interlake-Eastern RHA; 1.1.8 Absent themselves from any and all decision making or advice provision where they have a private interest. 1.2 Employees shall not accept gifts, gratuities, bequests or entertainment for their personal benefit from past or present patients, clients and their families. This does not include gifts of a personal nature that have no real monetary value (e.g. a thank you card from a patient’s family or a homemade gift from a client). 1.3 Tokens of appreciation of nominal value received from patients, clients and residents may be accepted on behalf of the department, ward or unit. 1.4 Employees shall not accept gifts, gratuities or entertainment from existing or political parties, prospective vendors or suppliers of services, products, or knowledge to the Interlake-Eastern RHA. 1.5 Solicitation of funding, prizes, give-a-ways and in-kind donations from vendors and individuals shall only be allowed in situations linked to explicit and Board approved Interlake-Eastern charitable or program-related activities and consistent with the Interlake-Eastern Corporate Relations Policy. All donors shall be informed in writing that their decision to participate will not have any influence on Interlake-Eastern RHA procurement or program planning decisions. 1.6 Employees who believe that they may be in a conflict of interest situation; or, who may wish to report an alleged conflict, must disclose the conflict to their supervisor immediately upon becoming aware of the conflict. If the supervisor is perceived to be involved in the conflict, the employee should report the conflict to another neutral management representative in the program or department. If a conflict of interest is determined by program or department management; it must be reported to the Vice President of Human Resources for review and/or investigation. 1.7 Employees are required to disclose through a Conflict of Interest declaration to the Vice President, Human Resources all of their outside relationships with Industry or External Agencies that could result in a Conflict of Interest situation and have an obligation to update and revise this declaration should there be any relevant and material changes as applicable. 1.8 Form GA-1-F-6874 Employee Declaration shall be returned as a signed original document to the Vice President, Human Resources to be kept on the employee’s personnel file. 1.9 The Vice President of Human Resources shall have oversight of the Conflict of Interest Policy and will have conduct of the investigation process regarding any conflict of interest matters. 1.10 Employees in breach of this policy will face consequences in accordance with applicable Human Resource policies including, but not limited to, progressive discipline, suspension with or without pay, or termination. 1.11 This policy shall be communicated and distributed to all employees through the employee orientation process.